ENCYCLICAL LETTER FOR PENTECOST, 1897.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 15, 13 August 1897, Page 4

ENCYCLICAL LETTER FOR PENTECOST, 1897.

To OUR Venerable Brethren, the Patriarchs, Primates, archbishops, Bishops, and other Local Ordinauies haying Peace and Commumiox with the Holy Seu. LEO XIII., POPE. Vbnebable Brethren, Health and the Apostolic Benediction. That Divine Office which Jesus Christ received from His Father for the welfare of mankind, and most perfectly fulfilled, had _ for its final object to put men in possession of the eternal life of glory, and proximately during the course of ages to secure to them the life of Divine grace, which is destined eventually to blossom into the lite of heaven. Wherefore, our Saviour never ceases to invite, with infinite affection, all men, of every race and tongue, into the bosom of Hia Church : '• Come ye all to Me " '• I am the Lite." '• I am the Good Shepherd.'" Nevertheless, according to Hi- inscrutable counsels, He did not will to entirely complete and finish this office Himself on earth, but as He had received it from the Father, so He transmitted it for its completion to the Holy Ghost. It is condoling to recall those assurances which Christ gave to the body of His disciples a little before He left the earth : •• It is expedient to you that I go : for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you : but if I go, I will send Him to you" (1 John xvi., 7). In these words He gave as the chief reason of His departure and His return to the Father, the advantage which would most certainly accrue to Ili.s followers from the coming of the Holy (»ho-t. and, ;it the same time, He made it clear that the Holy Ghost is equally -ait by — and therefore proceeds from — Himsell and the Father . that lie would complete, in His office of Intercessor, Consoler, and Teacher, the work which Christ Himself had begun in His moitil life For, in the redemption of the world, the completion of the work was by Dnine Providence reserved to the manifold power of tint Spirit, who. in the creation, '" adorned the heavens " (Job xx\ L l.'l). and •• filled the whole world" (Wisdom i., 7). THE TWO PRINCIPAL AIMS OF OUR PONTH'ICAI E. Now, We have earnestly striven, by the help of His pace, to follow the example of Christ. Our Saviour, the Prince of Pastors, and the Bishop of Our Souls, by diligently carrying on Hi- orh\ c, entrusted by Him to the Apostles and chiefly to Peter, "' who-. 1 dignity faileth not, even in his unworthy s-uc essor " (St. Leo the (ire.it, Sermon ii., On the Anniversary of his Election). In pursuance of this object We have endeavoured to direct all that We have attempted and persistently carried out during a long pontificate towards two chief ends : In the first place, towards the restoration, both in rulers and peoples, of the principles ot the Christian lite in civil and domestic society, since there is no true life tor men except from Christ ; and, secondly, to promote the reunion of those who have fallen away from the Catholic Church cither by heresy or by schi-m. since it is most undoubtedly the will of Christ that all should be united in one flock under one Shepherd. But now that We are looking forward to the approach of the closing days of Our life, Our soul i-, deeply moved to dedicate to the Holy Ghost, Who is the life-giving Love, all the work We have done during Our pontificate, that He may bring it to maturity and fruitfulness. In order to better and more fully to carry out this Our intention, We have resolved to address you at the approaching sacred season of Pentecost concerning the indwelling and miraculous power of the Holy Ghost : and the extent and efficiency of His action, both in the whole body of the Church and in the individual souls of its members, through the glorious abundance of His Divine graces. We earnestly desire that, as a result, faith may be aroused in your minds concerning the mystery ot the adorable Trinity, and especially that piety may increase and be inflamed towards the Holy Ghost, to Whom especially all of us owe the grace of following the paths of truth and virtue ; for, ai St. Basil aaid, " Who denieth that the dispensations concerning man, which have been made by the great God and our Saviour, JeoUb Christ, aei onhng to the goodne^ ot God, have been fulfilled thiu' j;h ihe "nice of the Spirit (Of the Huly Ghost, c, xvi., v. 3'J).

