Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-22
BOOKS
Answers Question
of Why the Pope Is
Always an Italian
Not Demanded by Laws of Holy
See, but Matter of Ira
dition.

with the death of Pope Plus X. and
the coming conclave to elect a new
head of the Roman Catholic Church,
the question is again heard, why al
ways an Italian Pope?''
Rev John E. Graham, in a recent
issue of the Catholic Review, of Balti-
more, has this to say Of the question:
"As this question is periodically
mooted, or at least touched upon, by
the press-whenever the Pope holds
a consistory-it may be interesting TO
our readers to learn why it is that
Italians are invariably chosen for the
papacy But, first of all. il should be
borne in mind that. while as a mat
ter of fact, none but Italians have
been elected since the year 1882, there
has never been any legislation on the
subject. and there is no obligation
on the part Of the Cardinals TO choose
an Italian. 1t Is not a matter of pre-
eeription, but merely a tradition. we
should remember, too, that while
there exist the best reasons in the
world for holding to this tradition, II
Is not at all necessary to the per-
manence of the Church, since Christ
Himself has promised that she VIII
never fail. II is then a question rather
of expedience or convenience, than OF
necessity. With these premises we
shall state briefly the chief reason
for the custom. In the year 1905,
Bertrand de Got, archbishop of Bor-
deaux. was elected Pope Clement
VI by the influence of Philip ". OF
France.
Notwithstanding the urgent solicit
ho rdf Is (fiaVOp1f
clined to go to Rome, had the cere-
mony of his coronation performed at
Lyons, and fixed his residence at
Avignon In this city, although not
then within the kingdom of France,
the Papal See fell under an irksome
dependence on the French court for
more than seventy years-a period
termed by Italian writer's the Baby
lonish Captivity of the Papacy.
Meanwhile Rome, deserted by the
Popes, passed under the tyrannical
yoke of the petty mobiles, whose
armed dependents kept the city in
perpetual turmoil. Anarchy reigned
supreme disorders of every kind.
tumult and robbery prevailed every
where.
In consequence of these disorders,
the people and the clergy of Rome,
being the first 10 suffer from the
withdrawal of the Popes, and the
consequent wretched state of the !
church and her possessions, deter /
mined to put an end to such condi- +
tons So, when Gregory XI. was in (
dueed to return to Rome, the Romans /
naturally sought to insure themselves
against future desertion by barring ]
foreigners from the See of Peter, and .
securing the election of Italians who |
would have no interest in forsaking /
the Eternal City This Is the his
forical reason and origin. the primary |
motive for the choice OF Italian
Popes and this motive was closely /
connected with the temporal power of /
the Papacy. The Pope was supreme !
and free in his own domain, while,
within the realm of another SOW
ereign, he was hindered and ham
pered in the exercise of both his (
spiritual and his temporal duties and /
right
The sojourn of the Popes at Avig- |
non had proved that conclusively. |
The French monarchs We're con-
stantly striving to make a political /
tool of the Papacy; to make the !
Popes a party to their schemes and /
and ii required men of I'M
usual strength TO resist the pressure
everlastingly brought to bear on
them.
But. it may be asked, hasn't that /
reason ceased to have any standing 1
since the loss of the temporal power?
And it may be answered, no, it hasn't.
It is probable that no present day 4
of whatever nationality, 4
would care to run the risk of bring
ing back evil days Of the Ayignon re-
gime by leaving Rome; but such
thing is not impossible; 1t is not wise
to take chances in a matter of such
vital Importance. Even today, with
his temporal sovereignty gone, and /
with all the rank injustice melted out
to him by the Italian government, the
Pope is probably freer in Italy than
he would be anywhere else.
Were the seat of the Papacy re- /
moved to another country, is it at all
unlikely that rulers of that country
would try to emulate the policy of
Philip the Fair and his scarcely less
successors? OF course,
the Church would still subsist and
thrive even if the Papal See were
transferred to Toxic; but the point
is would that be for the best inter-
ests of the Church? Rome is the
natural seat of the Popes; it is the
providentially appointed place of their
abode, and, up to the present, at least,
the best means of keeping the Pope
in his proper place has been the cleo
tion of Italians.