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2nd Pastoral Letter of the Bishop of Acqui

received from the Church, to see to it that the doctrine of Jesus
Christ remains uncorrupted among you, that Christian customs
are maintained, and that reli¬gion, innocence and peace flourish.
(S. Con. Trid. Sess. XXIV, C.3).
To maintain and confirm you in the faith and in the practice
of Christian virtues: that is the aim of our Visit.
Without faith, that faith that the Church teaches, it is
impossible to please God (Paul to the Hebrews XI,6). Then, as
the Apostle James tells us, faith must be accompanied by works.
What good is it, he says; what good is it, my brothers, if one
affirms to have faith but does not have works? Will faith alone
save him? Thus he answers: faith without works is dead; and he
adds: since the body without the spirit is dead, so too faith
without works is dead (Chap. 2: 19). Jesus Christ himself has
said: whoever hears my words but does not put them into
prac¬tice is like the foolish man who builds his house on sand:
the rain falls and floods the rivers and the winds blow against
that house, and it fell and great was its ruin (Mt. 7: 26-27).
Therefore, it does not suffice to say I believe the truths of
faith, I accept the teaching of the Church, I acknowledge the
wisdom if its precepts, I pay homage to the Vicar of Jesus
Christ, and I glory in the name of Christian. That profession of
faith must be accompanied by the fulfillment of the duties that it
imposes. You believe, my son; you are sure that, in order to
provide for the needs of your conscience, Jesus Christ instituted
a Sacrament: then you must purify your soul in the tribunal of
Penance. You believe; you know the testament of the Divine
Redeemer who, not being satisfied with incarnating himself for
love of you, but having suffered and died to regain Paradise for
you, he wished to give you a pledge of future beatitude with the
Sacrament of the Eucharist: therefore you must comfort your
soul by taking part in the mystical meal. You believe that the
Church has the authority to determine with its precepts how the
faithful are to fulfill the general precepts of the Divine Master:

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