The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-10-08
VOLUME w.
m,rning Star and Catholic Messenger.
S.w ORLEANS SUNDAY OCTOBER g. 1871.
FROM ROME.

f6OA 6O0G.
ROME, Sept. 9.-On the Feast of the Ma
tivity of the Blessed Virgin, the Hol,
Father celebrated Mass in the Sistins
Chapel, and gave Communion to a large
number of the faithful. 1t was noticed
that his features were lighted up with ar
expression of happiness. A circumstance
had happened in his own family to delight
him. His grand niece, the Countess LUCIA
Mastai, had received the veil of religion in
the Convent of the Oblates of the Tor de
Speech. Several persons of distinction
were present at the ceremony. Amongst
them was the Countess Giuseppina Mastai,
sister of the nun, who is also herself pre-
pairing to take the veil; also her two
brothers, whom the Pope is having educa-
ted at the Collegio Capranica. The new
Obfate will be called in religion Sister
Mary TIA. His Holiness sent her a present
of a beautiful ivory crucifix.
The existing distress amongst the work.
ing classes in Rome, which is severe
enough from other causes connected with
the political situation, has been greatly
aggravated by the avaricious conduct Of
the lodging house keepers and proprietors
of small tenements. Taking advantage of
the increased demand for accommodations
occasioned by the transfer of the capital,
they have doubled and trebled, and in
some cases even quadrupled their rents,
and thus raised the cost of living to fig
ure that presses with cruel hardship on the
working class. The greed of these pro-
prietors yeceiyed rebuke the other day
from a remark that fell from the Pope in
the course of his reply to an address from
the fifteen Conferences of the Society
of st. Vincent de Paul, that have
their field Of charitable labor in the
Eternal City. The address having been
read by the Rev. F. Alferi, President
of the Superior Council, His Holiness re-
piled by. saying that he accepted with
thanks their congratulations and good
wishes, and exhorIed them all to walk in
the paths of charity traced out by their
holy patron, the great st. Vincent de Paul.
" Your ZEAL" said the Holy Father, sought
to increase in proportion as difficulties
multiply. Your Society, as we'll as other
things, has been the mark for calunnies
and abuse. 1t has been accused of con-
splracy, and even to-day they are saying
that we at the Vatican are a nest of con-
spirators and reactionaries. The fact is,
on the contrary, that here nobody thinks
of anything but his own business and his
prayers. i recommend the poor to you;
their distress ia increasing every day. The
greatest of all their troubles is about their
rent. l cannot sufficiently blame the con-
duct of people calling themselves Chris
tians, who have raised the rents of their
rooms and houses to double, triple, and in
some cases to quadruple what they were
some time ago. 1t is very great sin to
overcharge poor people in their rent be-
yond what is just and fair. Some time ago
L built small house i'll Trastevere for a
particular purpose which / have not been
able to carry out chow rich the Pope must
be. some people will say. Well, have
been besieged with requests from poor
families to let them have this house; be-
honest rent"
The International is causing uneasiness |
to the Italian authorities here. Ricciotti |
Garibaldi has been here for one day only |
he has seen all the chiefs of the movement,
and has gone on to Naples, at present the |
headquarters of the conspiracy. More
than one of the foreign ambassadors are |
alarmed at what is going on, and have made
strong remonstrances, amounting almost to |
threats, about the danger to their respect
I've countries from the volcano that Italy is
fast becoming. The most pressing of these
circumstances comes, as i am led to be-
!ieve, from Austria. She is in fact assum-
ing an attitude towards Italy that shows |
1t 1s thousand pities for France that her |
present unsettled state has had the effect |
OF throwing Austria SO much into the arms
OF Prussia. Prince Bismarck knows that |
europe is growing colder every day to-
wards the North German Empire; nay, is |
.sg nervous tremors about its over
power and ambition. He has
sought about for an ally, and has found
one, IL would seem, in Austria but not
WltnouG conditions. am assured that
austria mas made the settlement of Italy o
SINE qua NON with Prussia, and has pro-
'ided against any possible preponderancs
the Pope might secure to France. Francis
Joseph l. has engaged, it is affirmed, to
guarantee the Pope against any poseible
and ut the Same time has
given Italy 60 understand that should she