TFIE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. Before We enter upon this subject, it will be both desirable and useful to say a few words about the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity. This dogma is called by the doctors of the Church '• the substance of the New Testamtnt," that is to say, the greatest of all mysteries, since it is the fountain and origin of them all. In order to know and contemplate this mystery, the angels were created in heaven and men upon earth. In order to teach more fully this my&tery, which was but foreshadowed in the Old Testament, God Himself came down from the angels unto men : "No man hath seen God at any time ; the only begotten Son. Who is in the besom of the Father, He hath declared Him " (John i.. 18). Whosoever then writes or tpeaka of the Trinity must keep before his eyes the prudent warning of the Angelic Doctor : '• When we speak of the Trinity, we must do so with caution and modesty, for, as St. Augustine saith, nowhere else are more dangerous errors made, or is research more difficult, or discovery more fruitful" (Summ. Th. la., q. xxxi. ; DeTrin. 1. i., c. 3). The danger that arises is lest the Divine Persons be confounded one with the other in faith or worship, or lest the one Nature in them be separated : for " This is the Catholic Faith, that we should adore one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity." Therefore our predecessor Innocent XII. absolutely refused the petition of those who desired a special festival in honour of God the Father For, although the separate mysteries connected with the Incarnate Word are celebrated on certain fixed days, yet there is no special feast on which the Word is honoured according to His Divine Nature alone. And even the Feast of Pentecost was instituted in the earliest times, not simply to honour the Holy Ghost in Himself, but to commemorate His coming, or His external mission. And all this has been wisely ordained, lest from distinguishing the Persons men should be led to distinguish the Divine Essence. Moreover the Church, in order to preserve in her children the purity of faith, instituted the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, which John XXII. afterwards extended to the Universal Church. He also permitted altars and churches to be dedicated to the Bleysed Trinity, and, with the Divine approval, sanctioned the Order for the Random of Captives, which is specially devoted to the Blessed Trinity, and, bears Its name. Many facts confirm its truths. The worship paid to the saints and angels, to the Mother of God, and to Christ Himself, finally, redounds to the honour of the Blessed Trinity. In prayers addressed to one Person, there is also mention of the others ; in the litanies after the individual Persons have been separately invoked, a common invocation^ of all is added : all psalms and hymn.s conclude with the doxology to the Father. Son, and Holy Ghost : blessings, sacred rites and sacraments are either accompanied or concluded by the invocation of the Blessed Trinity. This was already ioreshadowed by the Apostle in those words : " For of Him. and by Him. and in Him. are all things : to Him be glory for e\er" (Rom. xi.. :><>). thereby signifying both the Trinity ot Persons and the Unity ot Nature : for as this is one and the same in each of the l'ersons, so to each is equally owing supreme glory, a* to one and the same God. St. Augustine commenting upon this testimony w rites " The words of the Apostle, of Jinn, ami hij Jinn, and in Him. are not to be taken indiscriminately ; of Him refers to the Father, //// linn to the Son, in Hun to the Holy Ghost" (l)e Trin. 1. \i., c. !o , 1. i., c <r). The Church is accustoaied most fittingly to attribute to the Father those works of the Divinity in which power excels, to the Son those in which wisdom excels, and those in which love excels to the Holy Ghost. Not that all perfections and external operations are not common to the Divine Persons ; ior " the operations of the Trinity are mdi\ l-ible, e\en as the ess< nee of the Trinity is indivisible " (St. Aug. De Trm ,1 I , 00. 1-5) ; because as the three Dhine Persons "are inseparable, so do they act inseparably " ((St. Aug., ///.). But by a certain companion, and a kind of ath'mty between the operations and the pioperue-> of the Persons, these operation- are attributed or, as it is .said, '"appropriated " to One Pel -on rather than to the others. •• Just as we make use ot the traces of similarity or likeness w Inch we iind in matures for the manifestation ot the Dnine Persons. s 0 do w e use Iheir essential attributes ; and thi-> nianiie-tati<,n ot the Persons b}' Their essential attributes is called appi ojinut /on (ht. Th. la., q. .ii), xxxix., a. 7). In this manner the Father, \\ ho is " the principle of the whole Godhead '" (M. Aug. De Trin. 1. iv , c. 2u) is also the efficient cause ot all things, ot the Incarnation ot the \\ ord. and the sanctification of souls; '• of Hun are nil