C.   Advanced Study Of Holy Scripture
    The Professor may now safely pass on to the use of Scripture in matters of Theology.  On this Head it must be observed that in addition to the usual reasons which make Ancient Writings more or less difficult to understand, there are some which are peculiar to the Bible.  For the language of the Bible is employed to express, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, many things which are beyond the power and scope of the reason of man -- that is to say, Divine Mysteries and all that is related to them.  There is sometimes in such passages a fullness and a hidden depth of meaning which the letter hardly expresses and which the laws of interpretation hardly warrant.  Moreover, the literal sense itself frequently admits other senses, adapted to illustrate Dogma or to confirm morality.

1.   Guides.    Wherefore, it must be recognized that the Sacred Writings are wrapt in a certain Religious obscurity, and that no one  can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardor and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart, and, most of all, that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scripture to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher.  St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learned, and the Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession.
    a.   The Church.   His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which in renewing the Decree of Trent declares its "mind" to be this -- that "in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian Doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture, which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church, whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and, therefore, that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers."  By this most wise Decree the Church by no means prevents or restrains the pursuit of Biblical Science, but rather protects it from error, and largely assists its real progress.
    A wide field is still left open to the private student, in which his hermeneutical skill may display itself with signal effect and to the advantage of the Church.  On the one hand, in those passages of Holy Scripture, which have not as yet received a certain and definite interpretation, such labors may, in the benignant Providence of God, prepare for and bring to maturity the judgment of the Church; on the other, in passages already defined the private student may do work equally valuable, either by setting them forth more clearly to the flock and more skillfully to scholars, or by defending them more powerfully from hostile attack.  Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either from the Sacred Writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Ghost, whether by her Solemn Judgment or her Ordinary and Universal Magisterium -- to interpret these passages in that identical sense, and to prove by all the resources of science, that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation.
    b.   Analogy of Faith.  In the other passsages the analogy of Faith should be followed, and Catholic Doctrine, as Authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the Supreme Law; for seeing that the same  God is the Author both of the Sacred Books and of the Doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can, by legitimate means, be extracted from the former, which shall, in any respect, be at variance with the latter.  Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the Sacred Writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the Doctrine of the Church.
    c.   The Fathers.   The Professor of Holy Scripture, therefore, amongst other recommendations, must be well acquainted with the whole circle of Theology and deeply read in the Commentaries of the Holy Fathers and Doctors, and other interpreters of mark.  This is inculcated by St. Jerome, and still more frequently by St. Augustine, who thus justly complains:  "If there is no branch of teaching, however humble and easy to learn, which does not require a Master, what can be a greater sign of rashness and pride than to refuse to study the Books of the Divine Mysteries by the help of those who have interpreted them?"  The other Fathers have said the same, and have confirmed it by their example, for they "endeavored to acquire the understanding of the Holy Scriptures not by their own lights and ideas, but from the Writings and Authority of the Ancients, who, in their turn, as we know, received the Rule of Interpretation in direct line from theApostles."  The Holy Fathers "to whom, after the Apostles, the Church owes its growth -- who have planted, watered, built, governed, and cherished it," the Holy Fathers, We say, are of Supreme Authority, whenever they all interpret in one and the same manner any text of the Bible, as pertaining to the Doctrine of Faith or Morals; for their unanimity clearly evinces that such interpretation has come down from the Apostles as a matter of Catholic Faith.  The opinion of the Fathers is also of very great weight when they treat of these matters in their capacity of Doctors unofficially; not only because they excel in their knowledge of revealed Doctrine and in their acquaintance with many things which are useful in understanding the Apostolic Books, but because they are men or eminent sanctity and of ardent zeal for the Truth, on whom God has bestowed a more ample measure of His Light.  Wherefore the Expositor should make it his duty to follow their footsteps with all reverence, and to use their labors with intelligent appreciation.
