Year: 1867

The following is the alocution which the
| Pope addressed to the consistory on the
22d ultimo


VENERABLE BR1rHEEN: The love of Christ
urging upon us the duty of Inqulrlng why
50 many diooeses had been left vacant IL
Italy, We sent an autograph letter IN the


month Of March, 1865, 20 the Most Serene
King OF Italy, asking him to send to us
some person with whom we could treat on
such serious subject. When he acceded


but, through no fault of ours certainly, they
came to no result. They did not fulfil our
desire, although, moved by an ardent So
licitude for the salvation Of souls. to which
the Holy See has always given priority III
all things, we condescended to invite these
negotiations. The matter was recently ia
ken up at the desire of those who are mas
ters of affairs in Italy. But it is impossi-
BILE for us, venerable brethren, to treat of
this subject without expressing profound
sorrow and bitter grief.


The holy prelates whom we are about to
send to the vacant sees will not only find
the ecclesiastical treasures ruined, but
they will absolutely find themselves in
want of their ordinary means of support;
and what is still worse, they will find the
stones of the sanctuary scattered, the asy-
lums of religious Perfection deserted the
inmates of the cloisters reduced to utter
destitution, and the holy virgins expelled
from the religious ed1fices where, with the
help of God they had retired to live and
die on the knees of the Heavenly Spouse
1t is sad and painfuI to send bishops to
such sees, especially in a crisis of public
affairs like the present. But what is to
be done Give up the project for these
reasons No These laborers will return
to the vine planted by God and watered
with the blooG of of His Son, relying on
the Almighty's aid; they will proceed to
their work confident in the protection of
the Mother Of God, who can powerfully
assist them. It is she, indeed, the true
seat of wisdom, who with her inspiration
aiding the efforts of the pastors, will bring
to them, in her quality of refuge of sin
ners, great numbers Of wandering souls.
Comforter of tho afflicted, she will as
suage through them the sufferings of the
wretched; protectress of Christians, she
will bring back to the pastors the respect
and filial affection of the people, and thus
in the docility and love of the flock they
will find relief from the weight of their on
erOus functions, as well as consolation in
the contest they will have to sustain against
the enemies of God and the powers
of darkness, who are endeavoring to seize
the whole field of the Gospel in order to
make it q desolate abode. Therefore,
amongst the new bishops, we shall provis-
ionally name some who belong to Italy,
having confidence that in future consisto-
ries we will have an opportunity of precon-
Using others and others still, if the judg-
ments of men, who live according to the
exigencies of the time, will harmonize with
ours especially in what concerns the elec-
ton of individuals. It would not be Op-
perfume to say more in the present state of
things; but the future, unless the justice of
the Almighty brings about q change, is but
too clearly indicated by the past series of
most distressing events. Still we must have
confidence in God, who, in concert with
the immaculate Virgin and the holy apos-
ties, has, in SO striking a manner. protected
US beneath the shadow of His wings and
who, in the end, (such at least is our hope)
will change our sorrow into Joy. Let us
endeavor, venerable brethren, to hasten
and to ripen this result, SO desired in our
prayers, by the concord of our souls and
the exercise of every christian faith,