Appendix 33
Address from the Bishop of Plymouth to the nuns at Spetisbury 1860
Having received with much consolation at our last Visitation your petition that you might be granted the privilege of Perpetual Adoration, we directed our most earnest thoughts to judge if it would be expedient to make application to the Holy See that by its authority the devotion might be constituted as of perpetual observance by the religious of this convent. When we reflected on the state of religion in this country, and more especially in our own diocese, where Our Divine Lord is not only little known and honoured in the Sacrament of His Love, but outraged and blasphemed by unbelievers; and by many even of the household of the faith treated with coldness and seldom visited by loving ad adoring hearts, we were convinced that it would be an act highly pleasing to the Divine Spouse of our souls that there should be at least one altar where His abiding presence should be constantly recognised; where unceasing reparation should be made to His outraged Love; and where uninterrupted prayer should ascend as the sweet fragrance on incense to the throne of the Spotless Lamb, whose Sacred Blood pleads on our behalf.
Wherefore we petitioned the Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ, and by a rescript, dated the 15th March 1860, we received his warm approval of the subject of our petition, accompanied by the full authority to set up in this community the devotion of the Perpetual Adoration of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
During the past days we have carefully considered the manner in which you, dear children, may best be able to carry out the observance of this devotion in your community and we annex a document containing the regulations which we ordain should be observed, reserving, however, to us and our successors the full power of making such changes, modifications, or additions as the circumstances of the times or places may point out as necessary or desirable.
We therefore declare, in virtue of the faculties received from the Holy See, and of the jurisdiction we hold in this convent as Bishop of Plymouth, that the devotion of the Perpetual Adoration of Our Lord Jesus Christ shall be, and hereby declare it to be established in the Augustinian Convent of St. Monica, and we command and enjoin the reverend Mother Prioress and Subprioress together with all those holding authority in the community as Councillors or Discreets, to provide and see that the obligation of this devotion be duly observed. Finally, we record, that it may be held in perpetual memory, that the objects of this erection of perpetual Adoration are:-
First, to offer to Our Sweet Lord, perpetual reparation for all outrages and want of love towards Him in the Sacrament of the Altar.
Second, to implore efficacious grace fro the conversion of sinners, and for the spread of our holy religion in England, especially in this diocese.
Third, to animate with a more lively charity the members of this community of St. Monica’s, and so enable them by assisting each other in prayer and in all gentleness bearing each other’s burdens, to attain the perfection to which they are called as the spouses of the Immaculate lamb of God, to whom, with the Father and Holy Ghost, be honour and benediction for ever and ever, Amen
Given at this convent of St. Monica, this seventh day of June, the Festival of Corpus Christi, 1860. William, Bishop of Plymouth.