    d.   Later Commentators.  But he must not on that account consider that it is forbidden, when just cause exists, to push inquiry and exposition beyond what the Fathers have done; provided he carefully observes the Rule so wisely laid down by St. Augustine -- not to depart from the literal and obvious sense, except only where reason makes it untenable or necessity requires; a rule to which it is the more necessary to adhere strictly in these times, when the thirst for novelty and unrestrained freedom of thought make the danger of error most real and proximate.  Neither should those passages be neglected which the Fathers have understood in an allegorical or figurative sense, more especially when such interpretation is justified by the literal, and when it rests on the Authority of many.  For this method of interpretation has been received by the Church from the Apostles and has been approved by her own practice, as the Holy Liturgy attests; although it is true that the Holy Fathers did not thereby pretend directly to demonstrate Dogmas of Faith, but used it as a means of promoting virtue and piety, such as, by their own experience, they knew to be most valuable.
    The Authority of other Catholic interpreters is not so great; but the study of the Scriptures has always continued to advance in the Church, and, therefore, these Commentaries also have their own honorable place, and are serviceable in many ways for the refutation of assailants and the explanation of difficulties.  But it is most unbecoming to pass by, in ignorance or contempt, the excellent work which Catholics have left in abundance, and to have recourse to the works of non-Catholics -- and to seek in them, to the detriment of sound Doctrine and often to the peril of Faith, the explanation of passages on which Catholics long ago have successfully employed their talent and their labor.  For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind -- as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages -- that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in wirters who, being without the True Faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture, and never attain its pith.
    2.   Holy Scripture and Theology. Most desirable is it, and most essential, that the whole teaching of Theology should be pervaded and animated by the use of the Divine Word of  God.  This is what the Fathers and the greatest Theologians of all ages have desired and reduced to practice.  It was chiefly out of the Sacred Writings that they endeavored to proclaim and establish the Articles of Faith and the Truth connected with it, and it was in them, together with Divine Tradition, that they found the refutation of heretical error, and the reasonableness, the true meaning, and the mutual relation of the Truths of Catholicism.  Nor will any one wonder at this who considers that the Sacred Books hold such an eminent position among the sources of Revelation that without their assiduous study and use, Theology cannot be placed on its true footing, or treated as its dignity demands.
    For although it is right and proper that students in academies and schools should be chiefly exercised in acquiring a scientific knowledge of Dogma, by means of reasoning from the Articles of Faith to their consequences, according to the Rules of approved and sound Philosophy -- nevertheless the judicious and instructed Theologian will by no means pass by that method of Doctrinal demonstration which draws its proof from the Authority of the Bible; "for Theology does not receive her first Principles from any other Science, but immediately from God by Revelation.  And, therefore, she does not receive of other sciences as from a superior, but uses them as her inferiors or handmaids."  It is this view of Doctrinal Teaching which is laid down and recommended by the prince of Theologians, St. Thomas of Aquinas; who, moreover, shows -- such being the essential character of Christian Theology -- how she can defend her own principles against attack:  "If the adversary," he says, "do but grant any portion of the Divine Revelation, we have an argument against him; thus, against a heretic we can employ Scripture Authority, and against those who deny one article, we can use another.  But if our opponent reject Divine Revelation entirely, there is then no way left to prove the Articles of Faith by reasoning; we can only solve the difficulties which are raised against them"  Care must be taken, then, that beginners approach the study of the Bible well prepared and furnished; otherwise, just hopes will be frustrated, or, perchance, what is worse, they will unthinkingly risk the danger of error, falling an easy prey to the sophisms and labored erudition of the Rationalists.  The best preparation will be a conscientious application to Philosophy and Theology under the guidance of St. Thomas of Aquinas, and a thorough training therein -- as We Ourselves have elsewhere pointed out and directed.  By this means, both in Biblical Studies and in that part of Theology which is called positive, they will pursue the right path and make satisfactory progress.

