The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-03-01

OF most momentous Transformation in
the political and ecclesiastical world.
1t saw new Germany, a new France
and new America born; and a new
Italy, new Spain and a new Austria
in the throes of birth. 1t saw the
church despoiled of her temporal pos
sessions and abandoned by all the gov
( ernments of the earth, rise to be a
world power of the first magnitude. eX-
| erting sway over the destinies of
states and peoples never attained even
in the halcyon days when popes eXer-
ctSed the deposing power. Not only
have new political adjustments called
for new ecclesiastical accommodations.
| but new questions arising out of the
new relations have cast upon the pres
ent pontificate the responsibility OF
| formulating and fixing a new policy of
! the universal church, and one that will
! commit her for all time to come. We
might almost say that a new church
has been brought forth since Leo as
cended the pontiffcal throne; a church
of the people. fer the people and by
the people. The beginning of the last
century beheld the church bound hand
and foot by the chains of medievalism
Aristocracy had entered into the very
marrow of her life and discipline. She
was bound to states in concordats that
were wrung from her helplessness and
stipulated accomplishing acquiescence.
For the first time in her history she
was made to do the will of Herodian
masters to prevent her children from
being torn from her bosom. The pom
tificate of Plus TX was one of submis-
sion and protest The late pope was
betrayed by all the men he had trusted
and went to his grave discouraged
and defeated man.
Leo came upon the scene when the
fortunes of the church were most des-
perate. He lost no time repining over
the treachery of princes; he took up
the fragments of the broken sword of
Plus TX and rushed at the foe. The |
first proclamation of Leo had in 1t |
something like a ring of defiance. The |
second was a challenge to battle. Ev- |
cry succeeding encyclical has been |
bulletin of victory. He proclaimed an |
alliance of the church with the fourth
estate the people 1t was the tocsln
of war a outrance with medieYal1sm
and feudalism. The Catholic people of
the United States were just merging
into constitutionality. He called the
together in plenary council and
gave the American church a code of
laws which, if it did not provide
against all dangers of the future it at
least safguarded the progress already
attained. Leo is the father of constitu-
-ional government in the church of the
United States. The present pope came
% power almost with the French re-
public. His eagle eye saw the church's
opportunity in the death-struggle be-
ween the new and the ancient regime.
lie told the Catholics of France to
stand by the republic. The monarch
SITS were dismayed: the mobiles were
the clergy were struck
lumb. Not a reply to the papal sum
mons crossed the Alps. The church of {
france bowed, and was silent. But |
hirty years have only demonstrated l
he accuracy of the pontiff's vision and &
he business of his conclusions. Today
he church of France is in sackcloth I
nd ashes because she hearkened not
hen to the voice of her counsellor and t
riend. c
THE Protestant world had almost
that'there was a pope. Those :
Tho remembered Plus TX predicted
nat he would be the last of the ecu \
lenical monarchs. Today they ALL S
copies and princes. recognize Leo .
III as the stay of public morality a
nd the surest prop of the stability of t
II political institutions. They accept .
i'm as teacher of truth and the one t
oice which can command the present +
;onomic tempest and calm the storms
industrial discontent-a prophet sent V
Y God. The world has known him as y
'pe only twenty-four years, but TWEEN {,
-four centuries will know that he has t;
igned" {