Indulgence Granted to the Dominicans on Their Setting Out for the
Philippines
Gregory, Bishop, servant of the servants of God: In perpetual
remembrance of the affair.
Since, as we have learned, very vast kingdoms, islands, cities, and
towns in the parts of the Western Indias are being converted to the
faith of Christ, and daily the light of heavenly learning is beaming on
the peoples thereof--who, hitherto unacquainted with the law of God,
and under the yoke of the demon, were groping their way in the dark
places of unbelief; but now, rejecting the errors of heathenism, are
revering and following the name of our Savior Jesus Christ: therefore
our beloved son, the master-general of the Order of Preachers [21]
[Dominicans], has determined to send thither professed members under
the care of their own vicar, with rules for austere life and a reformed
standard of conduct--as is becoming to a religious and praiseworthy
institute, and according to which their province of New Spain was
established--who there may found a new province of their order.
We, on whom through appointment of the Lord it is incumbent to
foster the spread of the gospel, desirous of taking part in this
duty of preaching the gospel in kingdoms wherein Christ is unknown,
desirous moreover to aid, in as faras we can, the pious and religious
endeavors of the Friars Preachers--who, with their abandonment
of fatherland and their self-denial of comforts, are now exposing
themselves to dangers of land and sea for the sake of spreading the
name of Christ--therefore, trusting in the mercy of almighty God
and the authority of His blessed apostles Peter and Paul, we by our
apostolic authority, in virtue of these presents do grant, etc., a
plenary indulgence and remission of all their sins to the professed
members of the said Order, all and singular, if really penitent and
confessed, who by leave or order or mandate of their afore-named
master-general shall go to the Philippine Islands.
Given at Rome, at St. Mark's, under the seal of the Fisherman, on
the fifteenth day of September, in the year 1582, the eleventh of
our pontificate.