D.   Defense of the Authority of Holy Scripture
1.   The Work of the Church.    To prove, to expound, to illustrate Catholic Doctrine by legitimate and skillful interpretation of the Bible is much; but there is a second part of the object of equal importance and equal difficulty -- the maintenance in the strongest possible way of its full Authority.  This cannot be done completely or satisfactorily except by means of the Living and Proper Magisterium of the Church.  The Church, "by reason of her wonderful propagation, her distinguished sanctity and inexhaustible fecundity in good, her Catholic Unity, and her unshaken stability, is herself a great and perpetual motive of credibility, and an unassailable testimony to her own Divine Mission."  But since the Divine and Infallible Magisterium of the Church rests also on the Authority of Holy Scripture, the first thing to be done is to vindicate the trustworthiness of the Sacred Records, at least as human documents, from which can be clearly proved, as from primitive and authentic testimony, the Divinity and Mission of Christ Our Lord, the institution of a Hierarchical Church, and the Primacy of Peter and his Successors.  It is most desirable, therefore, that there should be numerous members of the Clergy well prepared to enter upon a contest of this nature, and to repulse hostile assaults, chiefly trusting in that armor of God recommended by the Apostle, (Eph. 6:13-17.) but also not unaccustomed to modern methods of attack.
    This is beautifully alluded to by St. John Chrysostom, when describing the duties of Priests:
    We must use every endeavor that the "Word of God may dwell in us abundantly;" (Col. 3:16.) not merely for one kind of fight must we be prepared -- for the contest is many-sided and the enemy is of every sort; and they do not all  use the same weapons nor make their onset in the same way.  Wherefore it is needful that the man who has to contend against all should be acquainted with the engines and the arts of all -- that he should be at once archer and slinger, commandant and officer, general and private soldier, foot-soldier and horseman, skilled in sea-fight and in siege; for, unless  he knows every trick and turn of war, the devil is well able, if only a single door be left open, to get in his fierce bands and carry off the sheep.

2.   Equipment of the Defenders.    The sophisms of the enemy and his manifold arts of attack we have already touched upon.  Let Us now say a word of advice on the means of defense.
    a.   Oriental Languages.    The first means is the study of the Oriental languages and of the art of criticism.  These two acquirements are in these days held in high estimation, and, therefore, the Clergy, by making themselves more or less fully acquainted with them as time and place may demand, will the better be able to discharge their Office with becoming credit; for they must make themselves "all things to men," (1 Cor. 9:33.)  always "ready with an answer to everyone who asks a reason for the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15.)   Hence it is most proper that Professors of Sacred Scripture and Theologians should master those tongues in which the Sacred Books were originally written; and it would be well that Ecclesiastical students also should cultivate them, more especially those who aspire to Academic Decrees.  And endeavors should be made to establish in all Academic Institutions -- as has already been laudably done in many -- Chairs of the other ancient languages, especially the Semitic, and of subjects connected therewith, for the benefit, principally, of those who are intended to profess Sacred Literature.  These latter, with a similar object in view, make themselves well and thoroughly acquainted with the art of true criticism.
    There has arisen, to the great detriment of Religion, an inept method, dignified by the name of the "higher criticism," which pretends to judge of the origin, integrity, and Authority of each Book from internal indications alone.  It is clear, on the other hand, that in historical questions, such as the origin and the handing down of writings, the witness of history is of primary importance, and that historical investigation should be made with the utmmost care; and that in this matter internal evidence is seldom of great value, except as confirmation.  To look upon it in any other light will be to open the door to many evil consequences.  It will make the enemies of Religion much more bold and confident in attacking and mangling the Sacred Books; and this vaunted "higher criticism" will resolve itself into the reflection of the bias and the prejudice of the critics.  It will not throw on the Scripture the light which is sought, or prove of any advantage to Doctrine; it will only give rise to disagreement and dissension, those sure notes of error, which the critics in question so plentifully exhibit in their own persons; and seeing that most of them are tainted with false Philosophy and Rationalism, it must lead to the elimination from the Sacred Writings of all Prophecy and Miracles, and of everything else that is outside the natural order.
