religion, to second the ardour of our venerable episcopal brethren, to co-operate diligently with their exertions, and to provide safe conduct and protection, and houses of hospitable reception, along the roads throughout their several dominions, that they may not be exposed to any injury in the performance of this most pious work. They must be fully aware what a general conspiracy was formed to root up the most sacred rights of the altar and the throne, and what wonders the Lord has wrought, who, stretching forth his hand, has humbled the arrogance of the strong. Let them reflect, that constant and suitable thanks ought to be rendered to the Lord of lords, to whom we are indebted for the victory; that the succour of the divine mercy is to be obtained by humble and frequent prayer; and that, as the wickedness of the impious is still creeping like a cancer, He may accomplish, in his clemency towards us, that work which he himself has begun. This, truly, we had chiefly in view, when we deliberated on the celebration of the Jubilee; well persuaded of the importance of such a sacrifice of praise to the Lord, in this common consent of all Christian people, for obtaining those heavenly gifts, all the treasures of which we now throw open. Let, therefore, the Catholic princes labour for this purpose; and as they are endowed with great and generous minds, let them protect this most sacred work with earnest zeal and perpetual care. Assuredly they will learn, by experience, that by this means particularly they will secure to themselves the mercies of God; and that they certainly add to the support of their own government by whatever they do for the protection of religion and the encouragement of piety; so that having destroyed every seed of vice, a delightful crop of virtues may succeed.

But in order that all may prosper to our wishes, we entreat your prayers with God, dear children, who are of the fold of

Christ; for we confide in your common vows and supplications, which you put forth to the divine mercy, for the welfare of the Catholic religion, and for the return of those that err to the truth, and for the happiness of princes; and that you will hereby powerfully assist our infirmity in supporting our most weighty functions.

And that these presents may more easily come to the knowledge of all the faithful in every place, we will, that precisely the same credit be paid even to printed copies, signed nevertheless by the hand of some public notary, and certified by the seal of a person invested with ecclesiastical dignity, as would be paid to these presents, if they should be produced or shown.

Be it, therefore, utterly unlawful for any man to infringe, or by any rash attempt to gainsay, this page of our ordinance, promulgation, grant, exhortation, demand, and will. But if any one shall presume to attempt it, let him know, that he shall incur the indignation of Almighty God, and of his blessed apostles Peter and Paul.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, in the year of our Lord's Incarnation 1824, on the 24th May, in the first year of our Pontificate.

A. G. Cardinal, Pro-Datary.

J. Cardinal Albani.

APPENDIX.

Extracts from the DEVOTION AND OFFICE OF THE SACRED Heart of our LORD JESUS CHRIST; with its Nature, Origin, Progress, &c. &c. including the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of the B. V. Mary, &c. &c. &c., and the Recommendatory Pastoral Letter of the Bp. of Boulogne to the Faithful in his Diocese. Twelfth Edition: with an Appendix, on the Devotion to the S. H. of Jesus ;-Prayers for the Exercise of that Devotion; and the Indult of his Holiness P. Pius VII. in favour of it for the Use of the Midland District.

:

Keating and Brown, 1821*.

London, by

"What is the corporeal and sensible object of this devotion? It is the material heart of the Son of God, who was made man out of his pure love for us; it is the most noble part of his adorable body; it is the principal organ of all the affections, and consequently of all the virtues of his blessed humanity; it is the seat and centre wherein corporeally dwells all the pleni

*As it is impossible to give an adequate idea of the contents of this book without making extracts that would exceed all reasonable limits, I strongly recommend the perusal of it to those who wish to form a correct opinion of the true character of Roman Catholic devotion.

tude of his divinity, and which becoming by virtue of the hypostatical union the heart of the King of kings, of the Holy of holies, of the God of majesty, is raised to an infinite dignity, which makes it worthy of our profound homage and adoration."-Pages 10, 11.

"In a small town called Paroy le Monial, in the province of Burgundy, and diocese of Autun, there is a convent of the Visitation of the blessed Virgin Mary. Here a holy nun named Mary Margaret was consecrated to Jesus Christ at the age of twenty, and lived in retirement unknown. She died there in the odour of sanctity, aged forty, on the 17th of October, 1690. Her virtues are attested by her superiors, and we learn by a writing she gave in obedience to her director, how eminently she was favoured by Almighty God.

“This holy virgin was chosen by Jesus Christ to give a beginning to the devotion to his sacred heart. To dispose her to accomplish his design, he infused into her a perfect knowledge of the excellence, the perfections, and the sufferings of this heart. This gave her an ardent desire to see it known, honoured, and glorified by all creatures. When she was thus prepared, Jesus Christ one day appeared to her, and declared his intention of establishing a solemnity in honour of his sacred heart, adding that he chose her to be the instrument of carrying it into execution. Happy to find that the devotion was to be established, she trembled at the thought of being employed in it. Her youth, her natural diffidence, and her retirement from creatures, made her conclude that the execution of the design must in her hands be impossible. Under this impression she studiously concealed the revelation. But God still urging her to obey, she at length conceived that she could no