things ' <>/ Him, referring to the Father. But the Son, the \\ ord. the linage vi God. is al-o the exemplar cause, whence all creatures burrow their form and beauty, their order and harmony. He is tor us the Way, the Truth and the Life; the Reconciler ot man with God. '" Uy Jinn are all things"': by Him, referring to the Son. The Holy Ghost is the ultimate cause of all things, since, as the will and all otlur things finally re^t in their end, so He, Who is the Diwne Goodness and the .Mutual Love of the Father and Son, completes and perfect-, by His strong yet gentle power, the secret wotk ot man s eti mal salvation. •• In Him are all things ' : in Him. referring to the Holy Ghost. THi: liOL'i (JHOi-T AND 'I Hi; IXCAUNATION. Having thus paid the due tiibute of faith and w orship owing to the Blessed Trinity, and w hich ought to be more and more inculcated upon the Christian people, wo now turn to the exposition of the power ot the Holy Gao-t. And, first of all, we must look to Christ, the Founder ot the Chinch and the Redeemer of our race. Among the external operation- uf God, the highest of all is the mystery of the Incarnation ot the Word, in which the splendour of the Divine perfections shines forth so brightly that nothing more sublime can even be imagined, nothing t lse could have been more salutary to the human race. Now this wurk. although belonging to the whole Trinity, is still appropriated especially to the Holy Ghost, so that the Gospels thus speak ot the Blessed Virgin: '• !?he was found with child of the Holy Ghost," and "that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. i., 18, 20)- And this is rightly attributed to Him Who is the love of the Father and the Son. since this ■■ great mystery ol piety " (l Tun. in., It!) proceeds from the infinite love of God towards man, as St, John tells us . " God &o loved the world as to give Hia only

begotten Son " (John iii , 1 (i). Moreover, human nature was thereby elevated to ajwrtional union with the Word; and this dignity is given not on account of any merits, but entirely and absolutely +u r(^° P rac e, and therefore, as it were, through the special gift of the Holy Ghost. On this point St. Augustine writes : " This manner in which Christ was born of the Holy Ghost, indicates to us the grace of God. by which humanity, with no antecedent merits, at the nrst moment of its existence, was united with the Word of God. by so intimate a personal union, that He, Who was the Son of Man, was also the Son of God. and He Who was the Son of God was also the Son of Man " (Enchir. c. xl. ; St. Th. 3a.. q. xxxii., a. I). By the operation of the Holy Spirit, not only was the conception of Christ accomplished, but also the sanctification of His soul, which, m Holy Scripture, is called His "anointing" (Acts x.. 38). Wherefore all His actions were "performed in the Holy Ghost " (St. Basil de Sp. S.. c. xvi.), and especially the sacrifice of Himself : " Christ, through the Holy Ghost, offered Himself without spot to God " (Heb. ix., ] I). Considering" this, no one can be surprised that all the gifts of the Holy Ghost inundated the soul of Christ. la Him resided the absolute fulness of grace, in the greatest and most efficacious manner possible ; in Him were all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, graces t/ml is ilatnr, virtues and all other gifts foretold in the prophecies of Isaias (Is. iv., I ; xi., 23), and also signified in that miraculous dove which appeared at the Jordan, when Christ, by His baptism, consecrated its waters for a new sacrament. On this the words of St. Augustine may appropiately be quoted : •' It would be absurd to say that Christ received the Holy Ghost when He was already thirty years of age, for He came to His baptism without sin. and therefore not without the Holy Ghost. At this time, then (that is, at His baptism), He was pleased to prefigure Hia Church, in which those especially who are baptised receive the Holy Ghost" (De Trin. 1., xv., c. 2f>). Therefore, by the conspicuous apparition of the Holy Ghost over Christ and by His invisible power in His soul, the twofold mission of the Spirit is foreshadowed, namely, His outward and visible mission in the Church, and His secret indwelling in the souls of the just. THE HOLY GHOST AND THE CHUHCH. The Church which, already conceived, came forth from the side of the second Adam in His sleep on the Cross, first showed herself before the eyes of men on the great day of Pentecost. On that day the Holy Ghost began to manifest His gifts in the mystic Body of Christ, by that miraculous outpouring already foreseen by the prophet Joel (ii., 2.5-2.)), for the Paraclete " sat upon the apostles as though new spiritual crowns were placed upon their heads in tongues of fire"' (S. Cyril Hier. Catech. 