“Our affairs are in the hands of God.  I hope no one will feel discouraged, nor fear for me.  All that is needed to bring the interests of God to a successful issue is grace, grace, grace; and this is obtained by prayer.  And if the American Fathers will only pray and get others to pray, and not let any one have the slightest reason to bring a word against them in our present crisis, God will be with us and help us, and Our Lady will take good care of us.  So far no step taken in our past need be regretted.  If it were to be done again it would have my consent.  The blow given to me I have endeavored to receive with humility and in view of God.  It has not produced any trouble in my soul, nor made me waver in the slightest degree in my confidence in God or my duty towards Him.  Let us not be impatient.  God is with us and will lead us if we confide in Him.”

During his stay in Rome he corresponded regularly with his brother George, whose ever-open purse paid all his expenses.  We have also found a very long letter of loving friendship from Doctor Brownson, conveying the profoundest sympathy.  This came during the most critical period of the case and gave much consolation.  It called forth an answer equally affectionate.

He received exceedingly sympathetic letters from Fathers de Held and de Buggenoms.  The former was at the time rector of the house in Liege, and wrote a letter to Cardinal Barnabo, a copy of which has been preserved, which treats most favorably of Father Hecker’s character and discusses his case at length, petitioning a decision which should reinstate him in the order.

Late in November he sought an interview with Cardinal Reisach, holding him closely interested for two hours, conversing upon American religious prospects and quite winning his friendship.  By means of such interviews, which, at Cardinal Barnabo’s suggestion, he sought with the chief prelates in Rome, he became widely known in the city, and the state of religion in America was made a common topic of conversation.

The following introduces a singular phase in the case.  It is from a letter written before the end of September, less than a month after his arrival: 

“My leisure moments are occupied in writing an article on the ’Present Condition and Future Prospects of the Catholic Faith in the United States,’ for the Civilta Cattolica. They have promised to translate and publish it.”

The Civilta is still a leading Catholic journal, the foremost exponent of the views of the Society of Jesus.  At that time it was the official organ of Pius IX., who read all its articles in the proofs, and it went everywhere in Catholic circles.  The editors became fast friends of Father Hecker, though we are not aware that they took sides in his case.  His article was divided in the editing, and appeared in two successive numbers of the magazine.  It attracted wide attention, being translated and printed