442 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



sooner was the Holy Father restor- 

 ed to his See, than he perceived 

 the pernicious effects which had 

 already resulted, and must continue 

 to result, from that destruction, 

 which God, in his impenetrable 

 designs, has permitted impiety to 

 consummate in the capital of the 

 Christian world, and in the Ponti- 

 fical States. His Holiness, pene- 

 trated with the sentiments which, 

 as head of the Church, he must 

 feel for all these sacred institu- 

 tions; guided by the particular 

 affection which he bears them, as 

 a member of one of the oldest or- 

 ders, which he has ever gloried in 

 belonging to, deems it worthy of 

 his paternal solicitude to devote all 

 his cares to their restoration from 

 ruin. Many obstacles oppose the 

 accomplishment of his ISoliness's 

 wishes ; in addition to its being far 

 from easy to collect the religious 

 dispersed in all quarters, tlieir 

 houses and convents are despoiled 

 of every necessary fur their accom- 

 modation, and the greater part are 

 without revenue. 



The Holy Father is occupied 

 with the means of overcoming 

 these difficulties. His views are 

 principally directed to the great 

 object of giving these communities 

 a new lustre by repairing past dis- 

 orders, and bringing them back to 

 the observance of rules suitable to 

 (be holiness and excellence of their 

 j)roftssion. To attain this object 

 his Holiness appointed a commis- 

 sion to investigate every thing that 

 relates to the re-establishment of 

 the regular orders. It has now 

 formed and presented a plan to 

 his Holiness, tending to procure 

 for them the requisi'e means, and 

 to settle regulations which should 

 be observed in those religious 



communities. But as circum- 

 stances for the moment do not 

 permit the re-establishment of 

 these regular societies in all the 

 pontifical states, it has been pro- 

 posed to make a commencement 

 at Rome, where all the disposable 

 convents shall be given them, in 

 which the superiors may be lodg- 

 ed, and the greatest possible num- 

 ber of monks assembled. It is 

 hoped, from the religion of the 

 Governments, and the zeal of the 

 Bishops of the Catholic world, that 

 they will patronize the establish- 

 ment of these asylums of Chris- 

 tian piety and evangelical perfec- 

 tion. His Holiness has approved 

 the plan of the congregation, and 

 has ordered its publication, that all 

 concerned may know it, and may 

 apply to the Secretary of the con- 

 gregation, who will inform them 

 of the house or convent where they 

 are to assemble. 



(Signed) 

 B. Cardinal Pacca, 

 Pro-Secretary of State. 

 Rome, Aug. 15, 1814. 



PTOclamation of Prince Christian 

 to the Norwegians. 



Norwegians I — When upon the 

 dissolution of your union with Den- 

 mark, we took upon ourselves the 

 direction of the affairs of Norway, 

 it was to prevent your beloved 

 country from being torn to pieces 

 by civil war and faction. Your 

 wishes called us to the throne of 

 Norway. We obeyed the call. — 

 Your confidence and your good 

 cause demanded our participation. 

 We resolved to make every per- 

 sonal sacrifice in order to secure to 

 you those benefits. 



