The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-07-24

tereSt IN the social QuSSllOnS aSlldllHS
the world of today, and in an encyclical
issued in December, 1878. appealed to
intellectual forces of Catholicity to !
contest the propa ganda Of doctrines
which his holiness described a. Subser-
Went Of social order, alluding especially
to the socialists in Germany and the
nihilist movement in Russia.
The cooperation afforded by the |
Pope to the various governments in
opposing the growing forces Of social
democracy paved the way for the set
tlement of disputes existing between |
these governments and the Vatican, |
both spiritual and civil authorities be |
ing, as it were, called upon to merge
their differences and make common |
cause against the common enemy. The |
first great political achievement of the
pope was the settlement of the differ
enceS with Germany, which had given
rise to the famous kulturkampf.
The rapid spread Of anarchic doc
trines in Germany and the attempts
made upon the emperOrS life in 1878
induced Prince Bismarck to make ap-
proaches to the Ultramontane party to
secure their support for his economic
policy. Herr Falk, The famous author
Of the May laws, was removed from
office, and other concessions were
made to the Catholics. Finally diplo-
matte relations with TIC Vatican were
| resumed and the date Emperor Fred
erck, then crown prince signaliZed
| the restoration of an harmonious un-
derstanding by visiting the pope at the
Vatican. A still greater tribute was
paid by Germany TO bis holiness by
! her selection of him as arbitrator in the
l to wi rHi ha
| line Islands and her Geferential accept
| ance Of his decision in favor Of the
| weaker power.
| ACTED AS ARBITRATOR.
| His success in this arbitration in
| duced the pope to declare his readiness
| to act as arbitrator IN other disputes
| for the benefit of the whole of Europe
| and Of Christianity, rut for this his
| holiness declared it 20 be essential that
he should be restored his liberty as an
| independent temporal sovereign. This
| demand, however met with no re-
| sponse as far as foreign governments
| were concerned and the hopes which
| had been expressed IN some quarters
| that the German emperor's visit to
| the pope in 1888 might lead to Germany
| advocating the temporal claim of the
| holy see were soon Gissipated. The
pope himself, in a letter to the German
| bishops, declared that he regarded the
presence of the Emperor William in
| Rome as the guest Of the Quirinal as a
'deplorable recognition of accom-
! plished facts"
The interests of the triple alliance
were not compa tible with those of the
Vatican, and even Catholic Austria
| could not afford to offend Italy by es-
pousing the popes cause although the
| Emperor Francis Joseph abstained
! from visiting King Hun?bert in the city
| of Rome and thereby recognizing the
legality OF the Italian occupation.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature
| of the late pope's policy was the
| change in the attitude which the Vati-
| can had hitherto preserved IN regard to
| the French republic. At the begin
| ming of Pope 1eO'S reign the identifica-
| ton of the clergy with the royalist
| movement which gave rise 20 Gambet-
| ia famous remark: lie clericalisme,
Viola IEnnuiH had cused an antago-
| nlsm to all that saVOred of religion,
| which at one time bid fair to lead the
| early separation of church and state in
| France. Alive to the danger of the
| the republic by acknowledging it as
! the eSta bliShede legal form of govern
ment, and in 1891 the late Cardinal
| LaVlgerie gave expression to his holi-
| ness views on this subject, to the great
| surprise of the Catholic press and the
| perturbation of not a few members of
| the French Episcopate.
SPREAD THE CATHOLIC FAITH.
While thus engaged in political nego-
| tlatlons with various countries reuuir-
| ing the greatest address and dexterity
| the late pope paid special attention to
| the actual work of propagating the
| Cathohc faith. and no pontlfical REIGN
| since the reformation has witnessed
| such a recrudescence Of Catholicism
| or such an extension of the spiritual do
minlon OF the Cathohc church especi-
| ally IN English-sDeaking countries
| AS q" example Of this may be cited
the numerous pilgrimages which came
10 the External City from all parts of
| the world, for instance, at the time Of
| the celebration. December 90 1897 of
the jubilee Of the popes ordination to
the "iesthood. The jubilee service in
| st. Peter on that occasion was at
| tended bv $4,000 persons. At the mass
| the pope used a golden ever and basin
| presented to him by the late Queen
| victoria and wore a tiara given by the
| emperor OF Germany His holiness also
| wore magnificent diamond ring sent
| him by the sultan of Turkey as a per
| sonaI mark OF his good will and pleas
J ure.
| In February, 1900, the pone issued an
| encycllcal on Americanlsrn which
! caused much discussion. and in June,
| 1901. he issued a letter on labor which
| also aroused much interest
| On March 3. 1902 the late Done took
| part in the public celebrations in honor
! Of the twentv-fourth anniversary of
| chapel in the basilica of st. Peters.
! on which o~rasion he was greeted by
! 0.006 persons. This was the first time
| a chapel had been held in the ba-
| silica since 1870. such ceremonies hav-
| ing heretofore taken place in the Sis
| tine chapel. Thirty cardinals were
! among those present.