The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-23
ROME.

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH AND THE DANGERS THAT
THREATEN IT-woRD5 OF SIGNIFICANCE FROM THE
POPE.
Our lato foreign exchanges contain the full text
Of the recent Alocution of tho Pope. It condemns
tho whole policy Of tho italian Government in
terms which cannot bo misunderstood. It COM
plains, in particular Of the banishmcnt Of Bishops
ftom their dioceses, of tho suppression of tho re-
Ggious ORDERS aud of tho introduction Of civil
marriage. IL avoids tho names Of ''King of Italy"
or Government Of Italy," and uses instead tho
names Of "Sub-Alpinc Government" This Alo-
cution Of His Holiness, which s addressed to the
Clergy of tho Catholic Church, thus sos forth the
main alleged grievances against tho Italian Gov
crnment:
"You must comprehend with what grof We are
soizcd now that VIC SEQ that Government, with a
passion that is increasing every day. constantly
attacking the Catholic Church, its wholesome laws
| and all it's sacred ministers; when wo SEQ, alas,
honorable bishops, and the most virtuous clorgy,
both secular and regular and other most excellent
Catholic citizons sent into exile by that Govern
mcnt without the least regard for religion, Justice.
or humanity, or thrown into prison, condemned
to forged residence, molcsted III tho most unworthy
manner; dioccsos deprived OF their p stors, to tho
| great dctrimcnt of souls virgins devoted to God
taken away from their convunts and reduced to
| ba-Sary Gods temples violated; diocesan schools
| closed against tho members of tho clergy; tho
education of Catholic youths taken out of tho palo
of Christian discipline and confdcd to the profess
of errors and iniquities, and tho parimony of
| tho Church usurpcd and sold. That same Govern
mcnt, in contempt OF ecclesiastical censilres and
without paying tho least regard to our most just
complaints, AID those Of our venerable brethren
| the Bishops of Italy, has sanctioned similar laws
totally contrary to tho Catholic Church. to its ioc
trines and it's rights, and condemned by us and it
has not hesitated to promulgato law respecting
civil marriage, as il is calcd-a law quite contrary
not only to Catholic doctrine, but likewise to tho
| well-being OF civil society.
Such law tramplos under foot tho dignity and
sacredness OF marriage. 1t destroys it as an
! institution and encourages concubinagc that is
perfectly scandalous In fact, q marriage cannot
take place among tho faithful without there being
at tho samo time sacrament 1t belongs, there
fore, exclusively to tho Church to decide every
thing concerning the sacrament Of marriage More
over, that Government-injuring in evident
manner the condition of those who make public
profession OF religious vows, which have always
had and always will havo, force in Gods Church,
| and not recognizing the very great advantage OF
tl2 regular orders which, founded by mon OF hoi-
in an especial manner deserved the thanks of tho
Christian republic, civil and literary, by 80 many
glorious labors and 30 many useful works-has not
its ontre territory all gous corporations Of both
soxes; it has appropriated all their property and n
great deal Of other property. belonging to the
Church, and has ordered il to bo divided.
| "Boforo ontorinS into possession Of tho Venetian
province it did not hesitate to extend thoroto to
the same lava, and it cnjoned contrary to all law
and Justice, the total abrogation and annihlation
OF tho convention which was come to between us
and our worry dear son in Jesus Christ, Francis
Joseph, Emperor of Austria. Therefore, faithful
to tho very serious duty of our apostolic ministry,
wo raiso anew in your most august q scmbly our
voice on behalf Of religion, of tho church, Of it's
holy laws, the rights belonging to the authority of
this chair of ST. Peter; and with all our strength
Wo doplore and condemn all aud each Of tho things
which, contrary to tho church, its aws, and its
tho sub-Alpino Government, and by ali Other
subordinate authorities; and by our apostolic al-
therity. we ebrogatc and proclaim null aud void,
and without force or effect, all tho aforesaid de-
4 croes and everything that appertains to them."
The allocution goes on to defend tho rights of
the church, to show that His Holiness hns aiway va
heretofore exerted his best energies in behalf of
tho welfare of tho people of Italy, and finally to
declare that tho Pope cannot renounce the civil
powers conferred on him for tho good OF the
church, but on tho contrary must and is bound to
defend them. Tho church, it says, will never bo
ooYerpowercd, but ono particular nation may lose
the true faith. In conclusion it adjures the soy
| ereigns to prevent with oil their strength "the
torch of faith from being extinguishod among
them"