The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-28
THE AMERICAN COLLEGE AT ROME.
Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Gibbons
Regarding Its Proposed ConliscatiOn.

Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Gibbons
Regarding Its Proposed ConfiscatiOn.
Baltimore Special.
Archbishop Gibbons has issued the following
pastoral letter regarding the proposed contisca-
ton of the American College in Rome:
To the Clergy and Laity Of the Diocese, Health and
Benediction in the Lord;
Dearly Belovel-It would be gratifying to on the
present occasion if had to write you only the
pleasant memories bring back with from visit
to the Eternal City and to pour out our heart to you
in gratitude for the loving manner in which you vel
coined home. But duty compels us to turn our
thoughts to graver subjects, and to inform you that
by virtue of judgment of the Court of Cessation of
date the 26th of January 1884 the American College
in Rome is in danger of being conhscated by the gov
eminent of Italy. 1t is true that the burses
this country and beyond their reach but the build
ing which purchased for the students and fitted
up for them by of the contributors of you and
your fellow Catholics throughout the Union is IN dan
ger Of eonfscaton.
Nor is this all The same fate is impending over all
the real estate of the Congregation of the Propaganda
They preside the missions and transact all their
ecclesiastical business with the Holy See. The con-
gregation erected in Rome in the year 1922 un-
der the above name To enable this congregation to
promote the work Of the missions and transact their
ecclesiastical matters gratuitousy the faithful richly
endowed with legacies and donations Now is the
intention of the Italian government to deprive the
missions Of these benefits and to appropriate the prop
erty of the congregation to itself.
To palliate the odious action of the government,
and if possible to deceive the minds of the public,
statement has been made that this measure is not
confscation but conversion. Even if it were true
it would still be violation of the rights of property
to compel us or our trustees to make an exchage
against wills, and the violation IS aggravated
when we consider that the exchange they offer us is
not to be the money which they will receive from the
sales but bonds of their government which we
know to be hostile to u.s. and which have reason to
believe to be unstable. But by whatever name they
may call it, know that the is equivalent to
a confscation. The law which they propose to
apply to this property is the law of the 18th OF
August. 1867, by which the government eventu-
ally gained possession of the property of the
monastc ORDERS and by which the real estate of the
propaganda forced into the market under eccesiast
cal ban, would not bring its real value. The expenses
for converting the property and the taxes its adj
ministration great that they amount to nearly
oneha of the principal and the bonds that represent
what remains are negotiable placed the dis
posal of the propaganda noris there anything given it
in return except the pary and interest of the
government. 1t can be easily foreseen that financial
embarrassment the ascendency of hostile party, or
many other contingencies happen which would
suspend the payment of the interest altogether, and
ready plea can always be found in some alleged dis
loyalty of the congregation; and besides if this
were to continue we would no longer have any secu
rty for investments of money in Italy.
1t cannot be called an intermeddling in the proper
jurisdiction of foreign government if we
endeavors to prevent them from appropriatng our
property. We had intention of enrching the Ital
ian exchequer when asked you to contribute your
offerings. The title of the building known as the
American College may have been placed in the name
of the propaganda for convenience and security but
nevertheless the fact remains that it WAS purchased
and htted up by the contributions which you ana your
fellow Catholics made and it is in reality the property
of Americans, and the propaganda is international
institutions its aims are internatona-the diffusion
of Christianity and of Christian civizaton-and it
received no endowment whatever which not in
tended for that purpose.
Three grave interests of ours are involved in the
fortunes of this congregation-the expeditions and
gratutous transaction of all ecclesiastical affairs
with the Holy See, the prosperity of our American
College, and the education of other students for
American missions in the Urban College, which is the
property of the propaganda. 1t was in consideration
of the privilege extended to by the propaganda of
admitting students gratuitousy to the benefit of
its lectures that American College was
founded, and some of the most distinguished eccle-
sastics that appear in the history of the American
church and of diocese students of the Urban
College. This, moreover is subject that appeals not
only to yourselves and to your fellow Catholics
throughout the missions but also to every lover of
right and of humanity throughout the world; for
after the church itself there exists to-day
no greater organization for the diffu,
civilization for drawing together in the
peaceful harmony of one common family all classes
and varieties of men, than the propaganda. Repre-
sentatives of every cline to be found within the
walls of its university and when they return their
homes they carry back with them in their hands the
burning torch of Christianity and civilization and in
their hearts the feelings of faith and hui
manity. They carry with them may be to distant,
rowing tribes, the literature of century and the
poygiot press of the propaganda places the standard
works of fortytwo languages at their disposal 1t is
more by means of institutions such this that
hope TO promote feelings of universal peace and fra
ternity than by the angry work of armies Who,
then, without feeling OF regret or Indignation can
contemplate the idea of such noble institution after
doing its good work Of promoting among men, of
good will for nearly 300 years, falling at last vic
tim of injusticel Even Napoleon who seemed to have
respect for nothing that could furnish him with
means for carrying his ambitious campaigns,
had too much reverence for the propaganda to de-
spoil it.
Humanity has certain rights and interests in com
mon and surely the protection of the propaganda is
one OF them In the face of these difficulties would
not have you lose heart fear that Christ will
allow the stormtossed bark to be wrecked, but we
would eXhort you to call aloud on him in prayer to
awake to arise and judge His cause and to scatter
these bold enemies of His the wind scatters the
dust before its face And at the time ought to
make every legitimate appeal topubic sentiment and
not to suffer property and interests to be
wrested from without struggle 1t cannot be
that Jealous of the rights of the least
of its citizens could allow to be violated without
protest, and we look for protection from it. And
who knows but that, in the providence of God the
glory of saving the propaganda may rest second
time on the banner of country
The reverend pastors will please have this pastoral
read to their people the first Sunday after receiving it,
Given at our residence in Baltimore on the Feast of
st. Benedict, 1884.
JAMES GIBBONS Archbishop of Baltimore