Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

A Hamburgh paper of September 17, contains the Bull of the Pope which has been some time since, announced in the London papers. It is believed that this Papal decree will greatly advance the complete re-establishment of tranquility in La Vendee, and remove all pretexts, which the priests of Belgium might have seized, to oppose the execution of the decree, ordering the abolition of the monasteries and convents in that country.

To all the faithful Catholics, who live in France and keep up a connection with the holy apostolical See.

Pius VI. Health and apostolical benediction,

Dearest Sons,

The office of a supreme spiritual Shepherd, which our Lord Jesus Christ, in his unbounded mercy, has entrusted to our feeble hands, makes it our duty to teach all the faithful and particularly those who are most subject to seduction, and to prevent them from suffering themselves to be led astray by earthly wisdom, since it is said unto us as it was said unto Isaiah: Call and do not cease to call; raise thy voice like a trumpet and announce to my people their trespasses.

We should therefore think ourselves guilty of a sin, if we did not voluntarily seize every opportunity of shewing you the necessity to be obedient to the constituted authority.

In fact it is recognized in the Catholic religion as a fundamental doctrine, that the production of governments is the work of divine wisdom, in order to avert anarchy and rebellion, and to prevent the nations from fluctuating like the billows of the sea. This is confirmed by St. Paul, speaking of no particular prince but of the subject in general, he says, that there is no power, but what comes from God, and that opposition to this power, is opposition to God himself.

Dear Sons,

Do not suffer yourselves then to be led astray; do not by a mistaken piety give cause to the friends of innovation to deride the Catholic religion. Your disobedience were a crime which would not only be severely punished by the powers of the earth, but also which is still worse, by God himself, who threatens with everlasting damnation, those who are disobedient to the constituted authority.

Dear Sons,

We exhort you, therefore, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may sincerely and earnestly strive to prove your submission to those who govern over you. Your conduct ought to convince them more and more of this truth, and engage them to love and protect your religion, which should be maintained agreeably to the precepts of the Gospel and the rules of the divine discipline.

Lastly, we warn you not to believe any body, whoever he be, who holds up other tenets than these, as the doctrine of the Ecclesiastical See, and with paternal tenderness, we give you our apostolical benediction.

Given at Rome, ad sanctam Mariam majorem, under our Fisher-ring, the 5th of July of the year 1796, and the 22d of our Pontificate.

(Signed) R. Card. Brachius de Bonis.