The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-07-21

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TALLY established by God. ARA hoe, In YeSt
Pope call himself FREQ and independentf 1t is
az e e. sss
person. He must be, and appear before al
men to be, free In tho exercise Of his sovereign
free as bis
power 10 placed under the pressure
and at the caprice Of hostile government; he
cannot be, and never will be, free, SO long as
and domination of political passions; ana,
lastly, he cannot be, and never will be free' SO
long as his laws and DEGREES are not placed
with regard to different nations. Under the
new situation created for the Papacy since me
of the Church's .patrimony, conflict
betw cen the two powers is inevitable.
Concord and harmony cannot depend upon
the will of men. The relations between tne
two Powers being based upon an absurd sys-
tenn, the results. cannot be ether than those
ments, which must necessarily be In a state Of
wretched and continual warfare. History IT.
self is full of conflicts between the two aatnor-
ities and of examples OF agitation n Cnris n
tifs have been subjected, for ever 80 shorb
time, to the governments Of foreign power;
The reason 10 clear. The world being DIVIDED
one of the other, some strong and powerful,
others small and weak, peace and tranquility
of conscience among the faithful could not
the conviction of the high impartiality Of the
common Father of tho Faithful, and the full
Independence of his acts: Now, how can there
be that certainty and that conviction: if the
exposed to the agitation of parties, to the
caprice of rulers, and to the chances of hay
ing, at every moment, its own quiet and the
ca1m of its counsellors and ministers dis
turbedf
Even the liberty of the Sacred Congrega-.
tions, charged with the. duty of resolution of
Of the Catholic World, is Of very great import
ance to the safety of the Church and the legi
innate and indispensable requirements of all
the Christian nations. It is important that no
about foreign pressure put upon PontI6cal
resolutions. It is important that the Pope,
the Congregations, and even the Conclave, be
evident and manifest and that doubt and sus-
picion on this point be impossible. Now, as
the religious liberty of Catholics depends abb
soluteiy on the liberty of the Pope, it follows
living organ of the faith and law of Catholics
be not free, they can never be assured as to the
freedom and Independence of his acts. Thence
thence, religious disturbances in the State !;
thence those Catholic demonstrations, that are
the outward expression Of the inward uneasi-
ness of mems minds, and which have been in
creasing daily ever since the date Of the vio-
lent invasion of the last Of the Pontifcal do
minion, and will not cease SO long as the Head
of Catbolicity shall not have been restoped to
possession of his full liberty and real indie
pendence.
After this, it is difficult to understand how
any one can speak seriously about reconcilia-
ton between the Roman Pontifcate and the
usurping government. In fact, what reconcile
alton can there be in the existing state of
thingsf The matter in dispute is no mere
question arising in the political order or in the
religious order, such as might admit of conces-
pg side mattel t.
the contrary, is about state of things pro-
duced by acts of violence done to the Roman
Pontia, and which entirely destroys that lib
erty and that independence which are indis-
pensable to the government of the Church.
To lend himself to any reconciliation of that
kind would be, on the part of the Roman Pom
Holy See which have been transmitted to him
as deposit of his predecessors; but it would
also be to resigu himself by an act of his own
free will to the frequent encounter Of obstacles
to the exercise of his sacred ministry; it
would be to leave disturbance and disquietpde
in the minds of the faithful, to shut the door
to the free manifestation of the truth-in a
accord to abandon to the caprice of q govern
ment that sublime mission which the Roman
Pontiff has received directly from God, with
the stringent obligation of guarding it's inde-
pendence against every human power.
No, We cannot bend, either to assaults direct
ed against the Church, or to usurpation of her
sacred rights, or to the illegal Interference of
the secular government in religious affairs.
Unshaken in Our resolution to defend honor
ably, and by all the means still left Us, the
interests Of the flock committed to Our charge,
we are ready to undergo still greater sacrifices,
and, if necessary, even to shed Our blood.
sooner than fail in any of the duties imposed
upon Us by Our supreme Apostolate What
moref With the Lords help We shall never
fail to set an example of strength and courage
to the pastors of the Church and to the other
consecrated ministers, who in these unhappy
times, sustain 80 many conflicts for the cause
of God, for the good of souls, for the defence
of the holy deposit of the faith, and for the
maintenance of the eternal princi Piles of moral
ity and justice.
Aud now, my Lord Cardinal, what shall We
say about those pretended guarantees which
the usurping Government processes to be will
ling to give to the Head of the Church, with
the PLAIN intention of deceiving the simple
and nnrefiecting, and of supplying a weapon
to those political parties who have but little
at heart the liberty and independence of the
Roman Pontif.
To waive all other arguments, what is daily
occurring at Rome, where the Government has
q 81 eat interest in persaading Europe of the
strength and efficiency of the much-valued
Law of the Guarantees, may suffice to demon
la9 f,,t;