Address Of German Roman Catholics to The Pope, March 10, 1875

ADDRESS OF GERMAN ROMAN CATHOLICS TO THE POPE.

The Frankfurter Zeitung gives the following text of an address which is to be presented by a deputation sent to Rome on behalf of the German Catholics:

“Most Holy Father: During your glorious pontificate the German Catholics, united to the other branches of the great Christian family, have already often laid at your august feet the expression of their filial devotion to our holy mother the church, whose direction has been confided to you by Jesus Christ. You have always received us with the paternal welcome with which your heart embraces all nations and all Christians in the universe. Recent events which increase the pain caused by the measures taken by our government against the holy church bring us again to your holiness. Not long since a circular was published, dated the 20th of December, 1872, addressed by the German chancellor to the foreign powers, concerning the future conclave. We protest, as our bishops have already done, against the entirely erroneous construction put upon the Catholic faith by this letter; but, above all, we think ourselves called upon to-declare before you, most holy father, that no human force shall separate us from our lawful Pope; for we remember that it is an eternal truth that one of the conditions of salvation is to be subject to the Pontiff of Rome. We will never recognize any other Pope but him who is elevated to the chair of St. Peter by the canonical laws. On the 4th of December last year, the German government, with the approbation of a majority of the Reichstag, suppressed the accredited embassy to the holy see, although the Catholic members protested in the most solemn way against such a decision. The experience of the last few years proves to us that this measure was not so hurtful from the point of view of the safety of your rights, of those of the holy church, and of our own situation as it was a want of regard for the 15,000,000 German Catholics and a stage on the fatal road to the separation of church and state, the union of which alone can form the basis of all political and social order. As for us German Catholics, we wish never to be separated from that rock which is the church. The sacred bond of love which unites us to you, most holy father, will only be the stronger. All attempts to tear us away from the bosom of the church will be unavailing; they will only stimulate us in the accomplishment of our duty which our conscience, inspired by our holy faith and directed by the infallible Pope, dictates, and will ever dictate to us. Most holy father, the august words which your holiness addressed to us in your encyclical of the 24th of November have fortified us. The martyrdom which so many of our bishops and ecclesiastics are now undergoing, while taking you as an example, proves that the grace of God is efficacious in succoring; our weakness. It is not in our power, O most holy father, to maintain a German ambassador at your side. Nevertheless, his placewill not be unfilled. It is for this reason that we send our own ambassadors—the ambassadors of the Catholic people. They are directed to deliver this address to you, in which we lay the expression of our sentiments at your august feet. Our ambassadors are directed to tell you that we will always be at your side. We would especially be in communication with you by the agency of angels, who will bear the prayers we offer up for your health. These angels will tell you that our faith will always be conformable to your doctrine, and that we will always obey your orders. We know that we shall still have fierce combats to sustain. We approach, therefore, with more joy the new fountains of peace opened to the whole world by the publication of the jubilee established by your holiness. For us Germans, also, we hope that prayers and penitence will appease divine anger, and will end those sufferings which all nations are undergoing, and which are the consequences of the sins of the age. Why can we not all make a pilgrimage to the tomb of the apostles? But we know that you will bless us, too, from afar, and that your heart will always beat for us. Deign, O holy father, to send back by our ambassadors your holy blessing, and entreat the sacred heart of Jesus and of his immaculate mother for us in order that they may grant us the grace of constancy in our troubles. Prostrate before your feet, most holy father, we are your obedient children of Germany.” (Here follow the signatures.)