3. Leo XIII to the American Bishops⁵

Rome, December 10, 1888

Venerable Brothers, Greetings and Apostolic Blessing.

You know so well the miserable and disastrous condition of the masses who emigrate from Italy to the Americas each year in search of a livelihood that not many words are needed to prove it to you. In fact, you are first hand witnesses of the evils that oppress them and many of you have often written us with sentiments of deep sorrow. It is indeed deplorable that so many unfortunate sons of Italy who are constrained by poverty to leave, should encounter, most of the time, evils that are worse than those from which they wanted to escape.

            Too often the far more lamentable ruin of the soul is added to labors of every kind that wear away the life of the body. The very first crossing of the emigrants is full of dangers and hazards. Most of them fall prey to greedy speculators and become like their slaves. Herded into ships and inhumanly treated, they are gradually driven to corruption. When they reach destination, unfamiliar with both language and place, engaged as daily laborers, they are exposed to the snares of mean and tyrannical men to whom they had sold themselves. Those who through their own initiative were able to assure for themselves a sufficient livelihood, being in

the constant company of people looking in everything for profit and self-interest, little by little they lose any nobler sentiment. They learn to live just like those persons whose every thought and hope is centered strictly on the goods of this life. To all of this are to be added the ever-present allurements of passions and the deceit of the sects, which are so dominant there with damage to religion and pushing most people on the path leading to death.

            What is even more deplorable within such large populations, vast countries and difficult places, is the difficulty of providing these immigrants, as it would be necessary, with the salutary assistance of God’s Ministers who could announce to them the word of life in their native language, administer the sacraments, and provide opportune help so that their mind could be raised to the hope of heavenly goods and their spiritual life nourished and strengthened. In many places, therefore, very few adults have the assistance of a priest at their deathbed and not a few infants die without Baptism. Many marriages are contracted with no regard for the laws of the church. The result is that children grow in the same way and too often Christian tradition disappears and new bad customs take its place.

            We have reflected on all these issues and grieved at the wretched lot of so many people whom we see as sheep wandering without a shepherd through rugged and rocky paths. We recalled at the same time the love and teachings of the eternal Shepherd. Thus, we considered it our duty to come to the help of the immigrants with all possible means; to provide them with healthy pastures; and look for their welfare and spiritual well-being with all our energies.

            We have begun to answer, and with added joy because love inclines us more toward those who have the same country as ourselves. Then, the sure hope heartens us that the efficient collaboration of your zeal will not fail us. Therefore, we have ordered that this matter be studied by the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. The same Congregation has been directed to diligently look for and examine the remedies through which so many evils and inconveniences might be eliminated, or at least alleviated. It was to propose to us the most suitable means for the salvation of souls and, as far as is possible, for mitigating the hardships of the migrants. The main reason of so many and increasing evils is the lack for the unfortunate migrants of priestly ministry through which celestial grace is given and increased. We have reached the decision,

then, to send to your country numerous priests from Italy. They will comfort with the common language their countrymen; teach the doctrine of faith and the ignored or neglected precepts of Christian life; administer the sacraments; educate the young children in the principles of religion and good conduct; provide everyone, without class distinction, with advice and assistance through the loving care of their priestly ministry. To bring this about more conveniently we established by our Letter of the 15th of November of last year, under the seal of the Fisherman’s ring, an apostolic college of priests in the episcopal see of Piacenza, through the care of our Venerable Brother John Baptist, Bishop of Piacenza. From all Italy there will convene those ecclesiastics who are moved by the love of Christ to take up those studies and be trained in those duties and discipline through which they may carry out with dedication and success Christ’s mandate and become fit dispensers of the God’s mysteries to the far away citizens of Italy.

            Among the students of this Institute, which we wish to be run as a seminary of sacred ministers for the salvation of Italians residing in America, we want that even young men born in your own dioceses from Italian parents be received and instructed, provided that they are called to this task by God and desire to enter into Holy Orders. Once ordained and returned to you, they may carry out all the duties of the apostolic ministry as needed under your pastoral authority.

            No doubt, on their return they will be received by you with fatherly love and they will obtain the necessary faculties to exercise the sacred ministry among their countrymen, after local pastors have been informed. They will come to you as auxiliary forces to exercise the ministry under the authority of their Diocesan Ordinary. At the beginning, help will not be commensurate to what need and circumstances would demand. Nor the work of the Missionaries can answer to the number and needs of the faithful in such a way that priests can be assigned to the care of souls in every specific and remote area.

            Thus, we think it is an excellent idea that in dioceses where Italians are more numerous residences for priests be established from where they may go forth into neighboring areas and minister to them through sacred missions. But in what manner or in what places these residences can best be established will be for your prudence to decide.

            In this letter we have tried to indicate to you all matters we believe pertain to our apostolic responsibility. If any of you should discover, either on his own or in consultation with his brethren, that there is

something further we can do for the advantage and comfort of those on whose behalf we are writing, let him know that he will do us a great favor if he will carefully inform the Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda.

            From this project undertaken for the care and protection of the many souls who lack every comfort of the Catholic religion, we expect abundant fruit, especially if, as we hope, there be added for its support and strength, the favor and the subsidies of those who together with piety possess wealth.

            In conclusion, praying the most benign God, Who wishes that all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, that He might propitiously favor this undertaking and give it successful increase, we most lovingly impart in the Lord the apostolic blessing as a sign of our affection for you, Venerable Brethren, and for the entire clergy and faithful committed to your care.

            Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s, the 10th of December, 1888, in the eleventh year of our pontificate.

Leo PP. XIII