The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-02-24
d. rnIng Star and Catholic Messenger


fntentions are good, have been the dupes of O
disastrous Illusion
j When it 10 Q question Of purely political
opinions, which involve Mother faith moi
norals, be liberal 1t 10 your right, it is your
nty even. The came freedom should exist IN
DE domain Of what man, left to himself, calls
18s religions belief. The schis natio, in sepa-
Ming himself from the church, by refusing to
10y her laws and the powers which rule her
pcs himself under the government OF his
win he can but approve in others the
pendenoe be arrogates to himself The
esic attributes to himself the right to make
hoice from among the store Of revealed
10 and admitting another, be cannot refuse q
II =ailar privilege to others, under penalty OF
Dnslstsnoy. He has enthroned the apotheo
81 individual reason, which he would faip
yate above that which is divine.
LibrGlisns must then exist in the domain OF
lreiy human opinions but the term has no
banning in the domain of faith. What does
he telegraph mean, therefore. when it informs
b that such or suoh candidate to the Papacy
5 liberalf
4 II 10 easy to seize the idea of those who
spread suoh false rumors: it is meant to in
einuate that given candidate will adopt the
doctrine Of accomplished facts that the
#hurch will resign Herself and yield up Her
lights lightly,
Zion: the celebrated famous doctrine of ac.
pomplished facts has been greatly in vogue of
late but it has not been revealed by the
Holy Ghost, who proposes another doctrine, ip
airect opposition with the former and who
pads as follows: "Thou shalt neither steal
DE retain thy neighbor's goods" This doo-
ine, like truth, will remain eternal. From
eis principle, which is one of the precepts of
e Decalogue, we can deduce many oonclus
$4Ae Onr neighbor's goods have been stolen
that 10 to say, sacrilegious hand has BEEN
5s&4 upon the patrimony of Saint Peter, which
ban beings scattered over the surface of
globe.
ls an accomplished fact. cries out the free|
ker, who is fond of exhibiting his profound
dom and his great magnanimity - long asl
question of his neighbor but let the|
4&p tree. thinker fall o victim to an accident Il
highwayman snatch his purse with how
ID listen to jodgs who might pronounoeI
euoe somewhat in the following manper q
nfort yourself my friend the thief, 1t isI
10 In possession of your purse but sincej
That is not q fair illustration, however" n
gers our liberal philosopher; in such aI
the judge would have policemen at his
BAND, and they would require only word
force the deorees Of jostioe. But, is there
here below no other power, save m aterial
Have common sense and reason been
Pletely dethroned Have the opinions of
huudred millions of Catholics no lopger
weight in the scale of justicef
Ill, after all, will it perhaps be said, accord \
10 the opinion of her adversaries, as we'll
her defenders, the Church, although de-
FED OF her temporal power seems to be as
ing as ever. Yes, without doubt, to-day
Church manifests her power, in the midst
ersecution she displayed it also during
irst centuries, when she was compelled tol
1mb herself in the catacombs. Why y
Ause her children, instead of sacrificing toI
~, allowed themselves to de massacred by
nsands: A. the present time, the ff-springI
bose Christian heroes consent to suffer out.
IS OF all kinds rather than betray the voiceI
eir conscience. 1t is this courage which
p them great, and their grandeur is re.
ees8d upon the Church, their mother butt
n
t9a1ition when innocent victims are constant
Ealing beneath the executioners ak u
gidence permits trials for the good of thoI
ert an oracle emitted from divine lips tells
- That there will be scandals they will bel
10q0mplished facts; but it is also said woel
s4A am who soandalizes; certainly, there will
Prosecutions. but woe to him who perse-I
ties certainly, there will be spolistious-E
ey too will be accomplished facts, but woeI
the spoiler!
Sooner OF later the hour of justice will
sEike. When will that hour be at hand q
Fpvidence only knows.
One thing 10 certain events are following
eNsh other with fearful rapidity. Another
hg is certain too, as profound thinker hssI
erved Nan torments and worries him.
but God manages him. Another thinker,
Jess eminent, has said too, that 'sometimes.
overthrows whole Kingdom to save oneI
Tho Almighty sets an immense prioeE
this upon souls: He moves heaven and
tz1h to engender His elect.
ne preceding remarks should suffioe to-
to the ground, in presence of the doctrine
30ined in little book called the catechism
oh teaches ms that no one has the right toE
ropriate to hipse his neighbor's goods +
b it may not be out OF keeping, to make ap
additional remarks about the temporal
er of the Popes.
the first place, it is important to have .
se understanding of this PontIfcal Severe
lGnty. It has been said on another occasion
e&ae "this Temporal Power, let it be we'll un-
tood, is not q purely national sovereignty 4:
IS the sovereignty of the Vicar of Jesus Christ,
Eke Vicar Of Jesus Christ is the head Of
Dnly true religion, which is to be preached, /
lHe 70 one nation, butEo all rational creatures
aeetsered throughout the whole universe
sfqEefOre, such sovereignty is exceptional,
can never fall under the civil supremacy
any temporal ruler it is also information
because it binds together all nations by the
q Der life OF Faith, Charity, and Unity. For
-. reason the head of the Church holds an
.xSa,national position, and being extra.na-
5nal, He must be independent, and therefore
iereign, for between independence and
Fereignty no line can be drawn"
rom the foregoing elementary ideas it
uld seem that the necessity of the temporal
wer should be self-evident. The same rea.
Nvhich dernanda that ecclaaiaatioal Author.H