The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-06-03

the several DlOcoSeS OF the CaCnOllC
world. Revolutions have wrested
from it sacred endowments bequeath-
ed to it in past ages; it receives at
the present time only so much as the
faithful voluntarily remit into it's
treasury
This present year Catholics should
be more than usually liberal in their
contributions in aid of the Holy Fa-
ther.
This present year is the fiftieth an
niversary of the fatal date when
parliament in Turin decreed that the
Holy See should be shorn Of it's tenn
poral power, despoiled of the tenn
poral possessions, the consecrated
gift of centuries, which had enabled
it to bear the burthen of the govern
ment of the Church without appeal to
the generosity of the Catholic world
To commemorate the fatal date the
Italian government makes in the City
of Rome special rejoicing. At the
opening of the festivities, the Mayor
of Rome sounded the keynote: it was
in purpose an effusive protest against
the Papacy-not only against that
Papacy that once held the civil sway
over Rome and adjacent territories,
but even more so against the Papacy
that today, as it did yesterday, and as
it will do tomorrow, rules and guides
the spiritual destinies of men and ma
tions. During the year 1911, in its
own City of Rome, insult and Oppro-
brium are the bitter portion of the
Papacy: it behooves it's loyal subjects
the world over to offer to it with
more than usual warmth their flial
homage, to honor it with more than
usual generosity with their tokens of
devotion and love.
The burthen of asserting the indie
pendence of the Pontifcate, at all
cost, under every sacrifice, devolves
upon Plus X. The Italian government
cries out to him: Be with me in my
assumption of authority over Rome;
accept the situation such as I have
! forged it; and my treasury is open
to your needs. But, what the conse-
quences? The Pontiff of all peoples,
he who by his mission as the Vicar
of Christ is to teach truth and justice
to all tribes and all nations, should
become the subject of one people, the
dependent of one political power. To
merit hearing from all peoples, the
Supreme Pontiff must be free of sus-
picion of subserviency to any one peo,
pie, free from the peril of being even
seemingly controlled by any one civil
power. Visible, clearly-shown indie
pendence is essential in the normal
headship of the Universal Church
This independence was formerly Sc
cured to the Pontificate by it's civil
princedom. It's civil princedom is now
taken from it: and there is given nc
other substantial guarantee that indie
pendence is still its appanage, still its
glory. Plus x were false to his high
mission as the religious teacher ot
mankind, did he for moment &C
quiesce in the spoliation, did he for {
moment by word or act acknowledge
himself the subject of the King OF
the Paliament of Italy. Hence, as be
, fore his time Piux TX and Leo XII
4 were wont to protest, Piux x nov
, protests against the decree of the
; Parliament of Turin of fifty years ago
against the festivities which today
{ commemorate the issuance of the de
, cree. The protest of Piux x is the
| assurance to the world that he is no
! the subject of the invader of his civi
princedom; that, whatever be the
chains of subsection cast around The
portals of his palace, he is still free
: and independent, still the untram
J meled teacher of all peoples and O.
all nations. The protest is spoken fol
, the sake of the Catholic world the
} Catholic world needs the magisteria
) freedom and independence Of the Pom
, tiff: the Catholic world owes to Plus
!. in return for his protest, the sympa
: thy and the succor that will permi
: him to maintain it.
= AS an evidence of their allegiance
r to the Sovereign Pontiff, and of thei
7 acknowledgment of his divine righ
: to supreme freedom and independ
= ence in the exercise of his Headshil
e as teacher of faith and morals, to tn,
/ Universal Church, the Catholics o
e the Diocese of st. Paul, in common
s. with Catholics the whole world will
/ am confident, make an unusuall,
e large offering of Peters Pence in thi
= year of 1911.
i Accompanying the presentation t
; the Holy Father of the Peters Penc
e for 1911, there will be sent to him
d special letter, in the name of tn
e Catholic people of the Diocese, tellin
him of their love and veneration fo
s him, and imploring upon them hi
e most heartfelt blessing.
= This letter will be read at the se1
e eral masses in the churches of tn
s Diocese on the Sunday preceding Pei
r tecOst Sunday-the day on which th