The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-09-21


spatrimony nor sovereignty and this i
true. The Church will flourish without
the temporal power, but it will flourish
in strife and persecution. The choice
is between the Vatican and the cata-
combs. Il ;.s 5sS
A picture is sometimes held up to us
OF the Pope without any TEMPORAL do
minions ruling his Church asap 'ely
spiritual prince. free from all ea4 hly
cares and independent Of all earthly
princes; and this picture has its attrac-
tions for some Catholics; but, alluring
though it may be, it is quite impossible
of realization. The Pope could not be
the subject Of anY sovereign, and If he
resided in the dumlnlons Of any prince
he must either be subject to him, o1
possess temporal power and be an inde.
pendent sovereign. II the Pope were
residing IN the dominions Of some mon
arch, perpetual difficulties would arise
as to relations with that monarch, all
the existing questions between the
Church and the State would in his per-
son arise in tenfold. nay, in athousand-
fold greater degree. But those COM
monty propose to themselves the idea of
the Pope with absolute independe dence,
although with no special locality under
his temporal dominion. knowing what
we do Of the history and feeling Of man
kind, we can hardly think that the au-
thors Of this scheme have ever seriously
considered the possibility Of the realiza-
ton That earthly prince who would
permit the Sovereign Pontif to reside
in his dominion without attempting to
interfere with his spiritual functions.
has never vet existed, and never will ex-
list SO long as human nature remains
what it is. In short, it is a dilemma.
- If the Pope is to be subject to the
civil power of some one else, he cannot
exercise his spiritual func ctions, and il,
assuming 1t to be possible, which it is
not" he were not to be subject, he
would be an independent sovereign.
The terrible complication that would
Iensue if the Vicar Of Christ were resi-
dent in the dominions II some other
prince transcend deserip ptfon, may, al
most surpass imagination. What po-
litical intriguesl what treachory! what
con fusion The temporal power is the
shelter. the guardian and protector Of
the spiritual. Destroy the temporal
power. and you return to the times Of
persecution. The Church will not per
sish, the gates Of hell will not prevail
against her, but she will have, as in the
beginning. to exercise her spiritual
power through seas Of fire and waves of
blood. through constant struggle and
through endless persecut utions. At the
present moment, in this year Of ! Our
Lord, 1859, rulers Of the Kingdom Of
ltatY dare not grant to the people the
right OF voting. their Parliament Is
elected bY an insignificant minority Of
the nation, and the reason for this mis-
cradle mockery Of freedom is, as they
themselves admit, the intense Cathos
#llcity of the great mass Of the commn-
nifty. The real people OF Italy: are
Catholics to their hearts core, and were
they allowed to press their wishes, were
.theyIbnt entrusted with q constitution
like England or America, they would
speedily sweep out the swarm Of inf
.dels and renegades who are masquerad-
ing as the represent ntatiYes of the Italian
people. Buteven if the facts were the
reverse of what they are, it is probably
the first time n the history Of the world
that the desire of q robber for the goods
of his victim was solemnly urged as d
justification Of the robbery. The in
shabitants Of the l'apal States were well
contented with their lot, as indeed they
had good reason to be. A revolution
may be lawful under certain circum-
stances. # the people find their rulers
acting in such . way as to involve in
fact the moral and social existence Of
the State. Jhe people in self. defense are
justified insp ecting tfem elves. And
SO has the Church judged again and
again; but not only was there no justis
fcation for . revolution ia the Papal
States, but in fact there was no revoiu-
1tien. BY force, by the guile and arms
of foreigners was, the Holy Father de-
nrIvtfl rf his f1f1nlir II Rilt. thfn III Tlts