Year: 1879

REPLY OF POPE LEO TO THE COLLEGE OF CAR


ROME, Feb. q, 1879.


On the anniversary day of the Pontifcal election
February 20, the College Of Cardinals pre-
sented their congratulations to His Holiness
at the Vatican. Cardinal Di Pietro read an
address from the Sacred College, the principal
passage of which was:-During the brief period
which has elapsed since. inspired by God pro-
claimed you Sovereign Pontif and Prince. worthy
of governing the Church, the whole world has
admired your actions and your blessed words Of
peace. which ought to allay the apprehensions
which are so widespread, and has heard with rc-
spect the wise warnings which you have given to
society, and which assuredly ought to have the
effect OF putting end to the of public life
which are daily becoming more palpable, whether in
the form of false principles which are propagated
OF the horrible crimes WHICH are committed
salutary warnings which indicate the sole means
which lead man to his true destination. The
College of Cardinals then reoces in seeing that the
choice which 1t has made In your person Of Sover-
egn Pontin will undoubtedly result in the contnu-
OF that of glory for the Catholic religion
for your brow there shines, beside the sacred
tiara. the triple crown of virtue. frmness and wis
dom.


POPE LEo's REPLY.


His Holiness in reply. said:-The good wishes
and congratulations which you offer extremely
agreeable to us. From the moment that IL
pleased the Lord to raise us to the august
chair of st. Peter. when our heart. deeply
moved and penetrated with the Thought Of
the heavy burden imposed weakness, felt
almost appalled,. the most eicacious encouragement
received from the certainty that would
find In the Sacred College powerful support, and
from the assured hope that Divine Providence
which in such tcmpestuous times called on ms
to rule over the Church would never be wanting
to us with Its mercful aid. Animated with that
confidence, and fully aware OF the evils and necess-
ties OF society ut present; and. moreover, intL
matey convinced OF the power OF the Church
to effect their removal and cure, nothing was
dearer to onr heart than 10 show the world the
beuncent nature and sallltary Influence of the
Church, 80 as to bring back to her the princes and
state of liberty which is hers by Divine ordinance
Ii solicitude aud our words, received with re-
spect and obedience by the faithful Of the universe
have served to rearouse among some OF them u
love for the Church. and to render others Of them
less hostile in their feelings toward her. that result
will be solely due to Hin who has made the nations
capable of being healed: to Him who has given eff
cacy to words. aud also to the incstinable
treasures of light. truth and beauty with which the
Church is enriched.


HAVE CONFIDENCE


But in rendering to God the acts of thanksgiving
which due to Him, know how difficult aud
hard s the way we have to traverse, for. in fact
the ever increasing propensity to evil which is
aifcting society, the arrogant designs OF many
men whose audacity IL increased by unex-
pected triumphs. the disloyal warfare which
In all parts of the world Is being wagod
AGAINST the Church and the Papacy. give presige
OF darker and more terrible times. However
with the aid Of God. neither adverse events nor