The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-06-26
Pope Addresses French Pilgrims

FULL TEXT OF ALLOCUTlON IN
ST. PETERS WITH RESPECT TO
CANONIZATION OF JOAN OF ARC
HOLY FATHER POINTS OUT
SECRET OF ST. JOAN'S SANC-
TITY-PRAYs FOR FRANCE.
The full text of the Pope's allocu-
tion to the French pilgrims in ST.
Peters on the occasion Of Saint Joan
of Arcs canOniZatiOn, was as follows:
Holy Father Speaks.
How many memories yesterday re-
calls, and how many today will recall
for those who were present eleven
years ago at the Beatification of Joan
of Arc and have been happy witnesses
also of her CanOniZatiOn. But the
thing is so natural that Our Venerable
Brother, the Bishop Of Orleans, began
his eloquent discourse by recalling
those happy memories. We ourselves
cannot share them because we were
not fortunate enough to be present at
the BeatiiiCation of the Maid of Or
leans. But it is easy to recall that
ceremony in imagination and put it
side by side with that Of yesterday.
There is one thing only that We regret,
that it is Ourself, not Plus X present
here today. Happy indeed we should
have been to be present at the Canon
iZatiOn Of Joan of Arc, but how we
should have preferred to be in just the
purple of 1909 if the venerated POntiff
who conferred on US the fulness of the
priesthood could have lived to sit to-
day in the Chair Of Peter. 1t is a
happiness to Us to recall the memory
of that ceremony for surely it must
move the hearts of all present here
today And it moves us the more in
the certainty that we feel that Plus
X, though taken from the sight of
men, is present with us on this day
that surely he fOresaw when the first
news was brought to him of the mir
acles wrought at the intercession of
Joan Of Arc already proclaimed
Blessed.
"She Is A Saint"
But after paying the tribute of rec
objection to our Predecessor we can
not but express the great joys We feel
that it has been granted us to crown
Joan OF Arc with the glory OF the
Saints. In carrying out this high Of
flee we know that we have been priv
ileged to do something which goes
straight home to the hearts Of our
beloved children of France. For long
centuries their devotion to Joan of
Arc has been such that they have
wished her name to be held in honor
and loved among all the peoples. So
grateful were they for all the good
she brought her country that they
have made every child in every little
village know her great story. How,
then, could that story be better carried
to the confines of the earth than by
a Decree of CanoniZatiOn? What
more eloquent, more universal procla-
nation Of her merits could there be
than the Decree of SanctiicatiOn
which no single corner of the earth
can fail to hear? From today on
the answer of the French mother is
ready in two words: She is a Saint
Joan is a Saint; and we can now
think of no failing in the Maid of Dom
remy, we think instead of every
height and glory of virtue. That is
the sublime eloQuence of Decree OF
Canonization which not only confirms
the researches of historians but gives
them greater light than could be
brought by all the disquisitions Of the
learned, stamping them with that
surety of truth and universally OF
doctrine which the most learned word
and the closest study here on earth
cannot claim. SO it is no surprise
to us that the CanOnization of Joan
of Arc has brought to Rome so great
a number of pilgrims despite the
length of the journey and the diff
culties Of the present times.
Lesson From Canonzation.
"The Decree of Canonization of Joar
of Arc is not the production of al
academy of history of science; it mus
never be forgotten that it is the frul
of the magisteriUm of the Church. Fo
that reason we are sure that the man.
pilgrims present in Rome on this mem
orable occasion will not only see il
the Decree the honor paid to one o
the greatest of their people but vii
think of the solemn lesson to b.
learned from it, which is in the fnter
ton of the Church for the uplifting t
moral perfection of her children. An