Past Papal Support for Poland

10. Your great confidence in Us, like that of sons, pleases Us very much. Therefore We call to your attention the deceitful trickery which has been evily spread about concerning Our benevolence and solicitude for you. Be convinced of this: We have not done less than Our predecessors, not only for your compatriots but also for you. Indeed to support your confidence, We are prepared both to exert a tremendous effort in all things and to pursue them confidently. It is useful to recall that from the very beginning of Our pontificate, We, always thinking about the relief of the Catholic cause among your people, brought it to the attention of the Imperial Council so that We might fight for those things which the dignity of the Apostolic See and the defense of your interests seemed to require. As a result of these efforts, We obtained certain agreements in the year 1882. Among these is the freedom to govern seminaries according to the rules of canon law; another stipulates that the ecclesiastical academy of Petersburg, which is open to Polish students, be given over entirely to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Mohilev and be expanded for the greater advantage of the clergy and the Catholic religion. We also received assurance that the laws which your clergy complained were too severe would either be repealed or softened as soon as possible. From that time on, We seized every opportunity to defend those agreements. In fact it pleased Us even to bring these demands to the attention of the emperor himself, who is friendly to Us and whose high regard for justice in your cause We can eagerly testify to. Nor shall We omit prayers for him for the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord.(⁶) Continue to safeguard with Us the dignity and the holy rights of the Catholic religion. For only when in possession of just security and liberty is it equipped with the appropriate aids for accomplishing its work as it should. Then it is able to stand frim according to its proper purpose and to produce the blessings which it ought. Since you yourselves perceive the kind of labor We have given to obtain and preserve the tranquility of public order among nations, never cease to work so that the respect for higher authority and the obedience in public discipline of both the clergy and laity may remain firm. Then all causes of offense or criticism will be removed, every accusation will be changed into reverence, and the praise of the Catholic name will remain and increase. It is also your duty to see to it that nothing is lacking for the eternal salvation of the faithful, either in the administration of ecclesiastical law or in the preaching of the divine work or in nourishing the spirit of religion. Also see to it that children and adolescents are taught sacred catechism especially in the schools, and let that instruction be given, whenever possible, by priests. Further, let the beauty of sacred buildings and the respect for religious festivals be suitable to pious worship. From these things the faith draws a healthy increase. You will have done well indeed if you forestall danger should it appear to be imminent in these matters. For this reason do not hesitate to appeal to the agreements which were made with the Apostolic See. Certainly the absence of such difficulties and the presence of real concord should be desirable and pleasing not only to the Polish people, but to all who are guided by a sincere love of the state. For, as We said in the beginning, the Catholic Church is so constituted as never to bring forth anything at all harmful to peoples and to states, but only benefits, even in temporal matters.