The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-04-01
PROTESTS AGAINST THE CLERICAL
ABUSES BILL.
tLondon Tablet, March 1o)

From every part of Italy protests have
been made against the Bill against the
pretended abuses of the clergy. These
protests have been made both by individu-
ais and by associations. The great Catho-
lie societies have solemnly put 90 record
their indignation at the wicked aud BIAS
phem0ns insults uttered in Parliament
against the religion, which is still the sole
religion of the State, and against the Pom
tiff, who is the Head of the Catholic
Church. That meetings of the inhabitants
of every parish in Italy have not been
called together to express detestation of
the iniquitous measure which has been
prepared for the purpose of harassing the
Catholic clergy and destroying the spirit
ual power of the Pope, may be easily &C
counted for by the knowledge that such
meetings might lead TO public disturbance,
aud wonld certainly DO prohibited by the
Government The Catholic clergy would
only give n handle to their enemies and an
excuse for further persecution by en-
couragiug popular agitation against the
measures of the Government But many
of the leading Catholic mobiles and gentry
have conrageously come forward to declare
publicly their adherence of the insulting
and blaephemous language employed by
the speakers in Montecitorio, and to pro
test against the calumnies launched against
the Catholics of Italy.
Msny of the Bishops have also written
letters to Catholic Journals and to the
Pope, expressing their sorrow for the fresh
indignities launched against Piue TX and
rendering their sympathy to the prosecuted
POntiff. The newspapers have lately pub
lished an answer given by the Pope to one
of these Bishops, the Bishop of Foaaano,
who had addressed a letter to Plus TX on
the subject of the recent attacks in Parlia-
ment upon the Church. In this answer the
Pope says:
eve have just received your letter, in
which you testify your profound grief for
the impudent and iEpiOus sayings public
ly uttered, in the hall of the orators of the
people, against the Church and against the
Vicar of Jesus Christ. We consider this
your grief to be righteous, and we judge
equally righteous the sentiments of dests-
ton with which you rebuke and condemn
these sacriligious attacks, which scandalise
the Catholic people, and fill all the faithful
with heavy affection. To cay truth, the
impiety and pride of those who hate the
Church increase ever more and more, but
it is certain that such enormous iniquity
will not remain unpublished by God, the
just rewarder, who reserves to Himself the
time of vengeance, and who will repay
every one according to his works. You,
meanwhile, venerable brother, will do we'll
Co trust in the Lord with firm confidence,
and not only to wait patiently for His
mercies, but at the same time to invoke
them with assiduOus prayers offered to the
divine clemency in your diocese, in private
and in public"
The leading Catholic laymen in Italy
have not been backward in publishing
their opinions upon the disgraceful and
.eowardly assault upon their Church and
upon their chief pastor. The great nobles
who preside over the Catholic associations
In RoRe have issued formal and vigorous
Pt9tests against the Clerical Abuses Bill,
ano against the impiOus language of it's
promoters. To these protests the Catholic
n St In the provinces have given their
1uneFence in the most public manner.
levers have appeared from the chief men
IN 1nrip, Milan, Venice, Naples, Florence,
eno otner great cities, in which the chambers
upon the Italian Catholics are refuted, and
open profession made of loyalty to the
OhuIch ana TO her Head. Even men who
rarely enter the arena of polemjcs shint II
now necessary to issue from retirement
ana step forth in defence of the faith.
Thus 81 E'ena me HFaranfs Bal. = Co..,