Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-24
Message of Pope Plus M
Sorowful Note of Spanish War Amid Christmas
Joys Called Menace to Civilized World.

to Civilized World.
divine mandate teacher OF the peoples.
as an avowed enemy Of national pros
perity and progress, such . one Is not
only no builder Of prosperous future
for humanity and his own county; on
the contrary he is destroying the most
effective and decisive means Of defense
against dreaded evils and he Is, even
though he know it not. working with
those against whom he believes and
boasts that he Is fighting.
We have had several occasions even
recently to explain what the holy and
apostolic see has always believed and
taught and what she, according to her
opportunities, has sought to accomplish
and contribute-up to yesterday. even
up to this day and whatever greater
dispositions may be for the future
to the welfare Of all against q common
enemy.
It Is needless to say that in such
condition there Is nothing more for
US to do but to renew more insistently
and more paternally and imploringly
the invitation and pressing entreaty SO
frequently repeated to the faithful
throughout the world, to all souls par
ticularly devoted to the sacred heart
and to the interest Of the church, to all
bishops, to all the secular and regular
clergy and to all the la;ty, especially to
those who, with such enlightened faith
and Christian charity, labor for the
interests Of Christ and Of souls by their
active participation with the hier-
archical apostolate in the multiple
forms Of Catholic action.
Heroic Souls Praised
For Daily Efforts.
Our highest thoughts. full Of par.
ticular confidence, 60 out in q special
way to those heroic souls who are
making an apostolate out Of their daily
work and even Of their suffering.
And more especially still to those
legions which from all corners Of the
world send up to heaven the perfume
Of their purity. We speak Of these
little ones who believe in Jesus and
who belong to the church in a special
manner precisely because they are
Christ's beloved.
This year, most beloved sons, the di-
vine goodness Is granting US the OPP
portunity to contribute to the prayers
and work and sacrifices of all by .
personal experience of suffering and
until now has marvelously spared US
and for which the same divine good
ness is most readily and generously
recompensing us with q wondrous and
touching union Of prayers which lately
from every part Of the church are
necessarily being offered up for the
wellbeing Of the common father.
From the fullness Of our hearts We
take this opportunity to thank all for
this manifestation Of filial affection,
30 loving and so devoted.
And although what we have to suf-
fer is very little, indeed, compared to
that which 20 generously and painfully
people suffer In the world; and COM
pared with that, above all, which He
himself, the head, the founder and
the king Of this divine church had to
suffer for US, both in soul and In body,
may be none the less deign to accept
our Offering which we wish always to
oe In conformity with His most holy
will.
May he accept it, we repeat, for His
own glory, now more than ever 50 i'm
piously attacked, for conversion Of all
those who have gone astray, for the
peace and for the good Of the entire
church and in particular manner for
Spani, now 50 troubled and for that
very reason 50 dear to US.
With this fervent sentiment Of our
heart we make ours and we send out
to the world the heavenly message OF
Christmas "glory to God In the high
est and on earth peace to men,"
We gladly avail ourselves Of this
occasion 30 happily offered to us by
this annually recurring Christmas
gathering to turn our thoughts to all
those other spiritual Joys, the full en-
joyment Of which divine benignity has
prepared for us.
It Is for us today and none the less
for all holy qualification and an
apostolic consolation to recall with
gratitude and with the profound
esteem that Is due persons and events
which impress the pages Of the yea
now drawing to . close, the special
marks Of greatness and holiness OF
the faithful and the steadfast union
Of souls about the see Of Peter.
Still present in our memory Is the
sight Of the senate Of the church with
the entire Italian episcopate come to
rejoice with US ON the beginning Of
this year Of our long life, during which
our Lord often makes us sense the
companions work and sorrow."
Homage Of Catholic
Journalists and Artists.
We hear again in our memory the
filial homage Of the Congress Of
Catholic Journalists and Artists Of dif.
ferent degree and extent, Of that
solemn demonstration Of faith and
learning and q the action and the
sacrifice which b offered to the ad-
miration Of pilgrims by the Catholic
press exhibition collected from the i've
points Of the globe.
Our heart rejoices also because Of
two works which have taken on new
form-one In stone and the other In
thought. We mean the new palace
OF the congregations and the Ponttd-
cal Academy Of Science.
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