Year: 1869

That great event in the history of the Romsh
Church, the convening of General or Ecumeni-
cal Council, the first since 1916 will take place
on the eighth of this present month, next We'd
nesday, in the Vatican Basica, at Rome. Since
the times of Luther and the Great Reformation
the condition of the Church, or of the Pope,
perhaps, has not been such as to call for
general convecation. Now that it has come we
may look for great results F..


The Council First Suggested


The design of conyoking general council has
been entertained by Pope Plus for many years.
1t was for the first time officially announced on
June 81, 1867 in an allocution to the great as
sembly of bishops, who, in compliance with
papal invitation, had gone to Rome to be present
at the canonzation of a number of saints In
this allocuton the Pope said:-


I'VE have already entertained for long time
past project which Is known to several of our
venerable brethren, and we trust that our
thought may be realized as soon as the desired
occasion shall present itself. Our project is to
hold a sacred uGeumenical and General Council
of all the Bishops of the Catholic world, in
which, by collecting various opinions, we may.
by common accord and with the aid of God
adopt the necessary and saiutary remedies, par
ticularly in that which concerns the many evils
which now aillict the Church. By means of
such a council we have n certain hope that the
light of the Catholic truth in which the minds of
men are involved will shed abroad its bencficent
light, and enable mankind to discern and follow.
by favor of the divine grace, the true path of
salvation and justice.


The Bishops, in the address presented to tho
Pope expressed JOY at the announcement of the
speedy assembling of an Gcumenical Council,
from which they thought the Church would de-
rive abundant fruit. The Pope subsequently,
appointed congregation of seven Cardinals, to
whom he intrusted the duty of arranging the
preliminaries for the meeting, and, in the course
of the year 1861, q number of prominent theolo-
gians from different churches were called to
Rome to take part in the labors of this special
congregation.


The hull of COnyOcatiOn.


The bull conyoking the council was issued on
the 29th of June, 1868. The causes which
prompted the calling of the council, and the
mission it is expected to accomplish, are thus
referred to in the built


Following the practice of our illnstrions pre-
deCessors, we have deemed it opportnne TO
assemble n General Council, which we have
already long desired, of all our brethren the
bishops of the whole Catholic world, who are
now called to take part in our sOlicitude. These,
our venerable brethren, being prompted by the
warmest love for our Catholic Church, and re-
markable for eminent pety and for reverence
towards us and this Apostolic See being anxious
also for the salvation Of souls and excellent Ina
wisdom in doctrine, and crndition, and greatly
lamenting with us the grieyous condition of
sacred and proianc things they viii hold
nothing more precious than to communicate to
us their judgment, and to confer with us in
order to provide salutaly remedies for SO many
ealamitcs.


''All these things have to be most carefully
examined and regulated by the Gcumenieal
Council, more particularly with regard to all
that in these evil times concerns the greatest
glory of God, the integrity of faith, the respect
Tor divine worship, and the eternal salvation of
men, the discipline of the orders of the clergy
and their solid and salutary training the observ-
| snce of ecclesiastical laws, the amelioraton of
manners, the education of Christian youth, and
the peace and concord of all. And further, the
council must seek by anxious study that by the
help OF God all ills may be removed from civil
society, that erring wanderers may be led back
into the right way of truth, and that vice and
error may be eliminated, our august religion and
her salutary doctrine may everywhere be quick
ened by fresh life, and may still further extend
their influence, and thus piety, honesty probity.
justice, charity, and all the Christian virtues
may gather strength and ilourish to the great
benefit of human society None can ever deny
that the strength OF the Catholic Church and her
doctrine does not alone regard the eternal saliva
tlon OF men, but Is essential also to the temporal
welfare of peoples, and to their real prosperity
order, and tranquility, and even to the progress
and solidity of human science, rs the annals of
sacred and profane history clearly prove by
series OF splendid facts, and still constantly de-
nOnblTule.


Therefore, after most feryent prayer offered
up day and night in the humility of our heart to
God the Father of light, we have judged il to be
expedient that this council should be assem-
bled. For this cause, strong in the authority of
God, the Father Almighty, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost, and of the lioly Apostles, Peter
and Paul, which authority we represent on
earth, we, with the counsel and consent of our
venerable brethren, the Cardinals OF the holy
Roman Church, by these present letters, an
nounce, cenvoke, and ordain the sacred Qscu-
menical and General Council to be holden in
that our city of Rome in the coming year, 1859,
in the Vatican Basilica commencing upon the
9Th day of December sacred to the immaculate
conception of the Virgin Mary, and to be prose-
cuted and conducted to its termination by the
help of God, to His glory, and to the salvation of
all Christian peoples.


1--WE therefore desire and command tiat our
venerable brethren, the patriarchs, archbishops,
bishops, as also our beloved sons, the abbOts,
and all others who by right or privilege are en-
titled to sit in general councils, and to manifest
their opinions in the same, should, from all