The Washington times., 1936-12-24

to Heaven the perfume Of their
purity.
We speak of these little ones
who believe in Jesus and who be-
long to the church in a special
manner precisely because they
are Christ'S beloved.
Thanks for Prayers
This year, beloved sons, the di-
vine goodness is granting us the
opportunity to contribute to the
prayers and works and sacrifices
of all by personal experience OF
suffering, until now marvelouSly
spared us. and for which the same
divine goodness is most generously
recompensing US with a wondrous
and a touching union of prayers
which lately from every part of
the church are necessarily being
offered up for the well-being Of
the common father.
From the fullneSS of our heart,
we take this opportunity to thank
all for this manifestation of filial
affection so loving and devoted.
And although what we have to
suffer is very little indeed COM
pared to that which so generously
and painfully people suffer in the
world and compared with what,
above all, which He himself, the
head, the founder, the King Of
this divine church had to suffer
for us, both in soul ana in body,
may He none the less deign to
accept our offering which we wish
always to be in conformity with
His most holy will.
May He accept it, we repeat, for
His own glory, now more than ever
so impiously attacked for the con-
version of all those who have gone
astray, for peace and for the good
of the entire church, and in a par
ticular manner for Spain, now so
troubled, and for that very reason
so dear to us.
Christmas GIOrified
With this fervent sentiment of
our hearts, we make ours and we
send out to the world the heaven
ly message of Christmas, glory to
God in the highest and on earth
peace to men.
We gladly avail ourselves Of this
occasion so happily offered us by
this annually recurring Christmas
gathering to turn our thoughts tC
all those other spiritual joys, the
full enjoyment of which divine be
nightly prepared for us.
It is for us today and none tht
less for all holy qualification ane
an apostolic consolation to recall
with gratitude to God and with
the profoundeSt feeling persons
and events which impress on th'
pages of the year now drawing tt
close special marks Of greatness
and holiness, of a faithful anC
steadfaSt union of souls about tn
See of Peter.
Still present in our memory i
the sight of the senate of tn
church, with entire Italian epiSco
pate come to rejoice with us, OF
the beginning of this year of ou
long life, during which our Lore
makes us feel the presence Of ou
companions work and sorrow.
We hear again in memory tn
filial homage of the Congress o
Catholic Journalists and Artist
and that solemn demonstration o
faith and learning, of action ant
sacrifice, which is offered to tn
admiration of pilgrims by tn
Catholic press exhibition collected
from the five points of the globe
Our heart rejoices also because o
the two works which have takel
on a new form, one in stone ant
the other in thought. We meal
the new Palace of Congregation
and the Pontifical Academy o
Science.
With these new events at tn
turn of the year are associated tn
centenaries of two great events o
old, which are the glory of tn
gospel and of the church.
Saints Praised
We mean, as you have alread.
anticipated, the nineteenth Ger
tenary of the conversion of 81
Paul and the sixteenth centenar.
of the death of st. Sylvester, o
the apostle of the gentle, vesse
of election, sublime and indefat
igable teacher of Christian faith
Rome glories to have heard tn
message alongside her first pontif
and to have felt the sword strok
of one of his epiStleS.
In Sylvester, Rome admireS tn
oracle of sanctity which freely de
veloped on earth under the star