The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-11
THE eAPACY AND NATIONALITY,
fope Leo and the United states-The Ex-
tlnetlon OF Cahcnslylsm ne = Power.

Cardinal Ledoshowski to the post OF Project OF
tho Propaganda, the highest ONCE In Rome.
there was general surprise. 1t was constantly
repeated that 1t was II coup Ts.ni: but the
mystery was cleared away almost i'm m ediately.
The attitude Of the new Red Pope toward the
United Statcs revealed tho plan OF the White
Pope to break with routine AMI the old
system. A man thoroughly informed In
regard to tho Affairs OF tho Vatican tells mo
hat Leo XIII. was especially thinking OF the
United States. to which he wished to apply his
policy OF pence, union and faithful collaborn-
ton. The letter which Cardinal Ledochowski
recently addressed to the American bishops
on national unincation IL perhaps tho strong
est political document that has ever boon is
sued from Rome. 1t constitutes not only n
good Office but It 10 n great historical act. In
the first place. It Is the death OF Cahcnslyism
under all its forms. But the German party
has not disarmod. When Cardinal Gibbons
recently returned thanks to tho Holy 500 In
the name Of all tho Archbishops OF the United
Statos Nj. Cahonsly sent q rcfutation and
memoir to tho Vatican. In which. under the
pretext OF retreatin.s, he maintained his pro-
Gramme in u m.lder form: but the party Is
MORALLY hurt And 1t IL well. 1t pro-
ceeded with astounding boldnoss. Tho tho.
ologian OF the group. Zimmerman. In
the German Jesuits' review Simmer aus
Maria Laach Of Freiburg has just codlnrd
In n doctrinal style these projects Of dom
ination In an article entitled Sire d'chten
nut M' Rassen md Ndtionalitien Frdor in Nord
Ame,ikn: and In this article there is revealed
the leading inspiration OF Cahonsyism which
Is to create German. italian. and slavonlc
States In the United States.
will not tho Germans, tho Italians. and tho
Slavs." no asks Mt tho close. probably form
In the course OF time separate States by drift
Ing away from tho Anglo Americans. II tho
latter do not become absorbed by tho now
nHtionulitics2" This conclusion. which Is IL
wish and n manifesto. explains Cahcnslyism
and the wise and firm intervention OF Eomc.
But Lev MIL hns n still higher aim. His
appeal for national I'm iflcation Is founded upon
| q traditional conception Of the Holy See
In his Wow the United States have reached
the period whom It becomes necessary to bring
about tho fusion OF all tho Heterogeneous
elements In one homogeneous and indis-
soluble nation. Statesmen IRE prcoccupied.
and very properly. with the multiplicity OF
centrifugal forces which threaten the repub.
lie with disintcgraion. Enemies mako
| use OF this latent danger to accuse the
foreign Catholics OF having n tendency
| to form n state within the State 1t
| is for this reason that the Pope wants the
| Catholics to provo themselves tho most
!
national unity and political assimilation. Ger
tain incidents havo given n bnd color to the
| loyalty OF some foreign groups All doubt
| upon this subject ought to disappear. The
, Church has always been the able collaboration
| OF all people in tho work of national unity. 1t
| was she that constituted. through the efforts
Of Popes and Bishops. tho great political
bodies and the great national organ
| izations. The most united races and
tho most solid populations. politically
and nationally. nrc those who hnve most pro-
foundry felt the salutary action OF the Papacy
and the Church. France Is the typical ex-
ample OF thi. law Of history. II Italy in the
middl, ages did not take advantage OF this in
comparable benefit was II not because the
jealous States intcrferei with tho work OF
un0rntion Of the Church and Of tho loman
! Iontifrs'
America fools tho urgent need Of this work
| Of internal fusion. Formed OF q mosaic OF
races and nationalities. she wants to be n ma
| ton. a collective being ono. strong and united
| What tho Chu oh las done In the past for
others. she will do for the United States.
Nations understood in this way were I'M
known before the appearance Of Christianity.
| 1t was christianity that created nations The
ancients did not know them. Egypt. China.
| and old Caaldcn wore in NO sense ma
| tons. Classic antiquity had municipal re-
| puLlics and royalties. considerations OF
| local republics and enpiros: but
| there was very little or no nation in thom. in
the sense in which wo Christians understand
the torn. Athens. Srnrta. Tyre were nll litto
ccntros OF admirable patriotism. but they
were merely communities with comparatively
restricted territory Gau Spain. and Italy
were collections OF populations often loucued
together. but without central institutions.
| ,tn., MI.
| tho empire Of Alexander wore not cOun-
tries. Tho Roman empire came perhaps
tho nearest to being nation. In
return for tho immense benefits Of the
| cessation Of wars. the Roman domination. ut
| first so hard. became rapidly loved. 1t was
| grand association. SYNONYMOUS with order.
| peace. and civilization. In tho later days Of
| ancient Rome there were lofty souls. learned
| Bishops. and true sentiment OF Roman peace
| opposed to the threatening chaos OF bacDarism.
| But the nation roaly only dates from Chris
| tianity and the middle ages. Tho people
| formoI by Christianity show nj that race. in
| forests. geography. or tho diT-.onc, OF origins
| could not constitute nation nation
| is soul. Two thing, which. strictly
| speaking. form ono. constitute that soul. Ono
| is in tho past: tho other in the present. One
| Ia In tho posses Spn in common OF rich her
| ita.e OF traditions: tho ohsr is tho actual con-
| sent. tho desire to live together. tho wish to
| continue to improve like the heritage received.
| To have common glor"s in the past. ono COM
mon desire In tho present: to have accom-
| p,ishel great things together: t. wish to me-
| complish still moro-thcsc nro tho essential
| conditions OF n people. Mon love each Other
| In proportion to tn, sacrifices that they havo
mnde and the wrong that they have suffered
| A nation is. therefore. II grand'so!aarity con-
stltutcd by the sentiment Of lahors done and
sacrifices made. with the Willingness to make
them again. 1t can be rcdaced In the present
| to one tangible fact: the consent coupled Win
tho desire clearly Expressed to continue TO
| 1.-Two in common.
That Is the reason why tho Holy 500 "ncour-
| ages tho American clerGy to guard IehionS'y
tho solidarity and to labor for the fusion OF all
| the foreign and heterogeneous elements IN ono
| vast national family. Tho American church
| furnishes and must furnish mt the present
| time the proof that Christianity Is the school
| Of rat iotism and OF national sentiment. By
continuing n favor this work 81 HnilicAtion II