    b.   Natural Sciences.  In the second place, we have to contend against those who, making an evil use of Physical Science, minutely scrutinize the Sacred Book in order to detect the writers in a mistake, and to take occasion to vilify its contents.  Attacks of this kind, bearing as they do on matters of sensible experience, are peculiarly dangerous to the masses, and also to the young who are beginning their Literary Studies; for the young, if they lose their reverence for the Holy Scripture on one or more points, are easily led to give up believing in it altogether.
    It need not be pointed out how the nature of science, just as it is so admirably adapted to show forth the Glory of the Great Creator, provided it be taught as it should be, so, if it be perversely imparted to the youthful intelligence, it may prove most fatal in destroying the Principles of True Philosophy and in the corruption of morality.  Hence, to the Professor of Sacred Scripture a knowledge of natural science will be of very great assistance in detecting such attacks on the Sacred Books, and in refuting them.  There can never, indeed, be any real discrepancy between the Theologian and the Physicist, as long as each confines himself within his own lines, and both are careful, as St. Augustine warns us, "not to make rash assertions, or to assert what is not known as known."  If dissension should arise between them, here is the rule laid down by St. Augustine for theTheologian:
    Whatever they can really demonstrate to be true of physical nature we must show to be capable of reconciliation with our Scriptures; and whatever they assert in their Treatises, which is contrary to these Scriptures of ours, that is to Catholic Faith, we must either prove it as well as we can to be entirely false, or at all events we must, without the smallest hesitation, believe it to be so.
    To understand how just is the Rule here formulated we must remember, first, that the Sacred Writers, or to speak more accurately, the Holy Ghost "who spoke by them, did not intend to teach men these things, (that is to say, the essential nature of the things of the visible universe) things in no way profitable unto salvation."  Hence they did not seek to penetrate the secrets of nature, but rather described and dealt with things in more or less figurative language, or in terms which were commonly used at the time, and which in many instances are daily used at this day, even by the most eminent men of science.  Ordinary speech primarily and properly describes what comes under the senses; and somewhat in the same way the Sacred Writers -- as the Angelic Doctor also reminds us -- "went by what sensibly appeared," or put down what God, speaking to men, signified, in the way men could understand and were accustomed to.
    The unshrinking defense of the Holy Scripture, however, does not require that we should equally uphold all the opinions which each of the Fathers or the more recent interpreters have put forth in explaining it; for it may be that, in commenting on passages where physical matters occur, they have sometimes expressed the ideas of their own times, and thus made statements which in these days have been abandoned as incorrect.  Hence, in their interpretations, we must carefully note what they lay down as belonging to Faith, or as intimately connected with Faith -- what they are unanimous in.   For "in those things which do not come under the Obligation of Faith, the Saints were at liberty to hold divergent opinions, just as we ourselves are," according to the saying of St. Thomas.  And in another place he says most admirably:
    When Philosophers are agreed upon a point, and it is not contrary to our Faith, it is safer, in my opinion, neither to lay down such a point as a Dogma of Faith, even though it is perhaps so presented by the Philosophers, nor to reject it as against Faith, lest we thus give to the wise of this world an occasion of despising our Faith.
