Images de page
PDF
ePub

religiosae, pia sodalitia, exercitus ac classis, homines ex omni conditione, quotquot domum, ex instituto Sancti Foederis, quod memoravimus, templum hoc condi voluerunt in argumentum amoris erga sacratissimum Cor Iesu, ad luenda et pianda gentis Gallicae crimina, ad opem Dei et praesidium obtinendum ut Gallia ab hostibus et Romanus Pontifex in libertatem asserantur.' Constat popularium pietatem cotidie vehementius exarsisse ; enimvero usque ad hunc diem, peregrinatione fere cotidiana, non modo ab urbe Parisiorum, verum etiam a dissitis tum Galliae tum coloniarum regionibus, turmatim ad aedem sacram confluxerunt ex omni ordine cives, sanctissimum Eucharistiae Sacramentum, diu noctuque venerationi publicae propositum, adoraturi Eiusque opem imploraturi. Quamquam vero monumentum hoc perpetuum voti, quo Gallia poenitens et devota sacratissimo Cordi Iesu se obstrinxerat, iam perfectum erat, pluribus de causis, ob proximum praesertim taeterrimum bellum, Archiepiscopus Parisiensis et Galliae Episcopi impediti sunt quominus sollemnibus illud caeremoniis consecrarent et dedicarent. Porro, immani bello absoluto, sanctuarium istud votivum, die XVI proximi mensis octobris, omnibus Galliae adstantibus Episcopis, erit tandem ritu solemni consecrandum. Ad significandam vero tum pietatem in sacratissimum Cor Iesu Nostram, tum benevolentiam qua Galliam, filiam Ecclesiae primogenitam, prosequimur, decrevimus Parisios mittere venerabilem fratrem Nostrum Antonium S. R. E. cardinalem Vico, episcopum Portuensem et Sanctae Rufinae, Sacrorum Rituum Congregationi praefectum, qui Nostram personam gerat et faustae solemnitati Nostro nomine praesideat. Cum autem dilectus filius noster Leo Adulphus presbyter cardinalis Amette, ex dispensatione apostolica archiepiscopus Parisiensis, quo 'Voti nationalis' templi decus maxime augeatur, Nos supplex rogaverit, ut eidem sacrae aedi dignitatem, titulum et privilegia Basilicae Minoris impertiri dignemur; Nos votis his annuendum ultro libenterque censuimus. Quare, collatis consiliis cum VV. FF. NN. S. R. E. Cardinalibus Congregationi Sacrorum Rituum praepositis, Motu proprio ac de certa scientia ac matura deliberatione Nostris deque Apostolicae potestatis plenitudine, praesentium vi perpetuumque in modum, enunciatum templum votivum, sacratissimo Cordi Iesu dicatum, in Monte Martyrum, archidioecesis Parisiensis, a die solemnis eiusdem consecrationis peragendae, dignitate ac titulo Basilicae Minoris honestamus, cum omnibus honoribus, praerogativis, privilegiis, indultis quae Minoribus almae huius Urbis Basilicis de iure competunt. Decernentes praesentes Litteras firmas, validas atque efficaces semper exstare ac permanere, suosque integros effectus iugiter sortiri et obtinere, illisque ad quos pertinent nunc et in posterum plenissime suffragari; sicque rite iudicandum esse ac definiendum, irritumque ex nunc et inane fieri si quidquam secus super his, a quovis, auctoritate qualibet, scienter vel ignoranter, attentari contigerit. Non obstantibus contrariis quibuslibet.

Datum Romae apud sanctum Petrum sub annulo Piscatoris, die XXVII septembris MCMIX, Pontificatus Nostri anno sexto.

P. CARD. GASPARRI, a Secretis Status.

A NEW DIOCESE IS ERECTED IN THE EAST INDIES
(September 10, 1919)

