PAPAL ENCYCLICAL

New Zealand Tablet, 27 February 1919, Page 13

PAPAL ENCYCLICAL

PUBLIC PRAYERS ORDERED. The Sovereign Pontiff has published a short Encyclical Letter, beginning with the words, “Quod jam diu,” of which the following is the substance: That for which the entire world has so long sighed, that for which Christianity prayed with paternal heart for the good of all, has in a moment come to pass. The last booming of the guns is silenced. It is true that peace has not yet solemnly ended war, b\it .the armistice has meanwhile suspended slaughter and devastations by land, sea, and air, happily opening a way for peace. The Pope attributes the end of the war “to Him Who governs all events, and Who, moved to pity by the persevering prayers of the good, granted at last to humanity that it should recover finally from so many sorrows.” His Holiness rejoices at the imposing demonstrations of piety which have taken place throughout the Catholic world. There now remains for us, he continues, to implore the Almighty that the great gift granted us may have its crowning. Soon the delegates of the various nations will meet in solemn to give the world a just and lasting peace. Such grave and complex decisions will have to be taken as no human assembly ever took before. Therefore, it is impossible to say how much the delegates need to be Divinely enlightened to be able to accomplish this mission. Their decisions will affect, in the highest degree, the good of all humanity. Therefore, Catholics, who favor the order of progress, must invoke Divine assistance upon those participating in the Peace Conference. We desire this duty to be realised by all Catholics. The Encyclical concludes with an appeal to the Catholics of the entire world to petition to heaven that Divine light may be showered upon the statesmen invested with such a heavy charge. His Holiness orders that every bishop throughout the world shall have public prayers for this end in whatever form they may deem suitable. The Sovereign Pontiff then says: “Since, without any merit on Our part, We hold the place of Jesus Christ, the King of Peace, We shall employ all the influence in Our Apostolic ministry that the decisions arrived at by this Conference for the promulgation of peace throughout the world shall be faithfully accepted and loyally carried out by Catholics,” . '