The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-07
The Need Of the temporal Power.
From the Cincinnati Telegraph

A class of Catholics, not very large in
any country but exceedingly noisy in all
known as " liberal" are wont to take UNI
bragg, with the enemies of the Church, at
contends for the possession Of temporal
power. The persecution however, which
the Roman Church has suffered since Plus
TX. was stripped of his temporal crown,
has largely diminished the number of that
which unbridled sacrilege has left in its
track, that the independence Of the Holy
See was indispensable to the peace of the
Church, one of the providential defences of
religion against the worst passions of men.
Tho removal of that defences and the evil
result of that outrage, have had percepti-
bly, weakening effect upon the arguments
which "liberal Catholics" were wont to
adduce in favor of q voluntary resignation
of the Temporal Power. They must now
confess, In sight of the destruction Of reli-
gious liberty, at which the italian Govern.
ment aims, that the Holy See in its refusal
to relinquish one inch Of ground to the un-
lawful and lawless invader, was governed
by higher wisdom than they possessed.
They are now seeing what history has al
ways taught, the baleful effects of State in
supremacy, and the paramount Importance
of the temporal independence of the Popes.
The event now transpiring on the soil of
Italy, has ended the n-Catholic delight
vita which this class Of liberals USED 20
dwell upon the unquestionable distinction
between the temporal and spiritual power
of the Holy See. They have discovered
in their own day, as in times past, into
pretext for open war against all the rights
of the Church. So long ago, Philip the
Fair, distinguished, when lie seized the
person of the Pontiff, in order to control
his spiritual authority. His brutal bench
Victor Emmanuel in its attempted suppress
sion of the late Allocution, You WELD
only the spiritual sword-our master
Yields one more powerful" The Emperor
Joseph of Austria, traced out the same line
Of division, when by his intrusion into the
domain of the spiritual authority of the
which has fallen upon that country. So
reasoned the French monarchs when they
afflicted the Church with the seventy years
| of captivity at Avignon. So, likewise,
thought the Bourbon, the prototype Of the
cut throat Garibaldi, when he delivered
Rome over to slaughter and pillage. Still
the Church would be as free and prosper
GUS without the Temporal power, swayed
the mind of Bonaparte, when he tried to
frighteu Plus VII. into o surrender of his
possessions. If the so-called Catholic ad-
mirers of shorn tiara, have been blind to
Cnese auO iuuuHleraole otnef LESSONS Oh DIS
tory, all teaching that the liberty of the
| whole Church is threatened, when the
Pope becomes subject, they cannot but
| perceive that the present condition of Rome
closes forever all discussions of the
necessity of Papa1 Independence. In the
imprisonment of Plus TX, in the suppress
| sion of religious houses, in the prohibition
| of intercourse between the faithful and
! their spiritual Head, in the bold satanic
mockery of all religious which Rome daily
| witnesses, in the rapid growth of schools of
| iHidelity, in the spoliation of affairs and
| libraries, they now see their error in argu-
| ing that this temporal independence has
nothing to do with spiritual supremacy.
But weakened Catholics, cripgipg be-
| fore the sueer Of the anti Catholic world,
may say, that it is impossible for the Pope
to reign as temporal prince without the
assistance of foreign arms. Be it 80, he
has al indisputable right to defend his
vetousness of revolution. In this, they but
echo the anti-Catholics who sympathize
| with Victor Emmanuel, in all his profana-
ton of the Catholic religion.
Moreover, they who were accustomed to
shrek forth as an objection to the Poge's
| sovereignty, that he was upheld by Aus
trian bay onets are unconcions how the re-
proach recoils upon their protege, who
has seated himself upon the throne of Plus
TX.
They REQUIRE to be reminded that the
patrimoniai kingdom of Victor Emmanuel
is not only a new tangled monarchy, but
that several times the Sandman kings have
been forced to abandon their thrones and
were returned by the aid of an Austrian
army. To austrian bayonets, the dynasty
of Savoy, as kings of Sardinia, owes it's e1-
istence.
When Sandman usurpation in Rome is
drawing near its end, when MaZzinlan re-
publicanism bares it's arm to strike blow, it
will not prove as hostile to the territorial
dominion of the Popes as to another roy
atty. There has already been RienEi who
ruled Rome ably, but for Pope; and the
Papal Wears once ruled the fairest and
| freest cities of Italy they OILY lost liberty
when they ceased to belong to the Church.
The possession of Rome by any Pontif is
as incon sistent with true Italian patriotism
as with Catholicity.
History knows the Pope but in two con-
ditions-as a temporal ruler, and as an OBJ
iect of persecution. Persecution may be
better for the moment than peace, but to
pray for the peace Of the Church is at all
times duty and it is impossible to pray
| for peace without praying for restoration