ROMAN CATHOLIC CliriJCII. 



7*0 



commission of tin) ; and, flnallj, with the same ou- 

 thority :ui 1 fullness of apostolic benignity, \*. 

 code aii-l pi-rmit that tlu-y may dispense such |.. i.i- 

 m.'iiL,' tli<' regulars constituted in sacred 

 t Irregularity in the exercise of 

 the said orders, and to ascend to the other superiors, 

 e.-isti-.u-ti-d solely through violation of censures. 



Intend, however, in force of these pros- 

 iVom whatsoever other irregularity 

 her iml'lio or secret, whether wanting or 

 :i or from whatsoever other incapacity or in- 

 ability, in whatsoever way contracted, or to grant 

 uiiv faculty t''>r dispensing from the same, or 

 habilitate and restore into the primal state even in 

 foro cotucientia ; nor yet do wo intend to derogate 

 from the constitution, with the opportune declara- 

 tions given forth by Benedict XIV., of blessed mem- 

 ory, our predecessor, which beginsj " tiacramentum 

 Pifitittntuej* dated the 1st of June, in the year 1741, 

 the first of his pontificate. Neither, finally, do we 

 : that these same, our letters, can or ought to 

 benefit those who by us and by the Apostolic Bee. 

 or by whatsoever other prelate or ecclesiastical 

 judge, may have been by name excommunicate I, 

 suspended, interdicted, or declared fallen under 

 other sentences or censures, or publicly denounced, 

 unless within the limit of the present year they may 

 not have satisfied or come to an arrangement where 

 nee.lt'ul with the others. For the rest, if any, having 

 tho intention of gaining this Jubilee, after having 

 commenced tho fulfillment of the prescribed works, 

 overtaken by death, shall not be able to accomplish 

 the prescribed number of visits, we, desiring to fill 

 up the measure of their pious and ready intention, 

 will that the said persons, truly penitent, confessed 

 and communicated, may participate in the aforesaid 

 indulgence and remission in the same manner as if 

 they had in the prescribed days really visited the 

 aforesaid churches. If any, however, alter obtaining 

 on the strength of these presents the absolution from 

 the censures or the commutations of their vows or 

 the aforesaid dispensations, shall change that seri- 

 ous and sincere intention otherwise necessary to 

 benefit by this jubilee, and thereby fail to complete 

 the works necessary to gain it, although by this 

 same they can scarcely consider themselves blame- 

 less, wo, nevertheless, decree and declare valid the 

 absolutions, commutations, and dispensations, ob- 

 tained with the aforesaid dispositions. We also will 

 and decree that these present letters be fully valid 

 and effective, and have and obtain their plenary ef- 

 fect wherever they are published and put in execu- 

 tion by tho local ordinaries, and that they be of use 

 to all the faithful of Christ who remain in the grace 

 and obedience of the Apostolic See, and who are 

 either living in the several jurisdictions or have just 

 reached them on their journeys by land or sea ; not- 

 withstanding the constitutions about not granting 

 indulgences ad inttar and the other apostolic consti- 

 tutions, and the constitutions, ordinances, and the 

 general or special reservations of absolutions, relaxa- 

 tions, and dispensations, decreed in general, pro- 

 vincial, and synodal councils, as well as the statutes, 

 laws, customs, and uses, of every mendicant or mili- 

 tary order, congregation, or institution, even though 

 confirmed by oath, or apostolic approval, or any 

 other kind of ratification, as well as privileges, par- 

 dons, and letters apostolic, granted to the same, es- 

 pecially those in which the professors of any order, 

 congregation, or institution, are expressly prohibited 

 from confessing themselves outside their own com- 

 munity. "With regard to which things, all and sin- 

 gular, although for their complete repeal, a special, 

 specific, express, and individual mention should bo 

 made of them and of their whole tenor, or some 

 special form should be used nevertheless, we, hold- 

 ing as though their full tenor were inserted, and 

 such form were most accurately adhered to, for this 

 occasion and only for tho above-indicated purpose, 

 repeal them fully, as we repeal every thing else to 

 contrary effect 



TO THE FAITIirtL. 