    The Catholic interpreter, although he should show that these facts of natural science which investigators affirm to be now quite certain are not contrary to the Scripture rightly explained, must, nevertheless, always bear in mind, that much which has been held and proved as certain has afterwards been called in question and rejected.  And if writers on Physics travel outside the boundaries of their own branch, and carry their erroneeous teaching into the domain of Philosophy, let them be handed over to Philosophers for refutation.
    c.   History.   The principles here laid down will apply to cognate sciences, and especially to history.  It is a lamentable fact that there are many who with great labor carry out and publish investigations on the monuments of antiquity, the manners and institutions of nations, and other illustrative subjects, and whose chief purpose in all this is too often to find mistakes in the Sacred Writings and so to shake and weaken their Authority.  Some of these writers display not only extreme hostility, but the greatest unfairness; in their eyes a profane book or ancient document is accepted without hesitation, whilst the Scripture, if they only find in it a suspicion of error, is set down with the slightest possible discussion as quite untrustworthy.  It is true, no doubt, that copyists have made mistakes in the text of the Bible; this question, when it arises, should be carefully considered on its merits, and the fact not too easily admitted, but only in those passages where the proof is clear.

3.   Inerrancy of Holy Scripture.    It may also happen that the sense of a passage remains ambiguous, and in this case good hermeneutical methods will greatly assist in clearing up the obscurity.  But it is absolutely wrong and forbidden either to narrow inspiration to certain parts only of Holy Scripture or to admit that the Sacred  Writer has erred.  As to the system of those who, in order to rid themselves of these difficulties, do not hesitate to concede that Divine Inspiration regards the things of Faith and Morals, and nothing beyond, because (as they wrongly think) in a question of the truth or falsehood of a passage we should consider not so much what God has said as the reason and purpose which He had in mind in saying it -- this system cannot be tolerated.

    a.   Extent of Inspiration.  For all the books which the Church receives as Sacred and Canonical are written wholly and entirely, with all their parts, at the dictation of the Holy Ghost; and so far is it from being possible that any error can coexist with inspiration, that inspiration not only is essentially incompatible with error, but excludes and rejects it as absolutely and necessarily as it is impossible that God Himself, the Supreme Truth, can utter that which is not True.  This is the ancient and unchanging Faith of the Church, Solemnly defined in the Councils of Florence and of Trent, and finally confirmed and more expressly formulated by the Council of the Vatican.  These are the words of the last:
    The Books of the Old and New Testament, whole and entire, with all their parts, as enumerated in the Decree of the same Council (Trent) and in the ancient Latin Vulgate, are to be received as Sacred and Canonical.  And the Church holds them as Sacred and Canonical not because, having been composed by human industry, they were afterwards approved by her Authority; nor only because they contain revelation without errors, but because, having been written under the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their Author.
    Hence, because the Holy Ghost employed men as His instruments, we cannot, therefore, say that it was these inspired instruments who, perchance, have fallen into error, and not the Primary Author.  For, by Supernatural Power, He so moved and impelled them to write -- He so assisted them when writing -- that the things which He ordered, and those only, they, first, rightly understood, then willed faithfully to write down, and finally expressed in apt words and with Infallible Truth.  Otherwise, it could not be said that He was the Author of the entire Scripture.  Such has always been the persuasion of the Fathers.  "Therefore," says St. Augustine, "since they wrote the things which He showed and uttered to them, it cannot be pretended that He is not the writer: for His members executed what their Head Dictated."  And St. Gregory the Great thus pronounces:  "Most superfluous it is to inquire who wrote these things -- we loyally believe the Holy Ghost to be the Author of the Book.  He wrote it who Dictated it for writing; He wrote it Who inspired its execution."
    b.   Inspiration Incompatible with Error.    It follows that those who maintain that an error is possible in any genuine passage of the Sacred Writings either pervert the Catholic notion of inspiration or make God the Author of such error.  And so emphatically were all the Fathers and Doctors agreed that the Divine Writings, as left by the hagiographers, are free from all error, that they labored earnestly, with no less skill than reverence, to reconcile with each other those numerous passages which seem at variance -- the very passages which in great measure  have been taken up by the "higher criticism"; for they were unanimous in laying it down that those writings, in their entirety and in all their parts were equally from the afflatus of Almighty God, and that God, speaking by the Sacred Writers, could not set down anything but what was True.  The words of St. Augustine to St. Jerome may sum up what they taught:  On my own part I confess to your charity that it is only to those Books of Scripture which are now called Canonical that I have learned to pay such Honor and Reverence as to believe most firmly that none of their writers has fallen into any error.  And if in these Books I meet anything which seems contrary to Truth.  I shall not hesitate to conclude either that the text is faulty, or that the translator has not expressed the meaning of the passage, or that I myself do not understand.

