The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-10-02
The Papal See.

Rome is in.possession of Victor Emman
uel, at least the greater portion of it is, an
we are yet in doubt as to the arrangement
If any, that will be made between his Gov
eminent and the Pope. The Pope is Bish
op of Rome, but it is by no means necessar
that he should reside within his Episcopa
City. He may even leave Italy for man,
years, as has been done before, withou
losing his title or jurisdiction. Or he may
remain there, subject of the Temporal
power, as was the case for many of the frs
centuries of the Church. p.
1t is absurd to suppose that temporal
power is any necessary constituent part OF
the Papal function. The Papacy is the
same now as with ST. Peter, and surely he
had no temporal power. After Christianity
became the dominant religion of Europe
and the Church grew into great power
among the people, the piety of princes and
the policy of nations both dictated the
propriety of making the Pope independent
of any temporal ruler. They gave him
the sovereignty of Rome and the contigu-
GUS States, that his temporal dignity might
be commensurate with his spiritual, and
that his influence among Christian people
might be entirely unbiased and uncon-
troled by the interference of an infidel or
hostile government.
But the ages of faith have passed and with
them the piety of princes. Christian po-
tentates now appeal to arms for the settle
ment of their difficulties, instead of calling
in ths.n tiop of a Cos
have but small regard for the dignity and
splendor of the Papal Court. Infidelity and
heresy are SO influential among the people
that governments are no longer so careful
to preserve the Papal influence intact.
They are more inclined to treat it with
scorn, and affect to consider it old fashion
ed. Under these circumstances it is not to
be supposed that the European powers
which conferred temporal authority ON the
Pope will put themselves to much troubley
to maintain him in it. Thus it would be |
but natural to see his prerogatives decline |
with the faith of the age until finally he
might be left with nothing but the intalli-
bility and spiritual supremacy inseparable
from his primacy over the Church. We
-'.A'oo IN eAAS otO W w hSiu III Ch0
same reverence and esteem by the tempo
al powers, in an intidel age, as in one of
strong and general faith.
If, then, he has no assurance that the
lations desire his temporal independence
md seriously intend to maintain is, there
S no use In his defending Rome by force of
rms, or quitting it when taken possession
# by another Where would his condition
'e less dependent than there7 He would
re equally subject in any other place.
lie would still be Pope, but no longer
'rince. This would be an unfortunate fact
Dr. the Christian world, for the perfect dis 6
ipline of the Church depends upon the =
ceedom of its communication with Rome,
nd that freedom would be greatly COM
by the dominance of an infidel !;
overnmcnt. Bad as it would be for the
hurch, it would be still worse for the ns-
ons. Another era of bloodshed, anarchy G
I'D ruin wauld repeat history by calling q
lck the Pope to his proper position as the II
eat conservator of human peace. +,
Let us hope that the nations may yet see h
cir need of him and of his independence. ri
IRISH TrIRIFTIt is stereotyped Islander of England
al.. 4