On Friday, December 23rd, the Pope received the Cardinals, - who
came to offer him their Christmas congratulations. In answer to the address read by Cardinal Parocchi, the Pope assured the Sacred College "that though the weight of Apostolic cares increased with years, he was consoled by the thought that, though he was nothing, God was everything, and that the fragility of an old man could be as good an instrument in His hands as the vigour of youth." The Pope went on to use language of a distinctly threatening character in regard to the Italian Government. He foresaw unhappy indications as to the liberty of the Church in Italy. "The hard situation," he continued, "imposed upon the Pope, hurtful to his dignity and sacred rights, does not suffice. That part of the Press which defends religion and morals is made the mark of hateful suspicions, and, more significant still, the clergy, already harried in count- less ways, are threatene d with more rigorous treatment. The clergy, by their natural disposition and their official duty, are the society most opposed to any seditious attempt, and on recent occasions this has been demonstrated by irrefragable proofs. But no matter,—the fact of their obedience to the Apostolic See, their support of its rights, and their seconding of its intentions will be counted as a political crime." The Pope, as usual, spoke with dignity and doubtless in entire good faith, but, as we have pointed out else- where, there is another side to the question. If the Vatican, instead of using every means to injure Italy. were to accept the alleged invasion of her just rights in a different spirit, we believe that her position would now not be weaker, but infinitely stronger, for the service of God. The energy of the Roman Church has been turned to wrecking the Italian Kingdom,instead of being used to fight materialism and evil, —her proper work.
Previous page
