CORRESPONDENCE. Letter of the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, Bishop of Clogher, to the Editors of the Irish Ecclesiastical Record. [We are deeply grateful to his Lordship the Bishop of Clogher for the valuable letter with which he has honoured us, and we beg to assure him that we accept with pleasure the correction. with which he has so kindly favoured us.] "Monaghan, January 16, '69". "DEAR REV. SIR,-I write to offer my heartiest thanks for the place you have given in the Record of this month to the hymn in praise of my holy predecessor, St. Macartin. That relic of antiquity is now safe from the possibility of extinction; the future chronicler will find it in the pages of the Record. There is but one circumstance in the matter that gives me pain or disappointment. Any person reading your introductory remarks would infer that the notorious Miler Magrath had apostatized whilst Bishop of Clogher; the truth being, that this unhappy man was appointed Bishop of Clogher by the government of Elizabeth, and after his apostacy. (See Ware, Bishops of Clogher, and other ecclesiastical historians.)-It is our proud and grateful reflection that no bishop of this ancient see has ever fallen away from the faith. "You will not wonder that I should feel sensitive about the fair fame of Clogher, and of the long roll of her prelates; and I trust that, in the next number of the Record, you will place this matter beyond the reach of misapprehension. “I remain, dear Rev. Sir, very faithfully yours, "To the Editor of the Ecclesiastical Record". DOCUMENTS. Rescript of the Sacred Congregation, granting new Indulgences to the "Catholic Association of St. Francis de Sales". The "Catholic Association of St. Francis de Sales" was founded in 1855, principally through the exertions of Monseigneur Mermillod, now coadjutor bishop of Geneva. It rapidly spread through France and Switzerland, and some branch societies were also founded in Italy and Belgium. It proposed to itself: 1st, the erection of schools and other Catholic institutions for the poor; 2nd, the gratuitous diffusion of good books; 3rd, the holding of missions and spiritual retreats in the most destitute districts; 4th, the ornamentation of poor churches and altars; 5th, the encouragement and maintenance of young men who aspire to the ecclesiastical state. Several indulgences have already been granted by the Holy See to reward the pious exertions of the members of this admirable Association. We insert to-day the last Rescript granting such indulgences, and with it we give the petition which was presented to the Holy Father soliciting such a favour, as it details the whole plan and organisation of the " Association" and affords full particulars to any of the clergy who may wish to erect a Branch-Association in their districts. BEATISSIME Pater, Ad pedes S. V. provoluti Praeses necnon Praesidi assidentes Associationis Catholicae S. Francisci Salesii suppliciter exponunt: Anno Domini 1855 et sequenti semel atque iterum Sanctitas Vestra Rev. Domini Mermillod primum (qui nunc Episcopus auxiliaris Genevensis) deinde R. P. D. Alzon Augustinorum Assumptionis Praesidi ac Nemosensi Vicario generali) dicere dignata est id a se valde exoptari ut catholicis in gentibus pia exurgeret precum atque eleemosynarum societas, unde Christianorum fides refoveretur, non parvum diligenti clero accresceret auxilium, coniurati Ecclesiae hostes facilius expugnarentur, sicque pura et integra ubique inter Fideles remaneret Catholica Fides. Addebat autem Sanctitas Vestra talem sibi videri Consociationem, veluti "quandam Fidei propagationem ad intra" ita ut qui inter infideles atque haereticos Fidem propagandam curant, eamdem servandam tuendamque suscipiant inter fideles. Ex quo cordis Vestri desiderio Sanctissime Pater exordium sumpsit, benedicente Domino, Associatio pia S. Francisci Salesii Nemosi primum anno 1855, deinde biennio post Lutetiae Parisiorum, ubi ampliori fundamento stabilita invalescit in dies ao summa ope nititur ut Fidem servanti ac tuenti Clero multifariam multisque modis praesto sit. Et quidem 1o Catholicas scholas, atque Instituta pia, quae parvulis vere sanctificandis consulant, quamplurima condit, auget, vel adiuvat. 2o Libros bonos eosdemque ad vulgarem Populorum sensum accommodatos nulla mercede dispensat, sicque honesta quaeque legendi morem inducit. 30 Verbum Dei praedicandum curat tum ruricolis, tum suburbiis, largiendo scilicet unde exercitia spiritualia fiant vel Missiones. 4° Si quae sint ecclesiae adeo inopes ut nequeant cultum Deo, prout decet, exhibere, pecunia adiuvat. 