17). Then the apostles "descended from the mountain," as tit. John Chrysostom writes. " not bearing in their hands tables of stone like Moses, but carrying the Spirit hi their mind, and pouring forth the treasure and the fountain of docrines and graces " (In Matt. Horn. 1., 2 Cor. iii., 3). Thus was fully accomplished that last promise of Christ to His Apostles of sending the Holy Ghost, Who was to complete, and, as it _ were, to seal the deposit of doctrine committed to them under His inspiration. "I have yet many things to bay to you, but you cannot hear them now ; but when He, the Spirit of Truth, shall come, He will teach you all truth " (John xvi., 12-13)- For He Who is the Spirit of Truth, inasmuch as He proceedeth both from the Father, Who is the eternally True, and from the Son. Who is the substantial Truth. leceiveth from each both His essence and the fulness of all truth. This truth He communicates to His Church, guarding her by His all powerful help from ever falling into error, and a idling her to foster daily more and more the yerms of Divine doctrine and to make them truitiul tor the welfare of the peoples. And since the welfare of the peoples, for which the Church was established, absolutely requires that this oiiice should be continued for all tune, the Holy Ghost perpetually supplies lite and strength to presene and increase the Church. ■■ 1 will ask the Father, and He will give you another Paraclete, that He may abide with you for ever, the Spirit of Truth " (John xn.. \(,-\ 7). By Him the bishops are constituted, and by their ministry are multiplied not only the children, but also the fathers— that is to say, the priests— to rule and feed the Church by that Blood wherewith Christ has redeemed Her. '-'iho Holy Gho.st hath placed you bishops to rule the Church of God. which He hath purchased with His own Blood ' (Acts xx.. 2,5). And both bishops and priests, by the miraculous gift ot the Spirit, have the power of absolving sins. according to those words ot Christ to the Apostles . " Recene ye the Holy Ghost ; who'-e sins jo'i shall forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall n-tuii they are retained" (John xx.. 22-23). That the Church i* a Divine institution i.s most clearly proved by the splendour and glory of those guts and graces with which she is adorned, and whose author and gher is the Holy Ghost. Let it suffice to state that, as Christ is the Head of the Church, so is the Holy Ghost her soul. •• What the soul is m our body, that is the Holy Ghost in Christ's body, the Church (St. Aug., Serm. IS7. de Temp.). This being s O . no further and fuller '• manifest ition and revelation of the Di\ine Spirit '" may be imagined or expected ; for that which now takes pbu> in the Church is the most perfect possible, and will last until that d,vy when the Church herself, having passed _ through her militant career, shall be taken up into the joy of the saints triumphing in heaven. 'lHi: HOLY (.HOST IX '111!; sOL I.S 01 IHK .JI'ST. The manner and extent of the action ot the Holy Ghost in individual faouls is no les,s wonderful, although somewhat more diflicult to understand, inasmuch as it is entirely invisible. This outpouring of the Spirit is so abundant, that Christ Himself, from whose gilt it proceeds, compares it to an overflowing river, according to those words of St. John : '• He that beheveth in Me, as the Scriptures sayeth. out of his midst shall How livers of living water " ; to which testimony the E\angehst adds the explanation : " Xow this He said of the Spirit which they should receive who believed in Him" (John vii., 3S-3H). It is indeed true that in those of the just who lived before Christ, the Holy Ghost resided by grace, as we read in the Scriptures concerning the prophets, Zaohary. John the Daptibt,

Simeon, and Anna ; so that on Pentecost the Holy Ghost did nob communicate Himself in such a way " as then for the first time to begin to dwell in the saints, but by pouring Himself forth more' abundantly ; crowning, not beginning His gifts ; not commencing a new work, but giving more*abundantly " (St. Leo the Great, Horn. iii., de Pentec). But if they also were numbered among the children of God, they were in a state like that of servants, for " as long as the heir is a child he differeth nothing from a servant, but is under tutors and governors " (Gal. iv. 1-2). Moreover, not only was their justice derived from the merits of Christ Who was to come, but the communication of the Holy Ghost after Christ was much more abundant, just as the price surpasses in value the earnest and the reality excels the image. Wherefore St. John declares : ''As yet the Spirit was not given, because Jesus was not yet glorified " (John vii, 3!>). So soon, therefore, as Christ, "ascending on high," entered into possession of the glory of His Kingdom which He had won with so much labour, He munificently opened out the treasures of the Holy Ghost : '■ He gave gifts to men " (Eph. iv., 8). For " that giving or sending forth of the Holy Ghost after Christ's glorification was to be such as had never been before ; not that there had been none before, but it had not been of the same kind " (St. Aug., DeTrin., 1. iv. c. 20).

