NEW SPIRIT IN PEOPLE "—His Holiness The Pope
"At last this terrible war that has bound Europe with the bonds of the most horrible and frightful suffering for nearly six years is ended.
" A cry of humble and ardent gratitude arises from the depth of our hearts towards the Father of Mercy and God of every consolation. And with our thanks goes a fervent prayer imploring the Divine goodness that the war may end in justice, as well as the bloody battles that are raging in the Far East.
" Kneeling before the tombs wherein lie the remains of innumerable human beings who fell in battle, fell victims of inhuman massacres or fell a prey to hunger and want, in our prayers and in the Mass we remember them and we pray to Jesus Christ, the Saviour and their Judge.
" The fallen warn the survivors of this inhuman conflict, beckoning them and saying: Let the architects of a new and better Europe arise from our bones, our graves and the earth upon which we were scattered like seeds of corn.' "
(Continuation of the Pope's message appears on page 5).
COMMENTS BY VATICAN NEWSPAPER
The Osservatore Roniano of VE Day carried an editorial which dwelt on the bitter lessons of the past six years.
" The war in Europe is finished," stated the Vatican paper. " The news is greeted with a sigh of relief which breaks from every heart. The daily destruction of the past six years, which pursued its course ever more fiercely, is at an end. The war is finished. 'The echo of this announcement resounded over the whole continent .passing above the terrible sentence of lives cut short find peoples oppressed and crushed." • The paper recalled the warnings of the Holy Father, notably the warning of August 25, 1939, when the Pope told the world that "nothing is lost by the peace; everything can be lost by the war." It recalled also the words of Pius XI qn April 1, 1935, when he said : "If anyonedare to commit this heinous crime, Which Giicl forbids, then we could not but turn to Him with bitterness in our hearts, praying : Scatter the peoples who delight in .war.' "
Reminding us, too, of the teaching and ministry of Pius X, the Osservatore said that it had nbt changed and would not change as truth itself bad not changed and would not change.
"The world knows it. Should it have forgotten that teaching, it will do well to recall it, to be aware of it and to take to heart its words and teaching.
" This hour," continued the editorial, " recalls the lesson which came from the lips of the Virgin who bore in her bosom the Divine Child : ' He hath scattered the proud; be hath tilled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.' Not only for individuals but for peoples that is a proclamation and a warning, contrasting the equity of God with the iniquity of men. These are thoughts which draw us together and make us brothers before God in the kingdoM of
His justice and mercy."
Dr. Downey, Archbishop, of Liverpool, speaking to The Catholic Herald, said:
" Our first feeling should be one of profound gratitude to God who has crowned with victory our struggle against the forces of evil in the Western hemisphere.
" In the dark days we made national intercession and our prayers have been heard. Next to God our triumph is due to the intrepid courage of the men and women of our nation and of the Allies who welded themselves into a vast unconquerable force to resist aggression. But even in this hour of rejoicing we must remember the heroic dead who died that liberty might live. We owe to them. to secure a worthy peace for the war-weary world—peace in the sense of the ancient definition, `Liberty in Tranquillity.' "