The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-23
THE POPE's

The Pope's letter to Cardinal Gibbons, the
publication of which, dispatches say.
"arouses deep interest in Rome" is likely
to have the same effect throughout the Cath
Ollie Church in this country. The fact that it
Is addressed to a Catholic prelate In the
United States and deals exclusively with
questions which nave sprung up In this
country shows the deep interest taken by
the Pope and his advisers in American
Catholicism. 1t is not the first time the Pope
has issued in encyclical relating to the in
terests of the church in this country, and it
is but fair to say that his utterances have
been generally marked by wisdom and
craftsmanship. 1t is the duty of the Pope. to
maintain the doctrines, discipline, authority
and usages of the church intact as far as
possible and to make no concessions except
such as may be required by differences Of
political institutions or social customs in
different countries. The church has always
evinced a great deal of wisdom in this re-
spect, showing that it knows how to yield
as well as to exact, how to retreat as we'll
as to advance. The present Pope is under
stood to very kindly disposed towards the
American people and government, and while
he could not be expected to abate anything
Of the authority or claims of the church.
he has shown a disposition to adapt and as
simulate them to American institutions and
ideas. In an encyclical letter to Cardinal
Gibbons in 1893, he Endorsed the position
taken by that prelate and by Archbishop
Ireland relative to public and parochial
schools. The letter was conciliatory and
cautious in tone. 1t affirmed the duty of
Catholics to establish and patronize pa
rochial schools when feasible, but said their
right TO send their children to the public
schools should not be denied. The Pope is
much too wise, even if he felt so disposed,
to antagonize an American institution so
closely interviewer with our system and so
near to the American heart as the public
schools.
The present letter seems to be intended
as a warning against allowing the authority
and discipline of the church to become un-
dermined or weakened by American ideas,
enforcing the point that If any changes are
to be made they must be made by the head
of the church and not by any of his sub
ordinates. This Is simply asserting the ira
ditional authority of the church. At the
same time the letter recognizes the neces-
sity of the church adapting itself to what
the Pope calls "Americanism," and the fact
tina he cordially approves the course of
Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop Ireland,
whose Americanism is above suspicion,
shows that the only kind of Americanism he
d~istrusts is that which would weaken the
religious authority or standing Of the
church. IF the term Americanism," says
the Pope. signifies qualities peculiar to
Americans and usages adapted to their GUS
toms, then we have nothing to say against
it, but if it signifies any departure from
the established standards of Catholic dec-
trine and discipline that is a different mat
ter. This Is all right. AS the head of the
church the Pope could not write any other
way. What effect the letter viii have in
checking the tendency of the church in the
United States to drift away from the an
cient landmarks remains to be seen. The
chances are that, as compared with the
European standard. the church will con-
tinue to become more and more American
ted