IN
AMPLISSIMO
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON THE
CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES
To
James Cardinal Gibbons and the Archbishops,
and Bishops of the United States.
Certainly
We have reason to rejoice, and the Catholic world, on account of its reverence
for the Apostolic See, has reason to rejoice at the extraordinary fact
that We are to be reckoned as the third in the long line of Roman Pontiffs
to whom it has been happily given to enter upon the twenty-fifth year
of the Supreme Priesthood. But in this circle of congratulations, while
the voices of all are welcome to Us, that of the bishops and faithful
of the United States of North America brings Us special joy, both on account
of the conditions which give your country prominence over many other,
and of the special love we entertain for you.
2. You
have been pleased, beloved Son and Venerable Brothers, in your joint letter
to Us to mention in detail what, prompted by love for you, We have done
for your churches during the course of Our Pontificate. We on the other
hand, are glad to call to mind the many different ways in which you have
ministered to Our consolation throughout this period. If We found pleasure
in the state of things which prevailed among you when We first entered
upon the charge of the Supreme Apostolate, now that We have advanced
beyond twenty-four years in the same charge, We are constrained to confess
that Our first pleasure has never been diminished, but, on the contrary,
has increased from day to day by reason of the increase of Catholicity
among you. The cause of this increase, although first of all to be attributed
to the providence of God, must also be ascribed to your energy and activity.
You have, in your prudent policy, promoted every kind of Catholic organization
with such wisdom as to provide for all necessities and all contingencies,
in harmony with the remarkable character of the people of your country.
3. Your
chief praise is that you have promoted and sedulously continue to foster
the union of your churches with this chief of churches and with the Vicar
of Christ on earth. Herein, as you rightly confess, is the apex and centre
of government, of teaching and of the priesthood; the source of that unity
which Christ destined for His Church, and which is one of the most striking
notes distinguishing it from all human sects. As We have never failed
to exercise with advantage this most salutary office of teaching and government
in every nation, so we have never permitted that you or your people should
suffer the lack of it. For We have gladly availed Ourselves of every opportunity
to testify the
constancy of Our solicitude for you and for the interests of religion
among you. And Our daily experience obliges Us to confess that We have
found your people, through your influence, endowed with perfect docility
of mind and alacrity of disposition. Therefore, while the changes and
tendencies of nearly all the nations which were Catholic for many centuries
give cause for sorrow, the state of your churches, in their flourishing
youthfulness, cheers Our heart and fills ie with delight. True, you are
shown no special favor by the law of the land, but on the other hand your
lawgivers are certainly entitled to praise for the fact that they do nothing
to restrain you in your just liberty. You must, therefore, and with you
the Catholic host behind, make strenuous use of the favorable time for
action which is now at your disposal by spreading abroad as far as possible
the light of truth against the errors and absurd imaginings of the sects
that are springing up.
4. We
are not unaware, Venerable Brothers, of all that has been done by every
one of you for the establishment and the success of schools and academies
for the proper education of children. By your zeal in this respect you
have clearly acted in conformity with the exhortations of the Apostolic
See and the prescriptions of the Council of Baltimore. Your magnificent
work on behalf of the ecclesiastical seminaries has assuredly been calculated
to increase the prospects of good to be done by the clergy and to add
to their dignity. Nor is this all. You have wisely taken measures to enlighten
dissidents and to draw them to the truth by appointing learned and worthy
members of the clergy to go about from district to district to address
them in public in familiar style in churches and other buildings, and
to solve the difficulties that may be advanced. An excellent plan, and
one which We know has already borne abundant fruit. Nor has your charity
been unmindful of the sad lot of the negro and the Indian-you have sent
them teachers, helped them liberally, and you are most zealously providing
for their eternal salvation. We are glad to add a stimulus, if such be
necessary, to enable you to continue these undertakings with full confidence
that your work is worthy of commendation.
5. Finally,
not to omit the expression of Our gratitude, We would have you know what
satisfaction you have caused Us by the liberality with which your people
are endeavoring to contribute by their offerings to relieve the penury
of the Holy See. Many indeed and great are the necessities for which the
Vicar of Christ as supreme Pastor and Father of the Church is bound to
provide in order to avert evil and to promote the faith. Hence your generosity
becomes an exercise and a testimony of your faith.
6.
For all these reasons We wish to declare to you again and again Our affection
for you. Let the Apostolic blessing, which We bestow most lovingly in
the Lord upon you all and upon the flocks entrusted to each one of you,
be taken as a token of this affection and an augury of divine gifts.
Given
at Rome, at St. Peter's, the fifteenth day of April, 1902, in the twenty-fifth
year of Our Pontificate.
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