The Irish standard., 1915-08-07
POPE MAKES ANOTHER |
APPEAL FOR PEACE |

An appeal has been issued by Pope
Benedict on the anniversary of the
European conflict. In his appeal for
peace he refers to his former efforts
to end the strife, and the failure which
has attended his efforts to bring about
a peaceable solution of the present
conflict. Although unsuccessful in his
former efforts, the Holy Father de-
clares that his resolution is still de-
termined in his desire to be of service
to the world, to restore peace among
the troubled nations of the world. The
following is the text of the appeal is-
sued by Pope Benedict on the anniver-
sary of the European war:
when we were called to succeed
to the apostolic throne of Pope Plus
whose upright and exemplary life was
brought to an end by the fratricidal
struggle which broke out in Europe
we felt-after gazing fearfully on the
bloody battlefield-the despair of a
father who witnesses his home torn
asunder and ravaged by a furious tenn
pest.
I'VE thought with inexpressible sor-
row of our young sons cut down by
death; we felt in our heart, enlarged
by Christian charitableness. the great
unspeakable sadness of mothers and
of wives made widows before their
time, and the tears of children de-
prived too soon of parental guidance.
Participating in our soul in the
fear and anguish of innumerable fam
lilies and we'll knowing the imperial
duties imposed on us by the mission
of peace and love with which we have
been confided during these sad days,
we adopted a firm resolve to concen-
trate our whole activity and all our
power to the reconciliations of the
peoples at war. We made solemn
promise to our divine Father, Who
wished with the price of His blood to
make all men brothers.
Words of peace and love were the
first we addressed to the nations and
their chiefs as the 5s1Semc guardian
of their souls. Our affectionate and
insistent counsels as father and friend
were not heard. This increased our
sadness, but did not shake our reso
luton. We continue with confidence to
appeal to the All Powerful, Who holds
in His hand the minds and hearts OF
subjects as we'll as kings. imploring
Him to end the great scourge.
"In our humble but ardent prayer
we want to include all the faithful and
to make it more effective, we have
taken care that it be accompanied by
works of Christian penitence.
To-day, on the sad anniversary OF
the terrible conflict, our heart gives
forth the wish that the war will soon
end. We raise again our voice to utter
a fatherly cry for peace. May this cry
dominating the frightful noise of arms
reach the warning peoples and Their
chiefs and induce kindly and more
serene intentions.
"In the name of the Lord God, i1
the name of the Father and Lord II
Heaven, in the name of the Blessed
Blood of Jesus-the price Of the re
demption of humanity-we implore the
belligerent nations before divine provi
dence henceforth to end the horribl,
carnage, which for year has beer
dishonoring Europe.
"This is the blood Of brothers tina
is being shed on land and sea. TIL,
most beautiful regions of Europe-thi,
garden Of the world-are sown will
bodies and ruins. There, where re
Gently fields and factories thrived, can
non now roar in a frightful manner ii
a frenzy of demolition, sparing mel
Their cities nor villages and spreading
the ravages of DEATH"