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Padua_Minded
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Pope Leo XIII, on becoming patron in 1870 of the French Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA):
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Pope Benedict XV** in 1915 to the head of the Italian SPCA:
**Pope Pius X **wrote an autograph blessing ‘for all who protect from abuse and cruelty the dumb servants given to us by God’, and wished ‘prosperity and success to all workers in this field.’ Of Pius X, his secretary, Cardinal Merry del Val wrote:
Pope Puis XI, in his Letter on St Francis of Assisi, wrote:
From CATHOLIC CONCERN FOR ANIMALS
Code:
‘As always the Church has placed herself, through the voice of her pontiff, at the head of this movement. It is for her to direct it wherever she can make herself heard.’Pope Benedict XV** in 1915 to the head of the Italian SPCA:
Code:
‘His Holiness rejoices to know that the object of your Society is in perfect accord with the doctrine which the Church has always taught and the Saints have always followed, leaving us innumerable beautiful examples of compassion and tenderness.
The fact that the Nations have not always followed the precepts of the Church and the example of the Saints moves the Sovereign Pontiff all the more to favour all that tends (while reserving supreme honour to the King of Creation) to foster respect for these other creatures of God, which Providence forbids us to exploit without concern and enjoins us to show wisdom in our use of them …
Therefore the August Pontiff trusts that you will find faithful and efficient fellow-workers in the priests of God, since it is their duty to conform to the teaching of the Church and the example of the Saints.
It is for them nobly to train souls in sentiments of enlightened gentleness and fostering care and guidance, so that they may offer to the animals refuge from every suspicion of roughness, cruelty or barbarism, and lead men to understand from the beauty of creation something of the infinite perfection of the Creator.’
Code:
‘His Holiness is pleased at being called upon, as head of the Church, for his support in so noble an undertaking, which has the lofty object of caring for the lives and treatment of animals and which at the same time endeavours to eradicate from the hearts of men barbarous and cruel tendencies.’
Code:
‘St Francis was led to love all things which he knew had the same origin as he, and in which he recognised the goodness of God. For he followed his Well-Beloved everywhere and in every trace of Him to be founbd in His creatures, he made of all things a ladder to reach His throne.’