Human nature is by necessity the servant of God : " The creature is a servant ; we are the servants of God by nature" (St. Cyr, Alex., Thesaur. 1.v., c. 5). On account, however, of original sin our whole nature had fallen into such guilt and dishonour thac we had become enemies to God. "We were by nature the children of wrath" (Eph. ii., 3). There was no power which could raise us and deliver us from this ruin and eternal destruction. But God, the Creator of mankind and infinitely merciful, did this through Hia only begotten Son, by whose benefit it was brought about that man was restored to that rank and dignity whence he nad fallen, and was adorned with still more abundant graces. No one can express the greatness of this work of divine grace in the souls of men. Wherefore, both in Holy Scripture and in the writings of the Fathers, men are styled regenerated, new creatures, partakers of the Divine Nature, children of God, god-like, and similar epithets. Now these great blessingsare justly attributed as especially belonging to the Holy Ghost. He is " the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry : Abba, Father." He fills our hearts with the sweetness of paternal love : '• The Spirit Himself giveth testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God " (Rom. viii., 10-lti). This truth accords with the similitude observed by the Angelic Doctor between both operations of the Holy Ghost ; for through Him " Christ was conceived in Holiness to be by nature the Son of God," and " others are sanctified to be the sons of God by adoption " (St. Th. 3a, q. xxxii., a. 1). This spiritual generation proceeds from love in a much more noble manner than the natural : namely, from the uncreated Love. The beginnings of this regeneration and renovation of man are by Baptism. In this sacrament, when the unclean spirit haa been expelled from the soul, the Holy Ghost enters in and makes it like to Himself. "That which is born of the Spirit, is spirit" (John iii., (i). The same Spirit gives Himself more abundantly in Confirmation, strengthening and confirming Christian life ; from which proceeded the victory of the martyrs and the triumph of the virgins over temptations and corruptions. We have said that the Holy Ghost gives Himself : "The charity of God is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Ghost Who is given to us " (Rom. v., 5). Fur He not only brings to us Hi.s divine gift*, but is the Author of them and is Himself the supreme Gift, Who, proceeding from the mutual love of the Father and the Son, is justly believed to be and is called "Gift of God most High." To show the nature and efficacy of this ojft it is well to recall the explanation given by the doctois of the Church of the words of Holy Scripture. They say that God is present and exists in all things, '• by His power, in so far as all things arc subject to His power ; by His presence, inasmuch as all things are naked and open to His eyes ; by His essence, inasmuch as He is present to all as the cause of their being." (St. Th. la, q. \ iii.. a. 3). But God is in man, not only as in inanimate things, but because he is more fully known and loved by him, since even i by nature we spontaneously love, desire, and seek after the good. j Moreover God by grace resides in the just soul as in a temple, in a most intimate and peculiar manner. From this proceeds that union of aftection by which the fcoul adheres most closely to God, more so than the friend is united to his most loving and beloved fnend, and enjoys God in all fulness and sweetness. Now this wonderful union, which is properly called " indwelling." differing only in degree or state from that with whiuh God beatifies the saints in hi a ven. although it is most certainly produced by the presence of the -\shole Blessed Trinity — ■' We will come to Him and make our abode with Him." (John xiv. 2:s.)