THE POPE AND THE JESUITS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 306, 28 February 1879, Page 9

THE POPE AND THE JESUITS.

(Translated for the New York Freemaris Journal.) Allocution of Our Holy Fatheb, Pope Leo xiii., TO THE Jesuit Fathers of the Pontifical Gbegokian Univeksity, At an Audience Given them on Wednesday, November 27th. It is, indeed, most pleasant and delightful to every man giveu to study, to recall the bygone times, when his mind, thirsting for knowledge, struggled in the arena of literature and scienoe ; it is sweet to look back to the cradle of one's early education, and to those distinguished men who carefully applied themselves with zeal to instill the best of doctrines into the mind. Hence it is that your excellent words aud your presence here caused us the deepest joy, by carrying, us back to the days wheto. we were among the students of the Roman College. We love to recall the happy peacefu\ne"ss of those days, together with the eminent wisdom and the generous liberality with which Leo XII., our predecessor, applied himself to restoring studies, after having at that time given back the direction of the Roman College to the Society of Jesus ; we love to recall the large, number of students, the public exercises, the solemn competitions, and such eminent and valiant professors, as John Gury, John Perrone, Francis Manera, Anthony Ferrarini. Andrew Carafa, John Baptist Piancini and others whose teaching and kindness we have experienced. We declare, then, freely and openly, that our heart has been ever since united to the men we have just named, and to your Institute, by bonds so strong, that nothing ever has or ever can break or weaken them. Nor has our joy been any the less at contemplating with what entire docility of mind and submission of will you have responded to the desires we have so repeatedly manifested regarding the method of teaching and the plan of studying sacred and philosophical sciences. Not one of you, most assuredly, is unmindful of the importance there is in our day of instilling into the young a sound and solid knowledge ; most especially those who are in training as the hope of the Church, not only to refute the errors that are scattered broadcast, and which not only formidably assault supernatural truths, but which overturn the very foundations of natural truths, but also to oppose to that science — which boldly styles itself the only one worthy of the name, and which is equally the foe of faith as of reason, and which has already almost gained preponderance in schools — another science based upon solid principles, taught by a just and right method, and in conformity, as it should be, with Faith and Revelation. But the science truly worthy of the name We consider to be no other, than that which came to us from the Fathers of the Church, and which has been gathered together into a perfect body of'doctrine by learned Doctors, especially by their Godlike prince Thomas Aquinas, and which, preconiscd by Ecumenical Councils aud by Sovereign Pontiffs, has been for many centuries the law and the rule of instruction in Catholic Universities and Colleges. Being anxious, for the increase and the eclat of studies, to restore its ancient dignity to this Science, we could not fail to turn our attention to the Gregorian Atheneum ; for however much we may deplore its expulsion from its own building, and the decrease in the number of its students through the misfortune of the times, yet its reputation and importance are still such that it can contribute greatly to the restoration and progress of studies. We do not doubt, moreover, thai, according to your promise, you have brought to this task all your zeal and skill. This is, in clfect, what is demanded by the peculiar devotion you profess towards the Pontifical authority, because of your In&tilutilion and of the very Constitutions of the Society, which provide that theological and philosophical studies be taught according to the doctrine and method of the divine Thomas Aquinas. This is, finally, what is required of you by the character aud condition ol' the Gregorian Atheneum, designed to receive students of different nations, who may subsequently readily disseminate over the world the salutary sources of human and divine wisdom, in which their mind shall have been most happily refreshed. In this hope, we earnestly pray God most bountiful, tin* Father of Lights, from Whom all wisdom doth proceed, to illuminate 3 our minds with His divine light, and to give you strength and courage for the battles of truth. As an earnest of these blessings, and in testimony of our special good will towards you, we mostafliectionately bestow our Apostolic Benediction upon you, upon the whole Society, and upon all the students iv your classes.