LITTERAE APOSTOLICAE

NOVA IN INDIIS ORIENTALIBUS DIOECESIS PATNENSIS ERIGITUR

BENEDICTUS PP. XV

Ad perpetuam rei memoriam.-In suprema Principis Apostolorum Cathedra, nullis quidem meritis, divinitus collocati, Praedecessorum Nostrorum vestigiis inhaerentes, spiritualibus fidelium necessitatibus et fidei atque evangelicae veritati provehendae Apostolica Nostra auctoritate providere satagimus, Iam vero cum in septentrionali Indiarum Orientalium territorio, gravibus obstantibus difficultatibus atque illius praesertim amplitudine, impar sit evangelicorum operariorum inibi adlaborantium numerus, novaque dioecesis opportune efformari posse videatur, quae, aliis accedentibus sacerdotibus, uberius fidei incremento consulere possit; Nos, collatis consiliis cum VV. FF. NN. S. R. E. Cardinalibus negotiis Propagandae Fidei praepositis, quo melius prospiciatur catholicae fidei utilitatibus atque incrementis, haec, quae infrascripta sunt, decernenda in Domino existimavimus, Nimirum, Motu proprio atque ex certa scientia et matura deliberatione Nostris deque Apostolicae Nostrae potestatis plenitudine, praesentium vi, ex territoriis, quibus integre constant actualis Praefectura de Bettiah et regio Nepol, nec non orientalis plaga dioecesis Allahabadensis, quae iacet ad meridiem fluminis Ganges, quaeque pars est novarum civilium provinciarum de Behar atque Orissa, districtum includens de Behar portionemque districtus de Patna et districtus de Bhagalpur, novam dioecesim formamus, fundamus, cui nomen ab urbe Patnensi facimus; pariterque decernimus ut episcopi residentiae locus in civitate Bankipur figatur et nova Patnensis dioecesis ad provinciam ecclesiasticam Calcuttensem pertineat, tamquam illae Metropolitanae Ecclesiae suffraganea, eiusque cura Societatis Iesu Missionariis demandetur, Similiter per praesentes, de Apostolicae Nostrae potestatis plenitudine, statuimus, ut dioecesi Allahabadensi, cui adhuc et Patnensis nomen erat, unicus et exclusivus in posterum sit titulus Allahabadensis. Haec vero mandamus, decernentes praesentes Litteras firmas, validas atque efficaces semper exsistere et fore, suosque plenarios et integros effectus sortiri atque obtinere, illisque ad quos spectat vel, in posterum spectare poterit, in omnibus et per omnia plenissime suffragari; sicque in praemissis iudicandum esse ac definiendum, atque irritum et inane fieri si secus super his, a quoquam, quavis auctoritate scienter, vel ignoranter, contigerit attentari. Non obstantibus Apostolicis Constitutionibus ceterisque omnibus in contrarium facientibus quibus

cumque.

Datum Romae apud sanctum Petrum sub annulo Piscatoris, die x septembris MCMXIX, Pontificatus Nostri anno sexto.

P. CARD. GASPARRI, a Secretis Status.

DECREE REGARDING THE NOMINATION OF
VISITOR FOR THE MISSIONS OF CHINA

AN APOSTOLIC AND THE NEIGH

BOURING KINGDOMS

(July 22, 1919)

SACRA CONGREGATIO DE PROPAGANDA FIDE

DECRETUM

CIRCA NOMINATIONEM VISITATORIS APOSTOLICI IN MISSIONES SINENSIS REGIONIS FINITIMORUMQUE REGNORUM

Cum in amplissimae Sinensis regionis ac finitimorum regnorum missionibus, laeta, Deo adiuvante, his postremis temporibus, catholica fides incrementa susceperit, ac ampliori libertate a publicis auctoritatibus ipsa donata sit, hoc Sacrum Consilium christiano nomini propagando, earum missionum necessitatibus commodisque optat uberius prospicere ut, uniformi ad sacrorum canonum normam roborata disciplina atque animorum viriumque inter varias Missiones arcta consociatione firmata, ad feliciores progressus res christiana adducatur.

Qua de re, ab infrascripto eiusdem S. Congregationis Cardinali Praefecto, facta relatione SSño D. N. Benedicto PP. XV in audientia diei 17 iulii c. a 1919, Sanctitas sua decrevit ut Apostolicus Visitator in Sinenses regiones ac finitima regna mitteretur, eo fine et consilio ut, de mandato atque auctoritate Apostolicae Sedis Missiones perlustrans, omnia accurate investigaret de praesenti Missionum statu ac necessitatibus; consultisque eorum Praesulibus, praesertim de futuro, si fieri queat, antistitum omnium cogendo generali conventu, cum iis agat de iisdem negotiis; et postea, peracta integra visitatione, Romam veniat ut Sedi Apostolicae ea proponat quae sibi maxime opportuna videantur ad maiora catholicae religionis incrementa promovenda; datis interim, si quae moram haud patiantur, provisionibus, quas magis in Domino expedire iudicaverit, ac ceteris peractis quae, iuxta traditas eidem Visitatori Apostolico per ipsam S. Congregationem instructiones, demandata fuerint. Hoc autem Visitatoris Apostolici munus, eadem Sanctitas Sua committendum iussit R. P. D. Ioanni Baptistae de Guébriant, Vicario Apostolico de Canton, quem egregiae animi dotes ac rerum experientia ad id officium apprime commendant; cum omnibus facultatibus necessariis et opportunis.

Qua super re praesens decretum confici Sanctitas Sua iussit, con trariis quibuscumque non obstantibus.

Datum Romae ex aedibus S. Congregationis de Propaganda Fide, die 22 iulii 1919.

L. S.

G. M. CARD. VAN ROSSUM, Praefectus.
C. LAURENTI, Secretarius.

REVIEWS AND NOTES

LE CHRIST, VIE DE L'AME. Conférences Spirituelles par D. Columba
Marmion. Abbaye de Maredsous (Belgique). London: Washbourne;
Burns and Oates.

