The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-09-11
r.rn.-rour Dollar. Fer Annu-, In AAva..s.
NUMBER 80.
Prussia and the Church.

No little solicitude is felt by friends Of
the Pope-indeed Catholics everywhere
at what may be the course pursued by
Prussia on those questions which intimately
affect the Church. That Prussia will soon
wield'an overwhelming influence In Europe
can neither be gainsaid nor ignored. In
her new attitude, what will be her policy
on Papal affairs THAT Is the question
which at the present juncture rises to great
prominence. Although this nation is nomi-
nally Protestant, the great mass of the
educated classes are imbued with unbelief--
as it crops out in Pantheish, Rationaiism or
Atheism. A contemporary tries to solve
the problem-which of these schools Of
thought is to dominate in her italian and
Roman policy7 Win it take its color from
the principles of the Times of Germany,
the Augsburg Ga-ette, or from those Of the
Berlin Cross9 Will it's temper be the tenn
per of Frederick William ~, who made
the position of Prussian Catholics the won
der and envy of their French and austrian
co-religionists or will it be the temper of
his predecessor of the same name who per
secuted the Church, and imprisoned tho
Archbishop Of Cologne and tho Bishop Of
Breslauf In answer to this inquiry, 90
interesting and at the present moment 30
pertinent, we have only few facts to adj
duce, but they are not Insignificant or OF
unfavorable Import The Prussian diplo-
macy has spoken courteously and amicsbIy
to the Pope, but sternly and menacingiy to
Italy. At Rome Prussia has permitted al
her subjects in the service of the Holy
Father to continue in it, and has foregone
her plea to their services at o moment
when by her laws she is entitled to them
and when she 80 greatly needs them. At
Florence she has denounced war against
Italy under certain contingencies, one Of
which is that of any attempt being made
to occupy Rome or to assume the position
evacuated by France In the Papal States.
There seems in fact to prevail at Rome an
expectation that Prussia is about to assume
the Protectorate of the Holy See, and the
idea seems not altogether devoid Of reason
ableness.
Commenting on the state Of affairs, an
indicated above, Catholic journal says:
1t is not because we attribute to. Prussia
any special love for the Holy See and the
Catholic religion-it is because reasons OF
policy seem abundantly sufficient to make
her friend and not an enemy. Before the
changes of 1866, the proportions of her
Catholic to her Protestant population was
nearly as twelve millions of the latter to
seven and a quarter millions of the formers
and by her accessions of dominion in that
memorable year, the Catholic minority
must have been very greatly increased.
And if the designs now generally attributed
to Prussia are really entertained by her,
if she mediate not only taking up the
position abdicated by Austria as head Of
the hegemony, but the revival of the am
cient Germanic Empire in all the grandeur
of it's supremacy, then it is doubly for her
interests to STAND well with those Catholic
populations which form the great majority
of Southern Germany. Therefore it IL
that, looking at events from Catholic
point of view, we are able to regard with
composure the possible aggTandizement Of
Prussia. We should not even feel dismay
in the event Of her present name being
obliterated in the war, and Of the Kingdom
of the Hohenzollerns being extipguished in
the Empire, as their Dukedom was merged
in the Kingdom.