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\nMonsieur—\n
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\nThe news of the death of Our Very Holy Father, Pope Pius VII, that you no doubt have read in the public papers, has been confirmed to us by other irrefutable sources. It is the duty of all the Faithful to render in his memory the honors appropriate to the Head of the Universal Church, and to offer prayers that filial piety ought to inspire for the repose of his soul. You are therefore asked, Monsieur, to celebrate a ceremonial Service in your Church to that end, and so that you can assist your people, you will take care to give them advance notice of it in your sermon, beseeching them not to neglect performing this last duty for their shared Father. To give thanks to God for the special Providence that he has shown for his Church in his mercy of bestowing upon it a Pontiff worthy of succeeding the great Pius VIII, after a brief vacancy, in the person of Leo XII, you are asked to sing a Solemn Mass pro gratiarum actione, which is the Votive Mass of the Very Holy Trinity with the Gloria and the Credo, and the oraison, Deus cujus misericordiae non est numerus that may be found immediately after this Mass among the Votives at the end of the Missal. Once the Mass has ended, you will exhibit the Holy Sacrament, sing the Te Deum, and give the benediction as usual. All of this can be done the Sunday after the day on which you have performed the ceremonial Service. I take this opportunity to…
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\nWith regards to the seminary, Providence always favors it with a special protection. At the moment we are a family of almost fifty, comprising eight brothers, twelve secular students, of whom three pay 650 francs (the others are orphans), three priests, two deacons, six minor clerics, six who have not yet been tonsured. Monseigneur [du Bourg] sent us a family of Negroes who, along with some of the brothers, farm the land. The sun is not very good for the corn, but is excellent for the wheat.\n
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\nThe population of the country, as you no doubt know, is excellent. The Catholics number more than 160 families.
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\nWe could yet do some good among the Protestants who surround our parish; but all the Priests are tasked with multiple classes at the seminary, we cannot not teach these courses. When Providence allows us to have some missionaries here who have no other duties than their missions, we will not neglect to occupy ourselves with a business of such great consequence as this, etc.
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