The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-25

the salvation of Italy can be looked for The
first step to her 6eliverauce from domestic
tyranny aud a foreign yoke is to deliver her
from the yoke of false opinions and
reunite her in the profession of the
holy faith, which has its chief seat in
Rome. He would fain ''make religion the
banner of Italy, and identify it With her
genius and nationality" Yet with all this
ardent Catholicism is combined a no less
ardent zeal for searching internal reform of
the Church, the details of which are traced
out in his posthumous work "Riforma Cato
lica della Chiess. Ferri thus sums them up
in his ''Essai sur rHistoire de la Philosophie
en- Italie au XIXieme Secle":-
The disorders which he deplores the existence OF
in the Church are the temporal power OF the Pope;
the ignorance or insufficient instruction OF portion
OF the cerg, (; the want OF tempered liberty In
bishops and priests and their too great dependence
upon Rome; Jesuitism which, domneering In
science, IN worship, and in discipline, sets religion
ana civilization in opposition to each other and
makes them enemies the want of strong and judi.
clous propaganda within the Church against sKepti-
cism and heresy, without against unbeevers; the
celbacy OF priests in climates to which it is
suited; the state OF idleness OF portion OF the
clergy, aud the uselessHess of a certain number OF
their institutions the want OF a manly aud elevated
eoucaIon Ior eecesastlcs; the Venality and mean
These are the evils Here are their remedies.
The abolition OF the temporal power of the Pope:
the establishment Of ecclesiastical colleges the
higher instruction OF The clergy being lntrusted to
into two classes, the one representing science the
other action; reform In the teaching OF theology
with suppression OF schoasticism; elevation to the
eplscopate OF men distinguished for learning and
ability liberty and legal guarantees for all classes
OF The clergy the abolition OF the Jesuits co-opera-
ton OF Catholic States in providing means for the
foreign propaganda; the excitement OF emulation
by conferriDg the highest honors OF the priesthood
upon the authors OF valuable works; the clergy to
be divided into two classes, celibates and non-cell-
bates radical reform OF monasticism; the aboli-
tion OF useless monks and OF canons now consti-
tuted; canonship restored to its true principles;
asolitlon OF practices involving waste OF time;
of the State in the instruction and educa-
ton OF young priests reglementary, disciplinary
and sumptuary reform.
The chief living representative of their
views is the statesman Count Mamiani, whose
picture of a trausfgured Catholicism, as por-
trayed in his RindScensd CdttOIScd does not
materially differ from that of Gioberti The
abolition of the Temporal Power, the sup
preston of "Jesuitism, and the improved
training and discipline of the clergy, in
Guiding some modification of the law of
celibacy, are conspicuous features of their
scheme. Both alike desire to see free
Church in a free State-the State relinqush-
ing all control over ecclesiastical appoint
ments and tribunals, the Church abandoning
all exclusive privileges and submitting in her
civil relations to the supremacy of the civil
law. How far that ideal is capable of realiza-
ton, or whether the views of those who
cherish it are in all respects consistent with
each other and with themselves, are questions
which it would take us too long to enter upon
here. That such views are widely prevalent
and that they prevail precisely among the
most religious and most loyal citizens of the
Italian kingdom, there can be no doubt. And
We believe, Notwithstanding some remarks
pointing in an opposite direction in the PAM
phlet before us, that they are no less preva-
lent among the more educated portion of the
clergy than among the laity. That the same
strange phenomenon which has arrested the
attention of travellers in Prussia, of an al
most superstitious veneration for the priest
hood combined with undisguised dislike
or contempt of its individual members,
is to some extent reproduced in Italy,
may be quite true. 1t sounds startling GER
tainly to hear of Roman Cardinal speaking
of the Roman clergy as ga race of dogs"
and Count Mamiani's unhinching devotion to
his Church gives additional weight to his sor-
rowful assertion that ''the clergy are our
despair, while another distinguished layman,
Azeglio, says that ''they have always shown
by their conduct that they believe but little,
and that the spectacle of Rome has extin-
guished religion in Italy" Still such state
ments must be taken with very considerable
limitations. Close eandimpartial observers, like
Mr.. Cartwright, have pointed out that in many
parts OF Italy the parish priests deservedly
retain the confidence and attachment of
their people; and the clergy of the Northern
half of the peninsula are, as rule, far more
respected than those of the South The
Florentine ESGnaindtOre, the organ of liberal
Catholic sentiments, is conducted by priests
and circulates widely among them. In re-
port quoted in this very pamphlet, the ac-
| curacy of which we know no reason for dis
trusting, some two thousand eeclesiastics are
| spoken of as supporting the views of
Mamiani. The true explanation of the un-
favorable estimate, wherever it is to be
found, is not probably far to seek. 1t is in
dicated intelligibly enough in the emphatic
demands reiterated again and again by Ros-
mini and Gioberti for the better education
of the clergy, and their complaints of the
Ignorance, immortality, and idleness too
common among them. Gioberti goes fur
ther, as we have seen, and expressly requires
that the rule of celibacy shall be modi-
| fed, the monastic bodies and chapters
thoroughly reformed, and more direct encour-
agemeDt given to intellectual pursuits in the
apportionment of ecclesiastical dignities. It
would be rash to infer from this that the
whole clerical body in Italy is lazy, incompe-
tent, and immoral, and there is good reason
for believing that such an assumption would
be very exaggerated one. But we may
safely conclude that there is ground for very
serious complaint, and an urgent call for the
reform of long-standing abuses. Whether
these reforms will be brought about with the
sanction of Rome or in antagonism to her
authority must depend very much on the in
| fuerces dominant there after the close of the
present pontifcate. But it is clearly impos-
sible that things should long continue as
! they are. The political changes of
the last ten years have materially
altered the relations of the Church
to Italian society, and in the full blaze of