SOI

Faith is the gift of Grod by which we are broughï to believe ail revealed truth. It is found only in the Church of Christ. Jésus-Christ brought truth from Heaven, lie created an institution, which he himself called his Church, with the privilège of keeping this truth eternally and of teaching it infallibly. This institution is the résidence of truth and from the summit of this niountain which the prophet beheld through centuries to corne, truth ceases not to pour down its billows of light over the world.

" The Church is the society of ail the faithful who are baptized, united among themselves and witli Jésus Christ by the profession of the Christian faith and the participation in the saine saeraments, under the authority of one sàme visible Head who is the Tope, vicar of our Lord Jesus-Christ on earth/ (Manuel of the Catholic Citizen.) The same faith there reigns, the same authority commands, the same goods arc shared.

The Man (iod, the king of humanity instituted it just as it exists to this day and its doctrine, its rights corne from llim, Therefore, no power can either add or take away one iota from its creed, nor deiine dot limit its rights. Being independent in its teaching, it is also independent in its own government. Thèse are the principlcs which Léo XI 11 wishes to hâve accepted by governments, as well as by nations and individuals.

Chir duty Dearly Beloved Brethren, is to show oiirselves in every thing and every where, the faithful Childten of the Church , to labor for the préservation of its legitimate influence When In* arts thus. the ( alholic serves his country betler ; lie increases ils strength and procures more happiness and Btability for it.

At the présent time, not only îmisl the attacks <»!

error againsl Catholic dogmas be repulsed, but the

Church, our Mother, mnst also be defended against the spoliation and incursions of every hostile législation, whether it be meant in good or bad faith. Catholics are obliged to protest with energy against injustice, and their duty is to demand the rights which the Church holds from GodT against whoin no man, no party, no govemment is able to do any thing. Hère is a good reasoii ior it. The war wao-ed against the Church is also waored aérai nst each one of her chiîdren, consequently against each one of us. Beware, Dearly Beloved Brethren, and be persuaded, that when the Church is attacked, it is yourselves, your soûls, your belief, y our Christian life that is attacked. If a right is denied to the Church, it is your right which is refused y ou ; if in modifying a law, a right be taken away from the Church, it is one of your right s of which you hâve been robbed,

The Pope, knowing the great nuraber of those who in one way or anotherT combat the Spouse of Jesus-Christ, can ne ver cease deploring the aberration of minds, the corruption of hearts and the dangers that threaten the rising génération He pitiés those who allow themsehes to be misled by the révolution... he invites them to place themselves again under his authority...he warns the faithful not to reject the gift of faith.

Dearly Beloved Brethren, catholics should not remain inactive when they see the church disowned and threatened, and civil society in danger. It belongs to them to teach, to proclaim and to défend true principles, principles of good, of justice and of truth ; and to this they should add example Kxample is nothing else than action.

For this reason, we are not permitted to remain étrangers to that which is the object of social activity. " Agriculture, industry and commerce ; mechanical arts, fine arts and the sciences ; property,

labor and capital ; jurisprudence, législation and policy, indulgence, misery and suflering of ail kinds, instruction, éducation and doctrine ; such is the wide field in whieh the activity of catholics should exert itself, under the eye and with the encourage» ments and blessings of the church^ sole source ol' true light and of real progress.

" Should the catholic be a mechanic, a husband* man, a manufacturer, a merchant, an artist, a doctoi\ a jurrst, a magistrate, a legislator ».. he should endeavor to excel in his trade, in his art, in his profession.'1 By this means he will ensure for him» self his just portion of the goods of this life, whieh he requires for the maintenance of his family, of the state and of the church,

Catholics î let us proclaim that civilization cannot exist without the church ; that if nations continue, through their governments, to separate themselves from the church, the y will not hâve the substance of civilization ; let us reclaim with Léo XIII enthv lreedom for the Vicar of Jesus-Christ, freedom that he will enjoy when restitution of his temporal possessions will be made him ; let us watch as much as is necessary and in the measure of our influence that the rights of the church be not violated : let us remain firm in the catholic faith ; let us profess it le! us practice it, never allowing ourselves to give way to apathy, but unceasingly reviving our ^i rength ; let us love and honor the church and the Tope, the more so as their enemies wage more iuriously against them — never forgetting that the Holy 8ee is the immoveable rock, the solid support ol' order and the remedy to ail the evils whieh afflief families and kingdoins.

Christian 8 and citizen s, never forget the religious and social truths whieh Jesus-Chrisi ordained his apostlcs and their successors to make known to ail nations and to every créature : M Docile omnes ç ente s

predicate evangelivm opine créatures..* Let the elector

not iorget them : let the legislator be mindiul of tfiem, let ail bear them in memory.

Christian parents, faithfully accomplish the duties which nature and religion impose upon von, witb regard to your children. Love them tenderlyT watch over them unceasingly, protect them eirieaciouslv. iiistruct them yourselves properly, s-end them regularly to receivo the fceachings of the Pastors who are appointed over y ou and confide them to teachers whose faith and inorals are free irom ail suspicion. This sufricienily suggests to you thai you should establish and support catholic schools and send your children only to those wherein religion has its proper place, wherever they caii possibly be established,

Pastors of soûls, Our beloved co-operators and ail you who dévote yourselves to the instruction and éducation of youth, you are aware what Léo XIII expects from your zeal, from your devotedness to the honor of the church and the diffusion of Christian and catholic principles and at the same time of ail useful science : spare nothing therefore in the fuliilment of your task.

Then divine order will be reestablished ail over, and families and nations will be prospérons and ii'lorious.

But ail perfect gifts enianating from Grod,let us catholicsbeseech Him to show Hismercy to the entire earth and to recall nations, families and individuels to the exact practice of religion, which alone can save the world.

Wherefore, the holy naine of God invoked, We ordain and decree as follows :

lst. During one month the prayer de Mandata, will be that called k* Pro gratiarttm actione " which afterwards and untii otherwise ordained will be replaced by the Prayer " Pro Papa."

2ncL Likewise, uni il a eontrary order, evory Sunday after the principal mass in the parish churches. collèges, couvents and boarding schools, the Litanies of the Blessed Virgin with the prayer " Gratiam tuam " will be recited, to request of the Sacred Heart of Jésus through the intercession of Mary Immaculate : lst. the réstoration of the Pope's temporal possessions ; 2nd. the conversion of those who are opposed to it, and 3rd. the necessarv courage to those who might oontribute in having tliis réstoration made.

8rd. We invite ail the f'aithful to make a novena <>[' communions in the saine intentions. This novena nii^rrt'he* made in the following manner : religious persons could communicate on nine consécutive days : secular persons of both sexes, could according to the advice oi' Iheir confessor, receive holy communion either nine days, or nine Sundays or nine months in succession.

The Parish Priests are earnestly requested to zealously favor thèse nevenas, which their good parishoners, we hope, will not refuse making.

Shall the presenl Pastoral Letter be read at once or at différent times, at the proue of parochial niasses and at ChapteT in Religions communities, the tirst Sunday (and the following onesifil be necessarv) after ils réception.

BOti

Griven at Ottawa, in Our Episcopa] Llesideuce under our hand, the seal pf thé diocèse and counter* signed by our Secretary, this twenty fourth day oi" June one thousand eityht hundred and eighty twu.

f .T. THOMAS, Bp. of Ottawa.

By Co m ni and.

J. A. QADIGAN,

Sécrétai y.

2nd SERIES— No. 34.

PASTORAL LETTER