The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-04-16
aooount Of What occurred at the Gesu Oh -
10th Of March, 1871.

FRIDAY, March 10, IL Nth Len.ea
sermon being concluded, i, the unIets .Sa
Ordinary chaplain at the Church OF me
Gesu. according to custom went to sne
High Altar to celebrate the Holy SaclincSS
of the Mass. Having placed the sac1ou
Chalice on the altar, and opened cue A
sal, to my surprise found myselI wl. MnI,s
the server then I soon heard nisses' SSm 49,.
and the striking of sticks ag s. annroached
me. 40 that was enabled to commenee Sno
Mass, but, observing that there was no Que
.ervinp. one of those present IN the chu.on
was called. Continuing the Holy SacImIe'
I was very much distracted by tue ois.u.o
ance, the cries. and the clash OF weapvnhS'
every moment increasing .n w snia;ers had even
entered the sanctuary, and were upon .ne
verv steps of the altar. And was oet1e5
anabled 70 observe this when l turned
around to give Holy Communion 10 some
of the faithful, and found that coal :.h uvy
descend from the altar, while the Iaisuiul
could, with great difficulty, appl ths H" C
Communion. Then saw soldiers o, every
description, with pistols, sabres anu gus,
who ordered the deyOut persons assle'LS
at tI,a HOLY Sacrifice to retire and leave INC
church. Seized with Catholic zeal, tuin
ed to the soldiers, who were around me
within the sanctuary, ana toid Inenl " 81
back. because that was not the proper
place for them, and that they were all e4-
communicated. Meanwhile, the Delegates
of Public Security, with tri- colored scars,
and the soldiers, contented themselves
with remaining at the foot OF tne t S1eis,
and so finished the Holy Sacrihce. hic1
concluded, with the chalice IN one maui
and the beretta in the other, ~lsnlng W .iIo
| turn to the sanctuary, and not oeing aole
| tn do so by reason of the crowd Of soldiers
who surrounded me, begged them 70
allow me to pass, but no one moving,
was obliged to open way with the manu-
in which held the beretta.
Seized by the vestments, and stopped on
the way from the altar to the corf'dof o.
j the sacristy. I was notified of my arrest
while I yet had on the sacred vestments;
When demanded the reason, and couiG
obtain none, pushing my way through
reached a room near the sacristy, where
stopped, as the latter appeared to pc closeo.
had been followed all the time by many
municipal officers with their gqara;, some
ROYAL Carbineers, officers of the Puollc Sc
curity, some officers of the line, and three
Delegates with tri-colored scarfs. One OF
these last said to me, "YOu are under
arrest for having struck an othcer OF foo-
lie Security;" but I, observing that that was
impossible, since l had in one hand the
chalice and in the other my baretta. One
member, and who bore the number II, ad-
vanced and asserted that he himself had
received the stroke from me. Kememoer-
ing. then, that when descending from the
altar had been obliged to open way in
the midst of the soldiers, said that that
Guard was lying, for had opened the pass
age with the hand in which held the ba
: retta. l did not wish to lay aside the
sacred vestments before speaking with the
superior of the church, and protesting be.
fore him against the injuries done me, be-
. sides the other incredible insults and con.
tumelies to the sacred character and habit
which I bore. A National Guard said
, Let US tie him just as ne 49, dressed IKE
, clown or puppet, and let us carry hin
handcuffed through Rome" A DELEGATE
!. answered that that could not be done, ant
! that same Guard answered, "But yes, lie
US carry him handcuffed, because he ha
:, eaten that hog, Christi" II shudder at re
+ peating it.)
. q lower officer, because of the braid on hi
arm), turning to me, said that he woul
:, - put the handouts not only on me but ais
y on that hangman Plus TX, and that h
"a would drag him through all Rome. l coul'
r. not do less than severely reprove both tn
- National Guard and the Royal Gardiner
~ telling them that these were the guarantee
"a they wished to give to Catholics, but ths
n they would never be able to make theI
a a give up their faith, with all their threats
in catacombs, handouts and martyrdon
"a Mean awhile religious came up, and &C
r. vising me to yield to their force and threat
N placed myself at their disposal. One
~ the delegates asked me if l wished to p'
+. on citizens dress, and refused, saying TIL
y l was not ashamed of my habit. He adde
rv that he was about carrying me in carriat
et to the Questors, and l answered that WI
All Indifferent. Thus, escorted by Delega
an and Municipal Guard, was brought
rs. Monte Citorio. There the Delegate, aft
NO demanding my name, surname, age, cou
an try, condition and residence, told me
he await the Caviliere Berti. After thr
h hours L was brought before him, and
he requested me to state what had tax
,Ts place. l answered that of what mad ha
nv pened outside the church, and in the chur
NJ itself, except within the sanctuary, whe
I'VE l had celebrated the Holy Sacrifice, l cot
,he say nothing; that could only speak of m
inc self and of W lat had happened around 4
ed Then in a most polite manner he enco,
be- aged me to tell everything, and narrat
md what have above set forth. At the e
list of my narration, Sig. Berti said that v
in accused of having melted resistance to
bile authorities, but 1 answered him that be-
cd 10 oolo