The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-18
MUST QUIT ROME.
M. Renan Says the Time Will Come When
Leo Must Abandon the Eternal City.

M. Renan Says the Time Will Come When
Leo Must Abandon the Eternal City,
PARIS, Oct. 1.-THE views which are
held by Frenchmen concerning the future
of the papacy are especially important at
this juncture because there are many here
who are capable of forming clear and un-
biased opinion, and who look upon the
Italian situation at particularly close quar-
ters and with more independent spirit
than is possible in Germany. Spain rItaly.
The outlook, according to these observers.
is anything but promising for the Church
of Rome. One of the most important
opinions thus far expressed is that of NJ.
Ernest Renan, who. whatever his character
in relation to religion in general, is an
acute observer of current affairs of ecclesi-
astical interest. In an interview Oh this
subject he said he considers that the
ultimate departure of the Pope from Rome
is inevitable, but that the status quo will
be maintained as long as possible. The
reason he gives for the delay of the
abandonment of the Eternal City Is that
the cardinals are conscious lnaS suGn a
up of the hold which the papacy has upon
the Roman Catholic world, and that the
certain result would be the springing up of
schisms in the church.
Italy, says NJ Renan, would not indorse
the idea of receiving directions from pope
dwelling abroad. and the wealthy cardinals
of Italy would soon weaken and die out
when the supreme pOntitf Is no longer one
of themselves and the old traditions of the
Vatican have ceased to be a present fact.
dicament, sooner or later, elect an Italian
Pope. resident in Italy, and one of their
own people.
Then would come the great cata strophe-
for, following the example Of Italy, every
Roman Catholic country would want its
own Pope, and the church would be split
into many factions. The local national di-
visions might be followed by others based
on doctrlnal or administrative differences,
and the tremendous anti-evangellcal ma
chinery of the Romish Church would be a
thing of the past.
Cardinal Layigerie, with whom also an
interview on these matters is reported, was
asked especially concerning the possibility
of electing a Frenchman to succeed Leo
XIII. He expressed the opinion that the
chair under the existing circumstances is
out of the question. and he feared the pos
sible results of such step to the homo
geneity and solidity of the church.
NJ. Renan's opinion is regarded here as
simply logical deduction from the speech
of Sig Crispi at Palermo. The uncompro-
missing attitude assumed by the Italian gov
vernment toward the Pope leaves little
doubt of the final outcome Of the strained
relations between the Vatican and the
Quirinal and the absurd attitude of Leo
XIII, with his theatrical .pretense of i'm
prisOnment only tends to hasten the down
fall of the Roman See.
An Italian pope who would accommodate
himself To the civilization of the nineteenth
century and behave like a proper citizen
Io- q Il. 80,
in Paris as an anomaly in the history of the
Roman Catholic Church. and as morally
certain to be deserted by at least majority
of the Romanists outside of Italy.