HEALTH AND APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION

With a désire worthy of the tender solicitude of a mother, the Churcli lias never ceased to implore the Almighty that the universal Christian people might be united together in the bonds of religious faith and practical dévotion. We likewise, who represent on earth the person of the Divine Pastor of soûls, hâve endeavored to follow that example. We hâve been unremitting in our efforts to foster a like purpose amongst Catholic nations and we now recommend a similar resolution to those Christian nations whom the Church so long and ardently calls to the true centre of Christian unity. The source from which we hâve attained so many happy auguries and from which we still await renewed assistance is not hard to discern, for it is from Him who is justly invoked under the title of " Father of Mercies " and whose especial prérogative it is to illuminate our minds and graciously lend our wills unto salvation. Nor can even Catholics be blind to the grandeur and dignity of our undertakings, for on their success dépends the greater glory of God, the honor of the Christian name and the eternal salvation of many soûls. And if they sincerely and religiously consider the bénéficient results that must inevitably accrue from our efforts they will expérience an increased revival of divine love in their hearts which with God's grâce, will prompt them to shrink from no obstacle and strain every nerve on behalf of their Christian brethren. And then it will corne to pass — a thing devoutly to be wished — that they will readily unité with us, not only in the firm and unwearing h ope of a satis-

ractory issue but also in that means which devout and humble supplication obtains i'roni the throne of mercy.

For the exercise of this duty of Christian piety th< no tinie more appropriate than that in which the Apostles of old after the Ascension of our Loid into Heaven "remained together and were perse vering with one mind at prayer with Mary the Motherof Jésus'"' (Acts L, 14,) awaiting the promised help frein on High and the treasures of ail the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

From that august cénacle of the Paraclete the Church conceived by Christ and brought forth in His saving bleod, wafted as it were by the breath of God, went ferward on her glorious mission of leading the nations of the earth to the unity of faith and the newness of Christian life.

Within a short period the most admirable and bountiful results followed where we behold that inimitable union of hearts that can never be too strongly recommended for our imitation and example. " And the multitude of believers had but one heart and soûl." (Acts iv., 32.) For that reason we hâve deemed it well both by exhortation and request to excite the dévotion of the Catholic people, that following the example of the Virgin Mother and the holy Apostles, they may also, during the nine days preeeding the feast of Pentecost, pray God with unanimity of purpose and fervent dévotion, repeating the self-same prayer : " Send forth thy spirit and they shall be created and thou shalt renew the face of the earth."

Truly great and salutary are the blessings which we hope to obtain from Him, who is the Spirit of Truth ; who lias revealed the hidden mysteries of the God head in the sacred Scriptures ; who strengthens the Church by His ever-abiding Présence, and from whom as from the living fountain of holiness the soûls that are regenerated unto the adoption of the sons of God are wonderfully multiplied and perfected in the supernatural gifts of eternal life.

For it is from the nianifold grâces of the Holy Spirit

and from His perpétuai bounty that divine light and love, health and strength, solace and rest, ail good Christian purpose and proficiency in Christian opération are derived. In fine the Holy Spirit so acts by his power in the Church that as Christ is the head of that mystic body so the Holy Ghost may be appropriately called its heart ; for " the heart as a certain secret influence in the body : and therefore the Holy Ghost is compared to the heart because He animâtes and unités the Church in an invisible manner." (St. Thomas.) And since above ail the Holy Ghost is that divine charity to whom ail the works of love are attributed, it is greatly to be hoped that through Him the spirit of error shall be expelled, the spirit of wickedness restrained, and there shall be affected a closer union and more lasting harmony that will be worthy of the children of the Catholic Church, who, in accordance with the admonition of the Apostles, " should do nothing through strife," but " being of one mind, having the same charity, and being of one accord," will thus fill up the measure of our joy and become not merely in manner but in very deed a strong and flourishing community. From such a manifestation of Christian harmony amongst Catholics ; from the earnest dévotion of prayer to the Holy Ghost, we are confident that the reconciliation which we hâve endeavored to effect with our separated brethren may be realized, so that " the mind may be in them which was in Christ Jésus " (Phil. ii., 5), and being at last partakers with us of Faith and Hope they may in time be joined with us in the much desired bonds of perfect charity. Besides the blessings which the faithful who respond to our earnest exhortations shall receive from God in return for their active piety and fraternal charity it further pleases us to bestow the reward of Holy Indulgences from the treasure of the Church.

Therefore, to ail those who for nine consécutive days before the Feast of Pentecost shall devoutly recite either publicly or privately some spécial prayers to the Holy Ghost, we grant, on each of thèse days, an Indulgence of

seven years and seven quarantines ; also a Plenary Indulgence on any «one of thèse (iays, or on the Feast of Pentecost, or on any day within the following octave, provided that having duly confessed and communicated they pray to God, according to the intentions above specified. We further grant to those who wish to repeat the same conditions of prayer, during the octave following Pentecost, the same Indulgences. Those Indulgences may be aplied to the suffering soûls in Purgatory ; and by our authority we hereby ordain and decree that they shall be available each year for the future, those conditions being observed which are required by law and custom.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Fisherman's seal, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninetyfive, on the fifth day of May, in the eighteenth year of our Pontificate.