— nevertheless is attributed in a peculiar manner to the Holy Ghost. For, whilst traces of divine power and wisdom appear even in the wicked man, charity, which, as it were, is the special mark of the Holy Ghost, is shared in only by the just. In harmony v ith this, the same Spirit is called Holy, for He, the first and supreme Love, moves souls and leads them to sanctity, which ultimately consists in the love of God. Wherefore the apostle when calling- ju»t the temple of God, does not expressly mention the Father or the Son, or the Holy Ghost : " Know ye not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, Who is in you, whom you have from God /" (1 Cor. vi. 111). The fullness of divine gifts is in many ways a consequence of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in the souls of the just. For, as St. Thomas teaches, "'when the Holy G host proceedeth as love, he proceedeth in the character of the first gift ; whence Augustine saith that, through the gift which is the Holy Ghost. many other special gifts are distributed among the members of Christ " (Suinin. Th., la. q. xxx viii., a, 2. St. Aug. de Trin., xv. c. Hi). Among these gifts are those secret warnings and" invitations, which from time to time are excited in our minds and hearts by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Without these there is no beginning of a good lite, no progress, no arriving at eternal salvation. And since these words and admonitions are uttered in the soul in an exceedingly 6ecret manner, they are sometimes aptly compared in Holy Writ to the

breathing of a coming breeze, and the Angelic Doctor likens them to the movements of the heart which are wholly hidden in the living body. " Thy heart has a certain hidden power and therefore the Holy Ghoat, who invisibly vivifies and unites the Church, is compared to the heart." (Summ. # Th. 3a, q. vii., a. 1, ad 3). More than this, the just man, that in to say he who lives the life of divine grace and acts by the fitting virtues as by means of faculties, has need of those seven gifts which are properly attributed to the Holy Ghost. By means of them the soul is furnished and strengthened so as to be able to obey more easily and promptly His voice and impulse. Wherefore these gifts are of such efficacy that they lead the just man to the highest degree of sanctity ; and of such excellence that they continue to exist even in heaven, though in a more perfect way. By means of these gifts the soul is excited and encouraged to .seek after and attain the evangelical beatitudes which, like the flowers that come forth in the spring time, are the signs and harbingers of eternal beatitude. Lastly there are those blessed fruit", enumerated by the Apostle (Gal. v., 22). which the Spirit, even in this mortal life, produces and shows iorth in the just ; fruitd filled with all sweetness and joy, inasmuch as they proceed from the Spirit, '• who is in the Trinity the sweetness ot both Father and Son, filling all creatures with infinite 1 ulne?s and proprofusion." (St. Aug. de Trin. 1. vi., c. it). The Divine Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Word in the eternal light of sanctity. Himself both Love and Gift, after having manifested Himself through the veils of figures in the Old Testament, poured forth all his fulness upon Christ and upon His mystic Body, the Church ; and called back by His presence and grace men who were going away in wickedness and corruption with such salutary effect that, being no longer of the earth earthy, they relibhed and desired quite other things, becoming of heaven heavenly. ON DEVOTION TO THE HOLY GHOST. These sublime truths, which so clearly show forth the infinite goodness of the Holy Ghost towards us, certainly demand that we should direct towards Him the highest homage of our love and devotion. Christiana may do this most effectually if they will daily strive to know Him, to love Him and to implore Him more earnestly ; for which reason may this Our exhortation, flowing spontaneously from a paternal heart, reach their ears. Perchance there are still to be found among them, even nowadays, some, who if asked, as were those of old by St. Paul the Apostle, whether they have received the Holy Ghost, might answer in like manner • •• We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost ' (Acts xix.. 2). At least there are certainly many who are very deficient in their knowledge of Him. They frequently use His name in their religious practices, but their faith is involved in much darkness. Wherefore all preachers and those having care of souls should remember that it is their duty to instruct their people more diligently and more fully about the Holy Ghost — avoiding, however, difficult and subtle controversies and eschewing the dangerous folly of those who rashly endeavour to pry into divine mysteries. What should be chiefly dwelt upon ana clearly explained is the multitude and greatness of the benefits which have been bestowed and