The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-23
LEO XIII

dInei OulCl WAS memOer OF the
Order of the Jesuits. He was one of the
most eminent and learned members of
that society. He was on the most friend
ly terms with Plus TX, with whom he diff
fered in opinion on important points but
IN his views of the proper policy of the
Roman Catholic Church, he was in full
sympathy with Leo XIII on the acces-
sion of this dignitary to the Papal chair.
In 1874 he had given in Florence some
lectures of an exegetical character on the
books of the New Testament, which were
much admired, and which he subsequent
ly published in four volumes, to which he
prefxed Preface (printed separately as
cheap pamphlet), which created pro-
found stir in Church circles 1t was a
most extraordinary paper to emanate
from Jesuit priest.
1t is maintained in this pamphlet that
the Pope ought to relinquish the claim to
the temporal power, which, the author
says, has been taken away from the
Church by Providence as punishment
for having abused the gift. THERE'S, he
urges, no human probability that it will
be recovered. The Church should turn.
its energies in another direction. namely,
to the re-establishment of the Christian
conscience, which, by its fault, has per-
ished among the nations of Europe: the
mission of the Church is on this line.
The writer draws up terrible indict-
ment against the Church of Rome1,
charging that the present generation,
which has gone so widely astray, was
reared and instructed in her own schools;
that true faith has become dead in the
hands of the ministers of the Italian
Church; that frivolous and unmeaning
ceremonies have usurped in worship the
place of the spiritual religion taught by
the Apostles; that the clergy are ignor-
ant, worldly, and lacking in earnestness.
" What the Church has to do is to ad-
dress herself totis viribuS to the extension
o. her purely spiritual influence"
For this pamphlet Father Curci was
expelled from the company of the Jesuits,
and he sought in vain to retire from the
world into the Basilian monastery of
Grotta Ferrata. But the superior re-
fused to receive him.
In the meantime Gioachino Pecci was
elected to the Pontifcal Chair, to succeed
Plus TX, who died in February, 1878,
and it was from Cardinal Giuseppe Pecci,
librarian of the Vatican, and brother of
the new Pope, that the ex-Jesuit priest
received shelter. He was invited by
Cardinal Pecci to share his apartment in
the Vatican.
1t is very evident from this that the
Pope was in sympathy with Father Curci,
which fact farther appeared when the
latter, short time afterwards, published
his new translation of the Gospels, pre-
fixing to it Preface which reiterated the
doctrines of the former. Pope Leo XIII,
as we are told by writer in the Edi7s-
6W'gh ReOiea0, purchased many copies of
this work, and gave them as presents to
number of ecclesiastical seminaries.
The same Review informs us that in
1880 an English resident in Rome had
long conversation with Father Curci, in
which the latter told him that there
ought to be frank recognition on the
Pope's part of the sovereignty of the
King of Italy, and Of his own duty, as a
Christian and priest, to submit himself
to the ruler appointed by God. On some
doubt being expressed as to the practical
bility Of such course, in view of the
Pope's position in the matter, Father
Curci replied, TIE Pope thinks on this
subject as / do.
But the Pope has changed his views
He suddenly advises the Catholics that
they are not to particle pate in the Italian
elections, when, as was understood, con-
trary policy had been previously deter
mined on. He suddenly gives up spend
ing the autumn, as he was advised by his
physician, at Frascati, for his health, and
a. he had resolved to do because he can
not afford to have it appear that he is
not imprisoned in the Vatican.