The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-11-17
INSTRUCTIVE DISCOURSE.
Relation ,ot the Papacy to the City
Of Rome.


Rev. ]. "A. Fitzpatrick continued his
doctrinal course of instructions COM
menced some weeks ago, and spoke
substantially as follows of the rela-
tions Of the Papacy to Rome:
Why should Rome have been select
ed as the siege and the center of the
authority of the Popes?
Should not Jerusalem, where Christ
suffered and died, be the proper place
for the Popes to dwell, and from the
Fill of Calvary teach His doctrine to
all nations?
This thought no doubt suggested it.
self to st. Peter. But either knowing
that Jerusalem was not to exercise in
the future any great influence over the
great and general movement of hu-
mainly, and that it could not he a fit
place to be the siege and center of a
power which was to have i'll due time
a worldwide influence, or acting from
an interior impulse divinely inspired,
h1NihS 4 SSCh uSSIStu ollclW ISL. ALTER
Christianity was formally established
in the East. Peter quilted Jerusalem
and wended his way towards Rome
He tarried for time Mt Antioch, the
metropolis Of the Eastern world at
that time, densely populated by Jews.
and then continued his journey to
Rome, where he took up his residence
1t is said that during the persecution
he was on his way to leave the city
when, according to tradition. the Saw
Tor appeared to him, saying: "Domint,
quo vadis?" Lord, whittier goest thou?
Suffice it to say that Peter returned to
be in due time crowned Il martyr. Dur
ing the three first centuries of Chris
tianity, centuries Of persecution, I'M
derneath Pagan Rome was cXcavatel
Christian Rome, where the rich and
poor, with their pontitrs and pastors.
came together to adore in common the
same God and the same Father.
This sojOurn of death became the
source Of life, where was prepared the
salvation of the world.
| When peace again reigned when
Christianity became an honor, ana the
Popes took spiritual possession of
Rome, the emperor abandoned the city
entirely to them. Rome had been the
home of the emperOrs for centuries.
They built within it's walls all these
snmptuous and magnificent mOnll-
ments, whose ruins are so much adj
mrcd today. When-the Popes became
firmly established in Rome, the people
who became Christians felt that they
could not leave the Popes for subjects,
when they were his children.
Rome then gradually passed into
their power. until finally were formed
the Papal states under Charlemagne.
The Popes bought nothing, asked for
nothing but received CONTINUOUSLY cv-
erything from the people.
At first they protested--wcre unwill-
ing to be thus burlened, but It was
the will Of the people. The western
world had become Catholic ana there
was a nation strong. vigorous, Catho-
lie to the core to say, "While live no
one will dare interfere"
1t is sad to think that within our
own century, in fact within our own
memories, Catholic France broke her
pledge to the Papacy. Under Plus IN,
Of lovable memory, the Papal States
We're confiscated. The great offender,
Napoleon I'LL. was duly punished. He
was vanquished OH twenty battlenelds:
he lost his throne; he lost his only son.
Mt the age Of twenty, as died the son
Of the first Napoleon, as will die
everyone who lays hands OH the Vicar
of Christ.
Italy is happily and admirably locat-
cd, being almost equally distant from
the east and the west, to be the adopt
ed country Of the Popes. On one side
the Mediterranean battles its coast,
joining her to the west; on the other
the Adriatic, Joining her with the
Orient. Towards the north she touch
es France, Switzerland and Austria,
and through them is united with the
rest Of the European continent.
| Italy is also country without the
resources to make her n great nation.
She has but 25,0OO,OOO of inhabitants
and will never have any more. Hence
size never can be but a third-rnte
power. 1t is the ambition of her pres
ent rulers to make of her great
power-that explains her misery, dis
tress and discomfort. This fact is
necessary to assure the independence
of the Roman p0ntiff.
However, while Italy Is without the
resources which make powerful ma
lions. she has other gifts better than
gold and silver, oil and iron. She pos
sesses all the elements which charm,
elevate and ennoble. She Is remark
able for the beauty and variety Of her
landscape scenery, with her rich plains
Of Piedmont and Lombardy, with her
brilliant coasts of Genoa and Venice,
with her majestic solitudes of the Ro-
man campania, with her beautiful,
blue and intoxicating skies of Naples,
with her volcanoes Of Sicily and their
mysterious ruins. She Possesses for