are constantly bestowed, upon us by this Divine Giver, so that errors and ignorance concerning matters of such moment may be entirely dispelled, as unworthy of the " children of light."' We urge this, not only because it affects a mystery by which we are directly guided to eternal life, ar.d which must therefore be firmly believed, but also because the more clearly and fully the good is known the more earnestly it is loved. Now we owe to the Holy Gho-r. as we mentioned in the second place, love, because He is'(iod. '-Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole strength " (Deut. vi . .".). He is al-o to be loved because He is the substantial, eternal, primal Lo\e. and nothing is more lovable than love. And this all the more because He has overwhelmed us with the greatest benefits, uhich both testify to the benevolence of the Giver and claim the gratitude of the receiver. This love has a twofold and most conspicuous utility In the first place it will excite us to acquire daily a clearer knowledge about the Holy Ghost : for, as the Angelic Doctor say*. •• the lover is not content with the superficial knowledge of the belovid, but striveth to inquire intimately into all that appertains to the beloved, and thus to penetrate into the interior ; as is s.ud of the Holy Ghost, Who is the Love of God, that He searcheth even the profound things of God " (I Cor. ii.. 10 : Sumin. Theol., la 2ae., q 28, a. 2). In the second place it will obtain for us a still more abundant supply of heavenly gifts ; for whilst a narrow heart contracteth the hand of the giver, a grateful and mindful heart eau^eth it to expand. Yet we must strive that this love should be ot such a nature as not to consist merely in dry speculations or external observances, but rather to run forward towards action and especially to fly from sin, which is in a more special manner offensive to the Holy Spirit. For whatever we are. that we are by the divine goodness ; and this goodness is specially attributed to the Holy Ghoet. The sinner offends this his Benefactor, abusing His . gifts ; and taking advantage of His goodness becomes more hardened in sin day by day. Again, since He is the Spirit of Truth, whosoever faileth by weakness or ignorance may perhaps hay c some excuse before Almighty God ; but he who resists the truth through iralice and turns away from it sins most grievously against the Holy Ghost. In our days this sin has become so frequent that those dark times seem to have come which were foretold by St. Paul, in which men, blinded by the just judgment of God. should take falsehood for truth and should believe in •' the prince ot this world," who is a liar and the father thereof, as a teacher of truth ''God shall wend them the operation of error, to believe lying (2 Thesß. ii., 1U). In the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and the doctrines of devils "' (1 Tim. iv., 1). But since the Holy Ghost, as We have said, dwells in us as in His temple, We must repeat the warning of the Apostle '"Grieve not the Holy Sririt of God. wheieby you are sialcd" (Eph. iv., 30). Nor is it enough to fly from bin ; every Christian ought to shine with the splendour of virtue so as to be pleasing to

so great and so beneficent a guest : and first of all with chastity and holiness, for chaste and holy things befit the temple. Hence the words of the Apostle : " Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? But if any man violate the temple of God, him s'-all God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which you are" (1 Cor. iii., IC-17) : a terrible, indeed, but a just warning. Lastly, we ought to pray to and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each one of us greatly needs His protection and His help The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more to" fly to Him Who is the never-ceasing fount of light, strength, consolation and holiness. And chiefly that first requisite of man, the forgiveness of sins, must be sought for from Him : " It is the special character of the Holy Ghost that He is the Gift of the Father and the Son. Now the remission of sins is given by the Holy Ghost as by the Gift of God" (Summ. Th. 3a, q. iii., a. 8, ad :sm). Concerning this Spirit the words of the Liturgy are very explicit : " For !!