THIS book has reached its fourth edition. That alone is a clear index of its worth. As Cardinal Mercier says in his Preface to it: Les pages sont bienfaisantes. Elles reposent l'âme. Elles simplifient la vie chrétienne.' The main purpose of the author is to dispel darkness and doubt from troubled souls, to expand those souls and free them from their own slavery. The Conferences are the fruit of several years of reflection and prayer. They were given to audiences of various kinds. The author, having had no idea of publishing them, had not committed them to writing. But some of his audience, believing them to be of permanent benefit, took abundant notes and begged the author to publish them. Father Marmion, realizing their imperfections, as they were delivered in a language other than his mother-tongue, did not see his way to publish them as they were. A devoted friend set himself the delicate and difficult task of gathering together the numerous notes and of co-ordinating them with a definite plan. The simple style of the author is preserved throughout, so also is the characteristic method of the author faithfully preserved. The Conferences are mainly a commentary on the words of Christ: Come to Me; I am the Life of your souls; you will find this Life only in Me, but you will find it in abundance-Veni ut vitam habeant et abundantius habeant.

[ocr errors]

There are nineteen Conferences in all, covering about 580 pages. The author shows Divine Providence embracing in the same plan of pre-destination Christ, the Word made man, and ourselves. Then, following the doctrine of St. Thomas Aquinas on the meditation of Christ, the Sanctifier of souls, he shows in Him, true God and true Man, the unique and universal exemplar of all holiness, the meritorious and satisfactory cause that has paid to divine justice the price of our salvation, according to the words of St. Paul: And being consummated, He became, to all that obey Him, the cause of eternal salvation, called by God a high-priest according to the order of Melchisedech' (Heb. v. 9) Finally, Christ is the efficient cause of our holiness, for, always following the doctrine of the Apostle St. Paul, whom our author never wearies of quoting, 'Of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption' (1 Cor. i. 30). Having shown the office of Christ under its different aspects, Father Marmion considers the realization of the divine plan in souls. Christ VOL. XV-6

L

forms His mystical body, the Church, visible and invisible. But the Holy Spirit has formed Christ—at least it is thus that theology expresses itself in the word 'appropriation,' and the 'Spirit of Jesus' completes the work of our sanctification. Thus is portrayed the picture of the work of Christ eternally conceived in the plan of the Heavenly Father and realized by Christ, the Mediator, and by His Sanctifying Spirit. Christ is in the centre of the plan and of the work of God. In His theandric Person He includes ail-Tu solus sanctus, Tu solus Dominus, Jesu Christe. The whole substance of evangelical spirituality is in this formula, as Father Marmion wisely says: For certain souls the life of Christ Jesus is a subject of meditation among many others. That is not enough. Christ is not one of the means of the spiritual life; He is our whole spiritual life.'

[ocr errors]

The second portion of the work is devoted to showing the work of the soul that wishes to receive abundantly the divine life of which Christ is the source. Faith in the divinity of Christ constitutes the first step towards this life. Baptism, first of all the Sacraments, makes the recipient a disciple of Christ. By this sacrament of adoption and initiation, the Christian becomes a participator in the glorious life and death of his divine Master. These two aspects of the spiritual life, so well expressed by St. Paul, must embrace the whole existence of every Christian.

[ocr errors]

The author then shows in detail how we die in sin,' how we live for God.' He develops the laws to which are submitted the exercise and the increase of this life for God, the sources at which especially it nourishes itself, the Eucharist, as a Sacrifice and as a Sacrament, prayer, whether it be that of the Church, in her liturgy, or of mental prayer, the spreader of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.' Love of a soul for Christ necessarily embraces all that composes the mystical body of Christ. In the first rank is the Virgin Mary, who by her divine maternity entered into the very essence of the Incarnation. The last Conference shows how the plenitude of the mystical body of Christ' is received only in the beatitude of eternal life, the final terminus of our predestination, the consummation of our adoption in Christ Jesus.

Thus end these Conferences, which bring out in bold, living relief the mystery of Jesus. All is led back to Christ, the source of all grace, of all life, of all sanctity,

This fertile thought that affects the unity of the work brings out also its force. A mere dry analysis deprives the book of its devotional flavour. It must be read and meditated on with the heart as well as with the head, as it is with all his soul of an apostle that the author throws himself into the Conferences. The scriptural perfume that one breathes in every page of the book shows that the work has been prepared in prayer. Souls desirous of the interior life will welcome this work with gratitude. Religious communities, especially, to which these Conferences were given, will gather many flowers and fruits from them.

It is a beautiful work indeed, well planned and well edited. The matter of the Conferences is summarized in a very readable synopsis,

« PrécédentContinuer »