d) EMIGRATION: A CONCERN FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH

"A Congregation that in the name of the Holy Father would prescribe the measures required"

Most Holy Father, I make bold to submit an idea to you.  Your Holiness, you have chosen a sublime and fruitful program for yourself: Instaurare omnia in Christo (to renew all things in Christ).  Through the marvelous institution of Propaganda Fide, the Church spends so much money and engages so many priests for the spread of the faith among unbelievers.  Will the Church not do something similar for the preservation of the faith of the emigrants from all the Catholic nations and regions: Italians, Germans, Spaniards, Portuguese, Canadians, etc.?  A special Congregation dedicated to this problem, the greatest in our time, would bring honor to the Holy See, bring people closer to this loving mother, and do so much good.  In the United States of North America, the losses to Catholicism are in the millions, certainly much more numerous than the conversions of unbelievers made in our Missions in three centuries.  And, despite appearances, these losses are continuing.  Protestants are working hard in the United States and here, too, to lead souls astray.

Now, the Church needs a Congregation to be in contact with the bishops from whose dioceses Catholic emigrants are leaving and the bishops to whose dioceses they will be going.  If needs be, this Congregation would be in contact with the respective Governments.  The Congregation would study this difficult and complex problem from all angles, using ancient and modern research tools, when necessary, and in the name of the Holy Father would determine the measures required.  Such a Congregation would be a blessing for the world and would suffice to make your pontificate glorious.

Most Holy Father, forgive the boldness of this loving and grateful son of yours, who would give his blood and his very life for you and your cause.  I beg you to continue to send me your blessing, which I receive every day on my knees with deep faith, so that, with God's help, I may do the work I came here to do and be able to be back

with my beloved people for the Feast of All Saints.³²