The Irish standard., 1913-08-16

not be palmer, more emphatic. more
authoritative. with regard to the
rights Of the civil power. it's indepen-
dence within its proper zone Of action.
i, The position of the Catholic church,
L consequently of Catholics, toward the
nation or state, is defined in clearest
terms by the highest authority Of the
church. What is to be feared from the
Catholic church? To priest, to bishop
or to pope, who-I am willing to con-
slider the hypothesis-should attempt
to influence the citizen beyond the
range OF their own orbit of jurisdic-
ton, that Of the. things Of God, the
). answer is quickly made-Back to your
own sphere of rights and duties-back
to the things of God! Or. in like man
ner. should the state, or Its officials. in
law or in act step beyond the frontier
of temporal jurisdiction and dare lay
.- hands upon things spiritual and di-
j .,vine, the answer is-Beware; touch
- e:not the things which God has reserved
$50 His duly appointed representatives
in the spiritual order.
A recent proclamation from an anti
.... Catholic association in America reads:
s.. I'VE hold that no citizen is true
patriot who owes superior temporal
allegiance to any power above that Of
his obedience to the principles of the
:" constitution of the United States"
:. The. shaft is loosed against sup
s.. posed tenet of the Catholic church: It'll
pierces the vacant air: it is missive
81 OF pitiable ignorance.
~ sovereignty exercised for ages in al
= part Of Italy by the Roman Pontiffs,
:: still claimed by their successor as an
=, International right? But in the states
y;of the church the pontiff was king as
" we'll as pontiff. To his own kingdom
his temporal rule was strictly limited.
Beyond the frontier Of his own states.
he claimed no civil or political power:
none was allowed him by the most
Catholic Of nations. by the most loyal
q. Of Catholic believers
,6v Is the issue that of happenings in
=" lges. when bishops and popes, the
sole visible tenants of authority able
to wrest tribes and peoples from chaos
and anarchy. were compelled by social
needs and popular appeals to sit as
civil lawmakers and judges-when
the crozier and the tiara were the sole
arms to stem the onslaught Of imper-
), ial and regal despotism, and peoples
In despair cried to them for mercy
and help-or in ages when Christen-
dom was of one creed In faith and
morals, and special gifts of power
were made to the Papacy, willed by
all as an international arbitrator and
peace-maker-when special opportun-
tiles for beneficial intermingling OIL
the spiritual and the temporal In the
life Of nations were created for the
Papacy, to which it was bound to give
heed under penalty of betraying the
.behests OF charity and of justice. and
turning back from the face of the
earth the up-welling stream Of culture
and civilization? But into past ages
., I do not now hold the fleld-glass of
=. scrutiny. although, were to do so,
I were readily able to descry glorious
work done by the Papacy, and to the
wondering eye of a more modern
:. world show it to have been ever the
guardian Of personal and social rights.
- ever the foster mother Of popular lib
:erty and popular Justice. ever the re-
- splendent mirror of Him, Of whom
lit was written-"tIe passed by, doing
good" MY contention is-the Papacy
and the church when and where, asl
IN America, a new social order has
arisen, within which the state or the
nation Wills to live of its native life
and rights. and the church, freed from
j; burthens imposed upon it by social
phases Of other times and other places,
= willingly betakes itself to the folds Of
its own mantle. to the circle Of its
~ own spiritual orbit saying with its
Founder and Master-'sTo Caesar the
things that are Caesars, to God the
things that are Gods"
And now, in America, some do say,
that the pope Of Rome is ambitious
Of temporal rule over America. of
planting here the ''Yellow and White"
- instead Of :the Star-spangled Banner;
e that priests and bishops are active
l. asents OF his yearnings; that Catho-
lies dream Of the day when his com
mand in civil and political matters will
sway White House and Capitol; that to
y this intent associations are nightly be.
tin o. t,x,