An Encyclical Letter.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 20, 15 May 1902, Page 20

An Encyclical Letter.

Very great importance (writes the Rome correspondent of the Catholic Tunis') attaches to the Encyclical Letter which the Holy Father has just is-ued His Holine'b thank* God for having granted him an exceptionally long tenure ot the Holy See. This fc.n ychoal, he goes on to say, will almost constitute hi-< testament. \\ Inch he wishes to convey to his people with an aident desire lor their salvation. The Holy F.ither reviews the persecutions to winch the Chur.;h has at different tiineH been subj'-^te.l, mentioning especially the struggle with Luther and the hitler warfare carried on at-ain^t the Church by modern philosophy and the systems of R;ttonah-m and Materialism, which, he says, pcnetrat j even into the organisation of the State ami overthrow order, both in the family and in society. The Pontiff regrets that mart Mge ha-> mbo many places been deprived of its religious character, and he denounces divorce laws. Hw Holiness affirms that all moral and politic v.l disorders are due to Atheism, and he proceeds to attack the theories of Socialism, expressing in this connection his indignation at the outrages committed by Anarohibts, which, his Holiness says, are the consequence of the disappearance of the religious sentiment Irom society. The charge that the Church is the enemy ot science, progress, liberty, and civilisation he repud i.tus-. and he declares that society will tind its sahation only in A KCTURN TO CHRISTIANITY and to the Catholic Church. Ilia Holiness complains of the persecution which is being c irried on against the clejrgy aDd religious Orders, and even against the Head of the Church. But,' he saya, the Church, with the help of God, Las always triumphed in the paHt, and it will continue to triumph in th« future It extends everywhere in spite of obstacles and difhculties.' The Holy Father exhorts all the faithful to trust in Goel, ;md calls upon the clergy to stand aloof from political struggles, to iollow the coun-el e;t the bishops, to make thenr wo k harmonise with that of the Citholic lai y tor the triumph ot the Church, and to be, ever reaely to piovu their loyalty to the Holy See. THIS HOLY I A mint's OLD A(.)J. In the opening words of the Encyclical the Holy Father makes su jh a touching reference to his old age that it deserves to be trans.-

lated literally here. ' Having reached the 25th year of OurApoa-^ tolic ministry,' he says, 'and wondering Ourselves at having made such a long journey amidst arduous and incessant cares, We are naturally inclined to raise Our thoughts to the good God Who has been pleased to grant Us, with so many other favors, a length of Pontificate scarcely equaled in history. To the Father ot aIJ. to Him Who holds in His hands the sectct of life, be offered then the hymn of praise as an earnest expression of the heart's desire. Human thought cannot penetrate the whole design of God in so protracted and unexpected a longevity, and We can only adore it in silence ; but one thing VW know, and it if, LhuL if it pleases Him to prolong Our life still further, the exilted duty rests upon Uw to live for the service and the welfare ot His imui<tou! ue r-pousr: the Church, not to be discouraged by a- xieties ot labor* but to consecrate to her all the rest of Our <-lren?th.' After thene affictmg words his Holiness proceeds to deal with the subjects outlined above. The Letter, which occupies eleven columns in Italian in the pagts of the Osxervatore Horn 'inn, shows that his Holiness has nut lost his old vigor as a writer.