The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04
HERE'S PASTORAL LETTER
SUPPRESSED BY GERMANS
Lenten Document Issued by Archbishop of Namur to
His Flock Recounts Sufferings Of Belgians
at Hands Of Invaders

honor Of our country.
However proud We feel ~ their cour-
age. we do not feel less the sorrow for
their loss. because they were our chill
dren and brethren and we expected
great things from them. Let us think
Of them with gratitude and pray for
them.
''Besides those who have seen the end
Of their worldly sufYerings. there are
others. more numerous still. who yet suf-
fer In exhaustion and distress. Among
them we count the soldiers who are still
exposed to the blow Of death during
their heroic fighting their families and
the entire country are In anguish for
them. Among them we count the
wounded who Al, the wards Of the u ,s-
pitfalls and AFFORD one OF the most emo
tional sides Of the war There are finally
the prisoners, soldiers civi,ane and
priests, who eat the hard bread of exile
and captivity. Added TO the sorrow for
their absence is that. equally great for
US, OF being deprived OF news about
their sad fate.
And what must We say abou, the ma
terial damages wrought on our lands
We have visited many devastated re-
gtons and we have shed bitter tears
over the ruins OF churches. schools,
parish houses, mansions and often Of
entire villages which were destroyed.
sometimes during battles but more often
voluntarily burned Must We name these
villages? Dinant. Tamines, st. Martin,
Sornne. Spontin. Hastiers. Hermeton-
sur-Meuse, Onhaye. Anthee Maurenne.
Surice. Romedenne. Franchimont. VII
.Fakne, Frasnes. willerzle. Bour-
seigne-Neuve. Musson Raranzy. Ethe.
Gomcry. Tinbigny. Hotdement Rossis-
mol. Herbeumont. Maissin. Porcheresse.
are so many villages and parishes which
the war removed In the territory Of our
diocese. And near these villages COM
pletely destroyed We know OF $50 others
which were more or less damaged.
Deplores saePileses.
But what sorrowed our hearts most
OF all was the sacrileges witnessed in
many places OF our diocese. We de-
plore such sacrleees from the bottom Of
our heart as direct offence to our
Lord In the Eucharist which We always
loved and venerated In our diocese
When YOU recall the solemn professions
in honor Of the Sacred Hos, during the
Eucharistic Congress you will realize
what outrageous humiliations were in
hicted upon the Holy Sacrament In re-
cent times But since God alone must
Judge and condemn. We abstain from
accusing. but pray the Sovereign JudR.
10 forgive the culprits
we dcplore as we'll the destruction
OF our charitable works. OF our religious
and social institutions. Our diocese was
rich In prosperous institutions OF every
kind. Alas, many OF them have been de-
stroyed, others are in danger and none
can recover their former prosperity. As
for our colleges and seminarie. the
courses have been resumed despite pre
vailing disastrous circumstances, but We
already fofesee that the results obtained
TINS year Will amount TO little or moth
ing despite tie efforts OF the teachers
Add TO all this the suspension, nav. the
complete interruption. of indust ries. com.
merce and agriculture. the miseries and
priNa'ions we are all sufYerinRs and
which are more severely felt nv our
dear workngmen during the ripors or
winter. and finally. the anguish and an.
prehension that All our patriotic heat.
despite all the reasons We have for hone
And What We are writing now is
nothing hut weak and insufric,en, OH, :.
line OF our trials and misfortunee In
fact. We can safely say that all our life
is now hard Lent. Lent OF wrirbtv
cxpiation and sacrihces This penitence
ana these sacrifices may prove for ~. a
source OF grace n we accep. them a,
God asks us TO. They maS also prove.
and unfortunately they are for many. a
dangerous temptation to which human
weakness will easily give in unless sun.
ported by the teachings OF faith and
aided by Cod
we have seen during our visit IN tho
devastated regions that some have given
IN TO TINS temptation. They say: WHY
vas Catholic Belsium SO hard tried and
raNagtd' i this the recompcnsc for
her fidelity 10 religion, her devotion tn
. all works Of picty and charity. her A..
tarhinent and submission 20 In, Pope.
! the hospitality accorded 10 exilo.i priest :
ana nuns What use has IL hcen for
Belgium to spend so much money and
work for the founding OF schools ana
other institutions IN order To send so
many of her children to preach the Cos.
pei to tho heather" They say AS well .
Our priests are ~ treated and killed
our churches destroyed and profsnsted
honest. good people are moro often the
victims ~ the war than all others
why all these trials' How IL II that
God allows them? And some do NOT
even draw back from this blasphcmou.
conclusion; God is not just; God does
| not care for us God docs not exist
We frankly admit, dearest brethren
that We suffer more in hearing such
words, especially " thcy spread among
the people, than we do owing to all the
| misfOrtunes of the war itself hrd for
this rcason We heseech divine mercy 70
guide our per while We strive to answer
these objections. and Nc beg the Al
| mighty to protect our people from such
~ temptation and 10 give Thorn the
strength TO resist II with courage
In the second part of his pastoral let
ter Mgr 1Icylcn explains tho theological
l III
1 all sufferings in accordance with tn,
{ Christian theory