5° Fovet denique, quantum in se est, atque adiuvat quotquot ad statum ecclesiasticum vocati habentur. At vero in primis sibi tenendum esse statuit praedicta Associatio, ne quid unquam agatur nisi benedicente ac dirigente Ordinario, cui soli de spiritualibus ovium necessitatibus iudicare competit animasque ex officio custodire; atque ita quidquid minus prudens excogitaret zelus, facillime praecavetur. Huius autem Associationis constitutio simplicissima haec est: Concilium primarium, nunc Lutetiae residens, epistolarum consuetudinem habet in unaquaque Dioecesi cum designato quodam ab Antistite, rectore. Cuius opera, sicut quaecumque postulantur a Dioecesi, Concilio primario innotescant, ita et omnes eiusdem Concilii elemosynae per totam Dioecesim diffunduntur. Vicerectores autem Dioecesani et collectarii denos constituunt sodales a quibus duodeni quotannis asses solvendi sunt, haud secus ac fieri solet in societatibus quae Propagatio Fidei ac S. Infantia nuncupantur. Quibus Regnum Christi latissime diffundentibus nedum noceat S. Francisci Salesii Associatio, e contra veluti complementum accedit atque adiutrix eximia. Quo etenim purior Fides, ac validior in catholicis gentibus vigebit, eo maiori studio eandem quisque Fidem curabit propagandam; quod autem minime fit, ubi vel evanuit Fides vel labatur. vel Decimus hic annus est ex quo dictam Societatem omnes fere Galliarum Antistites ac satis multi in Italia, Siciliaque approbatam canonice erexerunt. Eamdem nuper erexerunt, erecturi sunt nonnulli apud Helvetios ac Belgas. A mense autem Maio Anni 1857 quo, auspice Beatissima Virgine, feliciter Lutetiae exorta est usque ad eundem elabentis anni mensem iam millies mille circiter francos argenteos exceptos distribuit. Quibuscumque in regnis praedicta constituitur Societas, Concilium generale, quod ex clericis laicisque Ecclesiae ac S. Sedi addictimis constat, epistolarum commercium frequentat cum primario Parisiensi Concilio, eo dumtaxat fine, ut salvis ubique Societatis statutis, quæ S. Sedis auctoritate sunt comprabata, tum accepti expensique, tum rerum a Sodalibus gestarum diligens ratio quotannis referatur. Optimum illud incoeptum iam a principio benigne fovere atque ad ampliora incitare S. V. dignata est, tum epistola sui a latinis Secretarii, tum Apostolico Brevi dato die 13 Dec. anno 1859 quo Sodales amplissimis indulgentiarum muneribus simul cum Apostolica benedictione donabantur. Quem postea praestantissimum iam caelestium gratiarum thesaurum S. V. augere adhuc ac benignissime amplificare voluit. Id demum pro certo habemus, Sanctissime Pater, fore ut praedicta piorum Fidelium Societas, si tamen iterata eaque solemniori Sedis Apostolicae comprobatione gauderet, tantum continuo proficeret, ut iam maxime valeret ad refocillandam Fidelium pietatem ac fidem, atque ita, cum universo iam clero rediret animus, multo maiori impetu atque efficacius pugnaretur tum contra incredulos, liberosque muratorios, tum contra haereticos, ac ceteros quosque Ecclesiae hostes. Ad hoc, redeundi ad ecclesiam via fortasse pararetur non paucis haereticis, rationalistis, atque indifferentibus, qui vel dubii taedio misere laborant, vel iam sitiunt veritatem. Igitur Beatitudinem Vestram Praeses ac Praesidi assidentes oratores orant ut caelestibus Indulgentiarum muneribus, quibus iam gaudent, denuo confirmatos primo Associationem catholicam S. Francisci Salesii de Apostolica benignitate ditare dignetur erectione canonica; deinde ut ad frequentiorem Eucharistiae usum magis ac magis incitentur Sodales, misericorditer in Domino concedere dignetur Plenariam omnium suorum peccatorum Indulgentiam ac remissionem, eamque singulis hebdomadis lucrandam ab omnibus qui vere poenitentes et confessi Sanctissimum Eucharistiae Sacramentum sumpserint. Pro qua gratia, etc. Rescriptum. Sanctissimus Dominus Noster Pius PP. IX. in Audientia habita ab infrascripto Card. Praef. S. Congregationis Indulg. et SS. Reliq. die 10 Martii 1868 probe noscens quantum utilitatis ex praefata Pia Unione a S. Francisco Salesio nuncupata in populum christianum promanare possit, eam, eiusque finem, seu scopum ad quem tendit, amplissimis verbis commendavit, quin tamen aliquid auctoritati Sacrorum Antistitum locorum, praesertim pro illius canonica erectione in propria cuiusque Dioecesi facienda, detractum intelligatur. Confidit vero dictae Piae Unionis Sodales pro eo, quo flagrare debent, religionis zelo, et charitatis studio in dies magis magisque curaturos, ut intentum finem ad Dei gloriam et Christi fidelium aedificationem consequantur. Ut autem Sodales ipsi ad frequentiorem Sacramentorum usum excitentur, Sanctitas Sua, praeter indulgentias ab Apostolica Sede iam obtentas,' benigne eis in perpetuum concessit ut Indulgentiam plenariam etiam Defunctis applicabilem bis in mense lucrari valeant, dummodo pro unaquaque vice vere poenitentes, confessi et S. Communione refecti aliquam ecclesiam devote visitaverint, ibique per aliquod temporis spatium pro haeresum extirpatione, fidei propagatione, ac S. R. E. cxaltatione et felici statu pias ad Deum preces effuderint. Praesenti absque ulla brevis expeditione valituro. Datum Romae ex Secr. eiusdem S. Congregationis. Die 10 Martii 1868. A. Card. BIZZARRI Praefectus The Indulgence enjoyed by the Associates are: a Plenary Indulgence (subject to the usual conditions), on the day of their aggregation, and also on the 29th of January, the 29th of June, and 8th December; a like Plenary Indulgence at the moment of death: a Partial Indulgence of sixty days for every good work that is performed. |