While thus by the apofttolie office which we exer- 

 cise, and through the Molicitude with which we are 

 bound ' I the whole flock of Christ, we pro- 



pose the salutary opportunity of obtaining remuion 

 and grace, we cannot abntuin from beseeching and 

 adjuring by the name of Jesus ChrUt our Lord, the 

 Prince of Pastors, all the patriarchs, primates, arch- 

 . *, bishops, and other local ordinaries, prelates, 

 ainl those who are legitimately exercising the offioe 

 or the ordinary jurisdiction of the above said bish- 

 ops and prelates in their stead, who maintain grace 

 iiinl communion with the Apostolic See, that they 

 announce so great a benefit to the people committed 

 to their charge, and that they give all diligence in 

 order that all the faithful, being reconciled to God 

 by penance, may turn to the gain and profit of their 

 souls tho grace of the Jubilee. Therefore, your first 

 CUP-, venerable brethren, after having implored with 

 public prayers the divine clemency to fill the minds 

 and hearts of all with His light and grace, shall be 

 to direct, by means of timely instruction and admo- 

 nition, the Christian people to perceive the fruit of 

 the Jubilee, so that they may understand accurately 

 what are the force and tne nature of th- Christian Ju- 

 bilee for the profit and advantage of souls in which 

 with a spiritual reason are abundantly fulfilled by 

 virtue of the Lord Christ those benefits, which among 

 the Jewish people were promised by the law on the 

 return of every fiftieth year, and so that they may 

 be still sufficiently instructed with regard to the 

 force of indulgences, and of all those things which 

 ought to be performed for the fruitful confession of 

 sins, and for the holy receiving of the sacrament of 

 the eucharist. Because then- not only the example 

 but the whole work of the ecclesiastical ministry is 

 necessary in order that the fruits of the desired 

 holiness may be had among the people, do not omit, 

 venerable brethren, to excite the zeal of your priests, 

 willingly and readily to exercise their ministry par- 

 ticularly in this time of salvation ; for which and for 

 the common good, it will certainly conduce much, 

 when it can be done, if they, preceding the Chris- 

 tian people with the example of piety and religion, 

 will, by means of spiritual exercises, renew the spir- 

 it of their holy calling, so that they may employ 

 themselves more usefully and salutarily in the dis- 

 charge of their own offices and in the sacred missions 

 to be directed to the people according to the order 

 and method prescribed by you. Since, therefore, at 

 the present time so many are tho evils which need 

 to be repaired and the benefits which need to be 

 sought, drawing the sword of the spirit, which is the 

 Word of God, give every heed that your people be 

 led to detest the immense sin of blasphemy, the 

 violation of which nothing at the present time is too 

 sacred to escape, and that they be led to know and 

 fulfill their duties about the holy observance of the 

 festival days and about the laws of fasting and ab- 

 stinence to be observed according to the prescrip- 

 tion of the Church of God, and this to avoid those 

 punishments which the contempt of such things has 

 called down upon the earth. So likewise let your 

 anxious zeal watch constantly over the maintenance 

 of discipline among the clergy and securing the right 

 ordering of the clergyman, and in every possible 

 way give assistance to the youth around you, who 

 are placed in so many dangers nnd who are sub- 

 jected to so ninny great perils. You certainly are 

 not ignorant. This kind of evil was so bitterly sad 

 for the heart of the Divine Redeemer himself as to 

 cause him to utter against the authors of the same 

 tin M' words : " Whosoever shall offend one of these 

 little children that believe in me, it were better for him 

 that a millstone were hanged about his neck and ho 

 were cast into the sea" (St. Mark ix. 41). Nothing 

 then is more worthy the time of the Holy Jubilee than 

 being unwearicclly" occupied in every work of chari- 

 ty; this, then, also shall be the duty of your zeal, 

 venerable brethren, the adding of stimulus, so that 

 the poor may be relieved, sins may be redeemed 