4.   Cooperation of Catholic Scholars.   But to undertake fully and perfectly, and with all the weapons of the best Science, the defense of the Holy Bible is far more than can be looked for from the exertions of commentators and Theologians alone.  It is an enterprise in which we have a right to expect the cooperation of all those Catholics who have acquired reputation in any branch of learning whatever.  As in the past, so at the present time, the Church is never without the graceful support of her accomplished children; may their services to the Faith grow and increase!  For there is nothing which We believe to be more needful than that Truth should find defenders more powerful and more numerous than the enemies it has to face; nor is there anything which is better calculated to impress the masses with respect for Truth than to see it boldly proclaimed by learned and distinguished men.
    Moreover, the bitter tongues of objectors will be silenced or at least they will not dare to insist so shamelessly that faith is the enemy of science, when they see that scientific men of eminence in their profession show towards faith the most marked Honor and Respect.  Seeing, then, that those can do so much for the advantage of Religion on whom the goodness of Almighty God has bestowed, together with the Grace of the Faith, great natural talent, let such men, in this bitter conflict of which the Holy Scripture is the object, select each of them the Branch of Study most suitable to his circumstances, and endeavor to excel therein, and thus be prepared to repulse with credit and distinction the assaults on the Word of God.  And it is Our pleasing duty to give deserved praise to a work which certain Catholics have taken up -- that is to say, the formation of Societies and the contribution of considerable sums of monney, for the purpose of supplying studious and learned men with every kind of help and assistance in carrying out complete studies.  Truly an excellent manner of investing money, and well suited to the times in which we live!  The less hope of public patronage there is for Catholic study, the more ready and the more abundant should be the liberality of private persons -- those to whom God has given riches thus willingly making use of their means to safeguard the Treasure of His Revealed Doctrine.

5.   Directive Norm for Scholars.    In order that all these endeavors and exertions may really prove advantageous to the cause of the Bible, let Scholars keep steadfastly to the Principles which We have in this Letter laid down.  Let them loyally hold that God, the Creator and Ruler of all things, is also the Author of the Scriptures -- and that, therefore, nothing can be proved either by physical science or archaeology which can really contradict the Scriptures.  If then, apparent contradiction be met with, every effort should be made to remove it.  Judicious Theologians and Commentators should be consulted as to what is the true or most probable meaning of the passage in discussion and the hostile arguments should be carefully weighed.  Even if the difficulty is after all not cleared up and the discrepancy seems to remain the contest must not be abandoned; truth cannot contradict truth, and we may be sure that some mistake has been made either in the interpretation of the Sacred Words or in the polemic discussion itself; and if no such mistake can be detected, we must then suspend judgment for the time being.
    There have been objections without number perseveringly directed against the Scripture for many a long year, which have been proved to be futile and are now never heard of; and not unfrequently interpretations have been placed on certain passages of Scripture (not belonging to the Rule of Faith or Morals)  which have been rectified by more careful investigations.  As time goes on, mistaken views die and disappear; but Truth remaineth and groweth stronger forever and ever." (3 Esdr. 4:38.)   Wherefore, as no one should be so presumptuous as to think that he understands the whole of the Scripture, in which St. Augustine himself confessed that there was more that he did not know, than that he knew, so, if he should come upon anything that seems incapable of solution, he must take to heart the cautious Rule of the same Holy Doctor:  "It is better even to be oppressed by unknown but useful signs, than to interpret them uselessly and thus to throw off the yoke only to be caught in the trap of error."
