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Show POPE LEO AND THE IMMACTJ- LATE CONCEPTION. I (Written for The Intermountain CathoHc'i On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Con-ception of the Blessed Virgin, in 1S7!, which was the twenty-fifth annlversary of the' definition of the Immarulat" Conception of Mary, our Holy Father Leo XIII delivered the following beautiful beau-tiful address: "On this very happy day, on whii-h. is reached the twenty-fifth anniversuy of the definition of th? Immacula;..-Conception Immacula;..-Conception of Mary, it is most just that your souls and the souls of all the faithful should yield themselves m to more than usual joy. as the result . i of the most cherished remembrances. ( I Yes, it is now twenty-five years since our predecessor Pius IX of happy memory, mem-ory, for whom Providence had reserved the good fortune of adding a most beautiful pearl to the crown of the Virgin Vir-gin and of associating his own glorv with the glory of the Mother of God promulgated in the face of the Catholic; world, which was filled with respect and enthusiasm, the dogmatic decree of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Immediately on its promulgation the faithful, stirred with the most ardent love for their mother, penetrated with tendernet at the thought of her greatness! great-ness! and filled with holy hopes, gave themselves up then as well as in succeeding suc-ceeding years, to a universal and splendid celebration cf that remarkable prerogative. - ' " "As for yourselves, at the approach ot the first jubilee of that memorable day, and on the occasion of your fifth pilgrimage pil-grimage to Rome, you manifested in , our presence your purpose and your desire to celebrate most solemnly the twenty-fifth anniversary of that dogmatic dog-matic definition, and we the recollection recollec-tion cf it is one which is pleasant to recall finding this holy desire quite in accord with our own wishes, cordially praised it. and blessed it with all the earnestness of our heart, ready to open to the faithful, with the greatest possible possi-ble extension, the heavy treasury of indulgences. In this happy conjuncture the bishops of the Catholic wortd. in their pastoral zeal, have been solicitous to make the devotion of their own flocks an appeal, which has been heard with such an effect that everywhere within a brief interval there has been displayed a lively desire, and as it were, a noble rivalry, to honor the stainles.? Virgin by the most magnificent demonstrations demon-strations of religious fervor. You. in conformity with an excellent inspiration, inspira-tion, and putting under the auspices of the Blessed Virgin your sixth pilgrimage, pilgrim-age, were eager to assemble first near the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles, in the august basilica from which was proclaimed before all the world this wonderful privilege, and then to confirm con-firm today, by a new and solemn protestation, pro-testation, your attachment to the Vicar of Jesus Christ. "In all Italy, or rher, in all the world, there is today but one thought among all true believers and that is ! to render homage to the Immaculate I 1 Virgin by exulting her glories and by I recommending td her the Church and i j the visible head that governs it. This outburst of piety and devotion, so ardent, ar-dent, so universal and so unanimous, is a great consolation to us in the midst of the warfare which is today beins waged with so much fury against the Church, it rouses the hope of a complete com-plete triumph over error and over hell. "In truth, the error which pervades, and almost makes mad the proud spir.tj of our times, is that cold and low nat- V uralism which has taken possession of every stage of life, public and private, and which substitutes the human reason rea-son for the divine, nature for grace, md despises the Redeemer. Now. the Virgin, by her Immaculate Conception, jpportunely recalls to the faithful peo-i peo-i ol that by the fall of the first father poor humanity has served, feeble and infirm as it has been for so many ages, as a toy for error and for the passions; that through Jesus Christ alone have come in abundance grace, truth, salvation, salva-tion, life, that without Him there is for man neither dignity nor greatness ncr true good, and finally that whoever tries to withdraw himself from th? beneficial influence of the Redeemer ;emains in darkness, falls into a pit and goes straght to forecertain ruin. "Further, the Immaculate Conception . i reveals to us the secret, and the first I cause of the great power of Mary over our common enemy, who by the means of his loyal ministers is carrying on a cruel war against the Church. In fact, faith teaches us that from the beginning begin-ning of the world Mary was destined to exercise against the demons and their - race an implacable and eternal hostility hostil-ity inimicitias. ponam inter te et mulierem and that from the first moment mo-ment of her existence she has been powerful in crushing their haughty head and ipsa conieret caput tuum. "This thought fixes in all hearts the certainty that once again the final victory vic-tory will rest with Mary. For you, my dear children, and with you. for all believing people, by the frank profession profes-sion of your faith, by the exercise of j works of virtue, by fervent and con- j J stant prayer, by sincere devotion to the holy Virgin, hasten that desirable moment when the whole human family I may again. rejoice in the signal bless- i l ings of the Redemption of Christ has- 1 1 ten the desirable moment when by the ( intercession of the great Mother of God, the tempests being appeased, the people ; shall see the days of prosperity, peace . and glory shining out again over the Church. Meanwhile receive, dear chil- J dren, as a pledge of our paternal af- fectlon for you, the apostolic benedic- . tion. which we give you with all our hearts. Benedictio Dei, etc." f S 1 1 I |