PIUS X. AND THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, 28 March 1907, Page 11

PIUS X. AND THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

A LETTER OF ENCOURAGEMENT

His Holiness Pope Pius X. (write* the special cor- - respondent of the • Catholic Times ') h a s addressed the following letter to Cardinal Cassetta, Honorary Presi- ■ dent and Protector of the Society of St. Jerome. for the diffusion of the Gospels^ Venerable Brother, Health and the Apostolic Benediction. We who, when we were Patriarch of Venice, blessed the pious Society of St. Jerome and formed good wishes for it, looking at it now after a few years from the Supreme Chair of the Church, find satisfaction in seeing how it has" made so much progress in a short -time and has been the instrument of so many ' signal advantages. For. the Society of St. Jerome has not only circulated its edition of the Gospels .throughout Italy, founding' in the Peninsula , three centres of action in order to- carry out its intention more effectively, but has penetrated . America, sending/i ts books" wherever Italian is spoken and benefiting emigrants in - a special manner. It must certainly be acknowledged that the fact of having published and circulated amongst the people, with fitting discretion, - nearly five hundred thousand copies of the Gospels, constitutes a splendid proof of the extraordinary zeal displayed by the members in tL'ls undertaking and of the vast field of. operations embraced' by the Society. It is a factwhiah is manifestly worthy of admiration— all the more so inasmuch as the means at the disposal of the Society are very limited. It is also, a consoling fact; and one of good augury, having regard .to the object of ."the Association— to offer to all the opportunity and facilities for- reading and meditating upon the Gospels, regard being had in particular to the special needs of our age, in which, as compared with other times, the avidity for .reading is too great and not without loss-. ,to souls. It is likewise a most salutary fact, not only in itself as connected with a narrative possessing Divine force— that is to say, the account of the life of Jesus Christ, than which nothing can be conceived more eminently efficacious for leading us to sanctity—but it is also and chiefly most, useful because it ■ renders a notable service to the magisterium of the Church, since the reacting, of the Gospels prepares minds to the announcement of the Divine Word, and when the sacred text is previously read the explana-

Aons of the Gospel by the parish priests are better impressed on -the memory and. ripen more fully. "We de- . sire to add that in times such. as these it is not the least of the . advantages of such- publications that it can be said that through their circulation and the reading of them subsequently the echo of the voice of . God reaches even . those unfortunate people ,who through despair, or hatred, or prejudice avoid all contact with the priest — an advantage which, in - our eyes, is precious and most desirable, -Inasmuch as it "affords the means of ensuring the salvation of . souls, if not with the voice, at least through books, and, of healing bjr the teachings associated with ' the life of Christ, the evils of society and of individuals, We know with what earnestness the S\xieiy of St. Jerome- performs its work, and we therefore deem it superfluous ' to ad-" dress to the members recommendations and exhortations to go forward with Increasing alacrity in their undertaking. If it is desired that the Society should advance more profitably day by day, let this maxim be borne in mind— that of all- undertakings none is more useful than that which is best suited to the times, arid that when a work -has proved so highly bene- . ficial in) thp course of a* few years it ' is ujecessary that' exertions in its favor should be redoubled- Where, _ then, the Association has, created amongst the people "so much * eagerness for- the. reading of the Gospels, it should . foster and strengthen it' by continually increas- % ing the number, of copies of the Gospels, convinced that the increase will have "good results, not to speak n of - the advantage of - disposing of the well-known prejudice that the Church does not wish to permit or hinders . the reading- of the Sacred Scriptures in- the - vulgar .tongue. And as it is of the greatest moment „ not merely to keep in view the accomplishment of the , object - mentioned in preference to any other which may .' present itself to .the zeal, of the Society, but likewise , to bring aIL the , united forces to "bear upon it, it will : be we'll, that the ■ Society" should regard as a sufficient field of labor the publication cf the Gospels and of the A^ts of ' the , Apostles. Be it yours then', Venerable Brother, -to promote by the prestige of your- authority and- by the wisdom"' of your counsels the growth of a work which we have .. so . much- at heart, and it Is for the members to con- - tirme .to devote themselves to this -work as they -have • been doing— that is, with rthe greatest diligence and the noblest enthusiasm. From the lnoxn^it when we proposed to ourselves to ; restore ■ everything in Christ Jesus, we could desire " ndthing b'etfEer* than the introduction amongst the Faithful of .the_custom of reading the Holy Gospels, not" merely often but daily,- as their reading shows and makes known clearly in what way the desired revival oan and should be attained. As a presage of Heavenly graces and a pledge of our „ goodwill we impart the Apostolic Benediction ' in " the Lord with all our heart to you, to the members, and to all who shall help theScciety. . • - Given at Rome on the 21st January, 1907, the fourth year of our Pontificate. - ; . PIUSX. POPE,