The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-28
PRUSSIA AND THE POPE.

An Important Official Document Intended to
Settle a Long-Standing Difficulty.
NEW YORK, April GA letter from Rome to
the Sun gives a full translation of the official
note of the Holy See to M. De Monts, charge
d'affaires of Prussia in Rome. This is one of the
most important official documents that ever ena-
mated from the papal authority, and is intended
to settle long and formidable difficulty by end
ing the Kulturkampf, and is as follows
I'm his last note of the 26th of last month,
the undersigned, Cardinal Secretary of State,
gave his Excellency, the Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary of Prussia to under
stand, that as soon as the bill actually contem-
plated, together with the known charges, was ac-
cepted and promulgated, the bishops should be in
structed to make known to the Prussian govern
ment the names of ecclesastcs who to be called
as parish priests to discharge the functions OF their
ministry in such parishes as are now vacant
The note added that if, as was to be hoped. a re-
ligious peace was concluded, this practice of no
tifying might be continued in the future. This
modus procedendi manner of proceeding) has
arisen from the consideration that although the
contemplated bill. with its last amendment, does
contain fundamental notifications, the impor-
tance OF which are willingly acknowledged, il
cannot, nevertheless, be admitted that religious
peace has been completely restored, SO
long as other dispositions of tho pre-
ceding legislation. of which no mention
is made in the bill as at prasent drafted. are
allowed to remain. For this reason it ia thought
that the notifying of the government about the
parish rectorships actually vacant was an i'm
portant advance. and that by such progressive
accord we were preparing the ground for COM
plete religious peace, whereby the permanent
authorization OF these notifications is placed on
level corresponding with the condition of per-
feet order which the Holy See desires to see es-
tablisbed as soon as possible. Catholics. on
their side. would not see with pleasure the Holy
See granting such permanent authorization be-
fore they are given to enjoy the beneht OF a
definite religious peace Hence great reliance is
placed on considerations derived from the very
nature of the matter In question, and which
found their expression in the preceding docu-
ments of the Holy See. Meanwhile it has been
ascertaned from various sources, and especially
from the last declaration of his Excellency.
Prince Bismarck, that the projected bill. with
its last amendments. would find great difficulty
in being adopted by the majority In Parliament
if the Holy See did not, from the
present time authorize permanent notif-
the gravity of this painful situation, would
propose to the Prussian government, means
of dimishing the difficulty ou both sides, to CON-
plete the present bill by revising the former
dispositions not mentioned in this bill. so as to
afford ground to hope for complete restoration
of religious peace The realization of this pro-
posal would entirely satisfy the Holy Father,
and would be received by Catholics With so sin
cere a JOY that his Holiness could, from this
moment, concede the permanent notification.
If, nevertheless, under existing circumstances,
the revision of the May laws cannot be accom-
plshed in the manner aforesaid. as soon as the
undersigned Secretary of State has received the
assurance that this revision shall be undertaken
in the very near future, the Holv See Will grant
the permanent notification In the sense of the
answer given in the note of March 26, to the
third question asked by the Prussian legation in
its note of the same date. As to this third
question the Holy See intends to leave the govs
ernment free to fully explain to the diocesan
authorities the motives alleged for excluding the
person proposed when the government be-
ieyes the definite nomination OF such Z