pope pious ix.
Beloved son, health and apostolic benediction.
No sooner did our venerable Brother Thaddeus Amat, bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles, beseech us with ardent entreaties that, having regard to the infirmity of his bodily health, we would furnish him the assistance of a coadjutor bishop with the right of future succession, than we, solicitous for the spiritual welfare of that church, took counsel thereupon with our venerable brethren, the cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, who preside over the congregation of the propagation of the faith; and having diligently and attentively considered and weighed the reasons in support of such petition, decided to comply with the wishes of the aforesaid prelate, and to entrust to you, beloved son, the duty of such office; as we feel well assured by the most excellent reputation you enjoy for piety, prudence, and learning that yon will, in the discharge of that office, most abundantly correspond to our expectation. Wherefore, we, who by a similar document issued by our authority, and bearing even date herewith, have nominated you bishop of Mossynopolis, in partibus infidelium, by this letter, and only for the purpose of the office herein referred to, absolving you and considering you as having been absolved from whatever excommunication, interdict, or other ecclesiastical censure, sentence and penalty, if any, in whatever manner, and for whatever reason incurred, do, in accordance with the advice of our aforesaid venerable brethren, in virtue of our apostolical authority, create and publicly declare you coadjutor of the above-mentioned bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles, with the right of succession to said diocese; and whenever by the death of the aforesaid prelate, or for whatever other reason, the see of Monterey and Los Angeles shall become vacant, we, releasing you nunc pro tunc from all obligation binding you henceforth to your church of Mossynopolis, do, in virtue of the plentitude of our apostolical power, likewise create and constitute you, nunc pro tunc, bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles, with all the honors, powers, rights, and prerogatives usual and customary. It is, however, our will that, while the present bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles lives, you will lend him your assistance in the administration of said diocese only in accordance with his desires and mandates. Moreover, we command every one and all who are or may be concerned to receive and acknowledge you as such coadjutor, and at the proper time, as such bishop of the diocese of Monterey and Los Angeles, and hereby enjoin on all the obligation to extend to you their favor, assistance, and submission in everything, and to receive with reverence your salutary admonitions and injunctions, and to carry them into execution, and if they should ever fail to do so, we shall ratify the sentence or penalty that you may have rightfully pronounced against or inflicted upon them, and shall by means of the power committed to us by God, inviolably enforce the said sentence or penalty, so as to exact condign satisfaction. And all our injunctions hereby decreed will have their full vigor, all and singular other contrary apostolical constitutions and regulations, general or special, issued either in universal or provincial or synodical [Page 391] councils, and likewise all statutes, customs, and other rules of the aforesaid churches of Mossynopolis and Monterey and Los Angeles, even if ratified by oath and apostolical confirmation, or corroborated by any other ratification whatever, to the contrary notwithstanding.
[seal.]