The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-23
THE PAPACY AND THE UNITED
STATES

While there is not the slightest probability
that Cardinal Gibbons will be considered as
possible successor of Pope Leo XIII, or
will receive single vote for the office.
his presence at the holy conclave as
prelate OF American birth and the first
American cardinal ever created will I'M
douhtedly have some influence on the action
of the Sacred College 1t will be re-
minder that the new Pope should be Sc
lected with some reference to political and
moral forces which, scarcely recognized by
Leo Kills predecessors, have, during his
long reign. taken rank among the great
formative influences of the world-influences
which underlie republican government, and
especially that of the United States. The
United States of to-day is practically the
growth of Leo Kills reign When his
immediate predecessor, Plus TX, became
Pope, in 1916, the United States had no
standing among European powers and was
only known to the church as a field for
missionary work. From European and
ecclesiastical point of view it had not ad-
vanced much beyond that when Plus TX
died. in 1878. Its recognition as a world
power and as the greatest of modern po
litical forces has come wholly during the
reign of Leo XIII. During that period, also,
the Roman Catholic Church has made its
greatest progress in this country, both
numerically and in outgrowing the preju-
dice and suspicion with which it was for
merly regarded. At the accession of Leo
AIII the church in the United States was
comparatively feeble and was regarded with
more less distrust In some States it
| was subject to hostile legislation. Now the
Catholic population in the United States
and its possessions is estimated at is, S53 951,
| Of whom 11,2S9,1lO are in the United States
and 6.59599s in the Philippines. and all are
enjoying perfect religious freedom. A
| church that looks closely after the in
terests of its people and that studies the
trend of events as carefully and intelli-
gently as does the Roman Catholic Church
| will not fail to see in these changed con-
ditions evidence of the friendliness OF the
| United States. government to religious lib
erty in all its forms. and of the POSSIBLE
4 tics VI CHuf CH tApdIslOn unuer Sucn cOn4l-
| tons There are only three other countries
| that have as many Catholics as the United
| States-viz., France. Austria Hungary and
| Italy-and these do not offer anything like
| the field for church expansion that this
country does. 1t is probable, therefore,
| and the presence of Cardinal Gibbons at
| the holy conclave will emphasize the idea,
that the Sacred College will see the wis
| dom of electing Pope who recognizes the
vitality and beneficence of republican insti-
| tutions. and who is in sympathy with the
spirit OF the age as represented by this
| country and people. The time has passed
when the Catholic Church can be governed
| in the medieval spirit of some former
Popes. Even in European countries Catho-
| lies would rebel against it. and in this
country it would almost disrupt the church
| and would certainly cause a revival OF
| popular hostility to it. 1t is to be hoped
| therefore, that the presence in Rome of a
| native-born American cardinal will remind
the Sacred College of the Importance OF
selecting a Pope who, if not now in sym
pathy, is capable of growing in sympathy
with the dominant social and political in.
fiuences which prevail in this country.