Page:The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII.djvu/398

 ANGLICAN ORDERS.

Apostolic Letter A'postolicce Curce, September 13, 1896.

We have dedicated to the welfare of the noble English nation no small portion of the apostolic care and charity by which, helped by His grace, We endeavor to fulfil the office and follow in the footsteps of "the Great Shepherd of the sheep," ^ Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Letter which last year We sent to "the English seeking the kingdom of Christ in the unity of the faith " is a special witness of Our good-will towards England. In it We recalled the memory of the ancient union of her people with Mother Church, and We strove to hasten the day of a happy reconciliation by stirring up men's hearts to offer diligent prayer to God. And, again, more recently, when it seemed good to Us to treat more fully the unity of the Church in a general Letter, England had not the last place in Our mind, in the hope that Our teaching might both strengthen Catholics and bring the saving light to those divided from Us.

It is pleasing to acknowledge the generous way in which Our zeal and plainness of speech, inspired by no mere human motives, have met the approval of the Eng- lish people; and this testifies not less to their courtesy than to the solicitude of many for their eternal salvation.

With the same mind and intention We have now deter- mined to turn Our consideration to a matter of no less importance, which is closely connected with the same subject and with Our desires. For an opinion already

>Heb. xiii. 20. 392