<■ is the remission of all sins'" (Roman Missal, Tuesday after Pentecc-t). How He should be invoked is clearly taught by the Church, who addresses Him in humble supplication, calling upon Him by the sweetest of names . " Come, Father of the poor ! Come, Giver of Gifts ! Come, Light of our hearts ! 0 best of Consolers, sweet Guest of the soul, our refreshment ! " (Hymn, Veni Sancte Spiritus). She earnestly implores Him to wash, heal, water our minds and hearts and to give to us who trusL in Him " the merit of virtue, the acquirement of salvation and joy everlasting." Nor can it be in any way doubted that He will listen to such prayer, since we read the words written by His own inspiration : " The Spirit Himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings" (Rom. viii., 26). Lastly, we ought confidently and continually to beg of Him to illuminate us daily more and more with His light and inflame us with His chanty : for, thus inspired with faith and love, we may press onward earnestly towards our eternal reward, since He "is the pledge of our inheritance" (Eph. i. 14). Such, Venerable Brethren, are the teachings and exhortations which We have seen good to utter, in order to stimulate devotion to the Holy Ghost. We have no doubt that, chiefly by means of your zeal and earnestness, they will bear abundant fruit among Christian j)eoples. We Ourselves shall never in i,he future fail to labour to so important an end ; and it is even our intention, in whatever ways may appear suitable, to further cultivate and extend this admirable work of piety. Meanwhile, as two years ago, in Our Letter J'rorida Mat rig, We recommended to Catholics special prayers at the Feast of Pentecost for the reunion of Christendom, so now We desire to make certain further decrees on the same subject. AX ANNUAL NO\ ENA DECREED. Wherefore, We decree and command that throughout the whole Catholic Church, this year and in every subsequent year, a Novena shall take place before Whit Sunday, in all parish churches, and also, if the local ordinaries think fit. in other churches and oratories. To all who take part in this Novena and duly pray for Our intention, We grant for each day an Indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines ; moreover, a Plenary Indulgence on any one of the days of the Novena, or on Whit Sunday itself, or on any day during the Octave; provided they shall ha \o received the Sacraments of Penanceand the Holy Kuehnri^t. and devoutly prayed for Our intention. We will that tho-^e who aiv legitimately prevented from attending the Novena, or who are m pl.io ■« where the de\otions cannot, in the judgment of the Ordinary, be c in veiuently earned out in church, shall equally c joy the same benehis, provided they make the Novena pri\ at*, ly and observe the other condition-. Moreover, we are pleased to "rant, in perpetuity, from the Treasury of the Church, that whosoever, daily during the Octave of Pentecost up to Trinity Sund ly inclusive, offer again publicly or privately any prayers, according to their devotion, to the Holy (iho^t, and satisfy the above conditions, shall a second lime g.un each ot the same Indulgences. All these Indulgences We also permit to be applied to the suffrage ot the souls in Purgatory. And now Our mind and heart turn back to those hopes with which We began, and for the accomplishment of which We earnestly pray, and will continue to pray, to the Holy Ghost. Unite, then, Venerable Brethren, your prayers with Ours, and at j our exhortation let all Christian peoples add their prujers also, invoking the powerful and ever-acc pubic intercession ot the Blessed Virgin. You know well the intimate and wonderful relations existing bet wet n her and the Holy Ghost, m> that she is justly call* d His Spouse. The intercession of the Blessed Virgin was ot great avail both in the mystery of the Incarnation an 1 in the co rung of the ffoly Ghost upon the Apo-tles. May she continue to strengthen our prayers with her suffrages, th.U. in the mid -a of all the stress and trouble of the nation-, those divine prodigies may be happily revived by the Holy Ghost, which were toretold in the words of David : '■ Send forth Thy Spirit and th< y shall be created, and Thou , shalt renew the face ot the emth " (IV ciii.. ~M). As a pledge ot Divine favour and a testimony of Our affection, Venerable Brethren, to you, to your Clergy and people, We gladly impart in the Lord the Apostolic Benediction. Given at St. Peter-,, in Rome, on the <)th day of May, IS'J7, in the 20th year of Oar Pontificate. LEO XIII., POPE.