The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-09-17
THE WAR AGAINST THE CHURCH IN
ITALY.
ILondon Tablet. August 9s }

in Italy, and the leaders of the Progressis
party stand proudly at the head Of affairs
Victor Emmanuel has admitted into his Cabi
net men whom it was supposed he viewed with
| suoh horror that he was once considered likely
to abdicate rather than employ them 80 Minis
| ters of the Crown. Baron Nicotera and Si9noI
| Melegari, whose aptecedents recall the memo.
ries Of evil days for Italy, and Of shameful out
RACES against Royalty and horrible attacks
even upon the House of Savoy, are now mum.
| bered among the trusted servants of his Ma
| jesty, and Eugene of Savoy, the Prince of Ca
| rignano, and Chairman of the Central Commit
| tee of the Conso1Eo Nszionale, or Government
| Bank of Italy, sends his compliments to Baron
| Nicotera, and nominates him q member of that
! potent financial association. Moreover, the
Socialists and Internation alists are in full pos
| session of their liberties. While meetings to
protest against the grist tax are sternly inter-
dicted, and while religious PROFESSIONS, even
the usual escort for the Blessed Sacrament
! when carried to the dying, are vigorously pro-
bibited, the freethinkers, in6dels, Commit ste,
and revolutionaries enjoy perfect liberty to as
semble in public and scatter their pestilentiai
broad-sheets throughout Italy. Two years ago
the Socialists had much worse times, and when
thirty Of them met in a country house near Ri
mini to dine together and discuss their plans
quietly over their wine, they were unceremon-
ously arrested, and were not released until
many months of rigid and cruel Incarceration.
But Signor Depretis and Baron Nicotera had
their own reasons for not prohibiting the re-
cent Internatonalist meeting at Bologna, and
for permitting the publication Of it's pro-
gramme in which 1t declared hatred and oppo-
sition to all authority, lay or ecclesiastical,
end proclaimed war against all the institutions
of the State and Of the Church. The late Min
istry was afraid of a revolution, and had good
reason to suppose an outbreak was imminent of
the discontented apostles Of freedom who had
80 materially contributed to form the kingdom
Of united Italy. One of the triumvrs of Rome,
and Mr.. Mario White, husband Of the English
preacher of feq uslity and fraternity, were among
those arrested by the Minghetti Ministry. But
Signor Depretis, and his fellow Ministers, en-
tertain no fear of the revolutionists. Their
enemy is not petroleum or the Commune, but
the Catholic religion and the priesthood. The
Internationalists are foes of the Church as well
as of the King, and are allies of the Progressist
party in the campaign against the Pope and
Christianity. And Catholicism 10 yet po werful
and strong in Italy. The Progressists feel that
nothing is secure, nothing is safe for them as
long the Church retains her hold on the po-
ulation. A sermon in parish church,
Encyclcal from the Vatican, Pastoral from a
Bishop, and the common functions of religion,
are regarded as able to destroy all the work
of the scots and of the revolutionary commit
tees. Even in the Senate, created by the King
the Catholic Church Possesses her champions,
who, although for the most part silent and sub
mssive to the course of events which they
cannot control, yet now aud then furnish ind-
cations that, if an opportunity arose, they
would resist the Innovations which they deem
ruinous to their country. Two of these sena-
tors, men highly and do.ervedly esteemed for
their bold and courageous profession of Catho-
licism, lately appeared in the Senate in Rome
to give their vote upon the question of free
ports. Lest their conduct should be misnter-
preted they published the following declsra-
ton:
We, the undersigned senators, in order to
avoid all misconception of our behavior, declare
that we went to Rome to vote upon the impor-
tant bill concerning Free Porte, without in
tending thereby to deviate in the least degree
from the principles we have always professed
much less to make, even implicitly, au act of
adhesion to. or approval of, any of the things
disapproved of by the Supreme Pontif.
(Slgued) GIUSEPPE CATALDI,
NICOLA PAvEsE.
As long as Catholicism exists in Italy, so
long will the present regime have an enemy to
combat who may at any moment overturn the
fabric raised by bad faith, falsehood, violence
and corruption. Aud this enemy must be de-
stroyed by the Revolutionists, else it will
destroy them. On this point Professor sbar-
baro. who At least has the merit of being can
did, gives decisive evidence. He says, writing
to Protestant at Naples:
ITO save liberty and Italy it is necessary to
destroy the Church. But how" he proceeds,
"oan q Church be destroyed in the midst Of
the 18Th oenturyf Alberto Mario, folio wing
EdgGrd Quinet, proposes to destroy her by the
legislation which Theodosius, Honorius and
Constantine employed against expiring pagan
Ism, and to demolish the temples of the Roman
Church, which have been converted into seats
OF rebellion against the laws of the free s tate
OF Italy. 1 do not" says the Professor, be-
iieve in the efficacy Of any such methods, nor
in their legitimacy, nor do perceive any affin-
lty between such methods and the mild age in
whlOl " ha;n