The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-26
POPE LEO XIII.
Cogent Reasons why His Holiness Cannot
Leave the Eternal City.

Cogent Reasons why His Holiness Cannot
Leave the Eternal City.
Rome Letter in New York sun.
Where could he go} He could not go to
France where the radical government exiles
monks and nuns, makes laws antagonstic to the
church, and ritates the Pope by the daily viola
ton of the concordat He could not go to
Austria, because, though the personal sympa-
thies of the Emperor might encourage him, the
government is no better than the French or
the italian. Spain is unsettled and fear of Don
Carlos might prevent Alfonso from offering to
Leo XIII cordial hospitality Malta is near
and England is strong but what could the Pope
do on that rock in the middle of the sea? He
would find a good opportunity to practice
his charity amoung the innumerable heggars;
but it would be very difficult for him, even pro
tected by her Majesty's ironclads, to rule from
that place the Catholic Church. If Malta is no
good, Trieste is worse. The rredentists would
soon throw bombshells into the Pontiieal res
idenee. Nor could the Pope go to Cologne and
become guest of Bismarck The astnte Chan
cellor would quickly use him for his own pur-
poses, and Leo XIII is too sharp not to see
that
Besides these objective reasons, there are per-
sonal and subjective reasons which would pre-
vent Leo from leaving Rome. He is not strong,
ana ne Is Olu his DealUn Is merely tne eIIecl Ol
good care. Already accustomed to life in the
Vatican, he would soon miss the comfort by
which he is surrounded. He would miss numer-
Gus friends, ordinary visitors, and that regular
routine of affairs which keeps him in constant
contact with every branch and almost every
spring of the administration of the church.
Leo XIII is a Pope that likes to investigate and
see to everything. He likes to speak to every
man. and to follow the execution of his orders in
the smallest details. How could he have always
at his side the numerous army of the inferior
prelatesl How could he ever see the very Secre-
taries of all the congregations, the heads of the
all those who every week appear regularly
in his presence and have to answer
for every line which requires either his signature
or his appreciation? Leo XIII takes great care
of his personal dignity. He has re-established
many things in the Vatican ceremonials which
had been neglected after 1870. The Vatican
seems to be too small for him. How could he be
satisfied with ordinary residencel
But to leave Rome is not all The Pope, before
leaving, has to consider whether there is any
chance for him to come back In the present
condition of Europe it would be very difficult for
the Pope to return to the Eternal City. Having
left Rome exile he could never come back,
except as king. No one would venture to say
that he could soou return as d king of Rome.
Italians, who would rather lose the privilege
of having the Pope at Rome than to
lose Rome as capital Of their kingdom,
would surely not offer to him absent the domin-
themselves, after the violence they would use in
getting possession of it. Other nations have no
interest in establishing the temporal power.
Revolution has spread it's ideas all over Europe.
The principles which determined the fall of tenn
poral power in Italy are not peculiar to Italians
alone. They are universally received by all
nations, and have saturated legislation itself It
would be difficult for European sovereigns to ad-
vocate the cause of the Pope, after having given
their subjects the same rights which the
Italians exercised in disposing of the dominion of
the church.
Thus it is evident that the Pope on leaving
Rome could not return except through miracu-
lous power of supernatural events. These su-
pernatural events were promised by some pious
women TO the late Pous TX; yet he never be-
leved IN such prophecies or revelations. The
last fourteen years have seen events which. far
from encouraging prophets and prophecies, have
demonstrated their complete failure.
The wisest men in Rome regret that the
clerical press has given circulation to the rumor
of the departure of the Pope. The threat has
been received with complete indifference by the
government. Despite the threatened departure
no government has taken any step to remon-
strate with the Italian government about the
propaganda affair. On the contrary public at
tention has been recalled to the Popes Difficult
ties, and people are coninced that not only the
Pope will not now leave Rome, but that, for the
good of the church and for the spiritual interest
Of souls he cannot go out of Rome.