The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-04-12
UNIVERSAL JUBILEE PRO
INDICATED.

Some weeks ago we announced
that our Holy Father Pope Plus
x had decreed a universal jubilee
in connection with the religious
exercises commemorative of the
peace given to the early Church
by Constantine the Great. The re-
ligious functions have already be-
gun In Rome and the Pope has is
sued an Apostolic Letter in which
he promulgates a jubilee in con-
nectiOn with this event and lays
down the conditions to be OBJ
served by the faithful in order to
gain plenary indulgence Of their
sins which is the primary object
Of the jubilee.
The following paragraphs from
this Apostolic Letter are worthy
Of perusal by all. In bestowing
his apostolic benediction upon call
the faithful in Christ who shall
read this, Our letter." His Holt
ness says:
THE cOmmemoration of the
great and happy event through
which, sixteen centuries ago, peace
was finally given to the Church,
while it fills all Catholics with the
greatest JOY and calls them to
works of piety, moves us to open
the treasures of celestial gifts that
choice and copious fruits may ac-
crue from that solemnity. Moth
ing indeed could be more fitting
and opportune than the celebra-
ton of the Edict promulgated at
Milan by the Emperor Constantine
the Great following closely upon
the victory over Maxentius, OBJ
tanned under the glorious standard
of the Cross-the Edict which put
an end to the cruel prosecutions
of the Christians and placed them
in possession Of the liberty
bought at the price of the blood of
the Divine Redeemer and the
martyrs. Then at last the Church
Militant gained the first of those
triumphs which throughout its his
tory have invariably followed per-
secutions of every sort and from
that day ever increasing benefits
accrued to the human race. For
men, abandoning by degrees the
superstitious worship of idols,
in their laws customs and institu-
tions followed evermore the rule
of Christian life, and so it came to
pass that justice and love -four
ished together on the earth.
Therefore we think it appro-
pirate that on this happy occasion
on which such a great event is
commemorated prayers should be
multiplied to God, to His Virgin
Mother and to all the Blessed,
especially to the Holy Apostles,
that all peoples, renewing the dig
nifty and glory of the Church. may
take refuge in the bosom of this
their Mother, may root out the
errors by which insensate enemies
of the Church strive to shroud its
splendor in darkness, may sur
round the Roman Pontiff with the
highest homage, and, with their
minds at rest in perfect trust. may
see indeed in the Catholic religion
the defense and safeguard of all
things. Then will it be possible to
hope that men, again fixing their
eyes on the Cross, the sign of sal
walton, will be able to completely
lovercome the enemies of the Chris.
tan name and the unbridled lusts
of their hearts. To the purpose
then, that the humble prayers that
should be offered on the occasion
of this solemn commemoration
throughout the Catholic world
may rebound to the greater spirit
ual good of the faithful, we or
dain that they be enriched with a
plenary indulgence in jubilee
form, urgently exhorting all the
children of the Church, that they
unite their prayers and their
works of piety to ours, to the end
that by means of the spiritual
favor of jubilee offered to them,
these may bear the greatest pos
sible fruit both to the profit of
souls and the advantage of re-
ligion.
The conditions for making the
jubilee, which can be gained at
any time between the first Sunday
after Easter and the Feast of the
Immaculate Conception, are set
forth in detail. All who live in
Rome or visit Rome during this
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