    As to those who pursue the subsidiary studies of which We have spoken, if they honestly and modestly follow the counsels We have given -- if by their pen and their voice they make their studies profitable against the enemies of Truth, and useful in saving the young from the loss of their Faith -- they may justly congratulate themselves on their worthy service to the Sacred Writings, and on affording to Catholicism that assistance which the Church has a right to expect from the piety and learning of her children.

CONCLUSION
    Such, Venerable Brethren, are the admonitions and the instructions which, by the help of God, We have thought it well, at the present moment, to offer to you on the Study of Holy Scripture.  It will now be your Province to see that what We have said be observed and put into practice with all due reverence and exactness; that so We may prove Our gratitude to God for the communication to man of the Words of His Wisdom, and that all the good results so much to be desired may be realized, especially as they affect the training of the students of the Church, which is Our own great solicitude and the Church's hope.
    Exert yourselves with willing alacrity, and use your Authority and your persuasion in order that these Studies may be held in just regard and may flourish in Seminaries and in the Educational Institutions which are under your Jurisdiction.  Let them flourish in completeness and in happy success, under the direction of the Church, in accordance with the salutary teaching and example of the Holy Fathers, and the laudable Traditions of Antiquity; and, as time goes on, let them be widened and extended as the interests and glory of Truth may require -- the interest of that Catholic Truth which comes from above, the never-failing source of man's salvation.  Finally, We admonish, with Paternal love, all students and Ministers of the Church always to approach the Sacred Writings with Reverence and Piety; for it is imposssible to attain to the profitable understanding thereof unless the arrogance of "earthly" science be laid aside, and there be excited in the heart the Holy desire for that Wisdom "which is from above."  In this way the intelligence, which is once admitted to these Sacred Studies, and thereby illuminated and strengthened, will acquire a marvelous facility in detecting and avoiding the fallacies of human science, and in gathering and using for eternal salvation all that is Valuable and Precious; whilst, at the same time, the heart will grow warm, and will strive, with ardent longing, to advance in Virtue and in Divine Love.  "Blessed are they who examine His Testimonies; they shall seek Him with their whole heart." (Ps. 18:2.)
    And now, filled with hope in the Divine Assistance, and trusting to your Pastoral solicitude -- as a pledge of Heavenly Grace, and a Sign of Our special good-will  -- to you all, and to the Clergy, and the whole flock entrusted to you, We lovingly impart in Our Lord the Apostolic Benediction.
    Given at St. Peter's, at Rome, the 18th day of November, 1893, the sixteenth year of Our Ponstificate.
                                                                                                     POPE LEO XIII

    As Peter was given a new name so does the new Supreme Pontiff become known by another.  After the election he extends his first blessing to the people -- a Benediction which was not given in the open for years until Pope Pius XI established the custom.
    The Coronation, one of the most magnificent of Vatican Ceremonies, takes place shortly after the election.  With the Pope carried high in a golden chair and attended by brilliantly attired chamberlains and soldiers, the Coronation Mass is an unrivaled spectacle of beauty, dignity, and ancient pageantry.  At the Coronation, in the midst of the pomp and splendor, a master of ceremonies recites in Latin:  "Holy Father, thus does the glory of the world pass away."  As the first Cardinal Deacon places the three-crowned Tiara on the head of the Pope, he says: "Receive the three-crowned Tiara, and know that thou art the Father of Princes and Kings, the Pastor of the earth, and Vicar of Jesus Christ, to Whom be Honor and Glory forever.  Amen."
    The CORONATION of Pope Pius XII took place on the balcony of St. Peter's in March, 1939.  (From the book "The Vatican and Holy Year" by Stephen S. Fenichell & Phillip Andrews. -- 1950 edition.)

    (Tradition is an equal part [along with the Bible]  of the Authoritative Teaching of the Church -- From the book "The Immaculate Way" by Brian Farrely, S.S.M. -- 1963 edition.)

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