The chronicle=news., 1914-08-20
the work of the officials having al

the work Of the officials having al
ready begun, they were ordered
away as the pope was seen approach
ing. With true American determin-
alton they objected that they did not
want to leave. Plus X, who under
stood something of what was going
on. inquired, and Cardinal Gibbons,
who was among those who accom-
panied them. explained that it was a
pilgrimage OF his countrymen who
desired to pay homage to the Holy
Father. They had asked for an au-
dience and were waiting for the ap-
pointed day. The pontiff immedi-
ately said there was no necessity to
wait. and that he would receive the
Americans at once in the adjoining
Museum Lapidarium. Thus Plus X
received the first pilgrimage of his
Dontificate. held in his hands and
blessed by two American flags
which are still preserved. one in
Rome and one in New York.
Plus X did not intend to change
the substance of the policy which his
two predecessors had followed
towards Italy. His protests against
the loss of the temporal power. how-
ever, lost the vehemence and bitter
ness which formerly characterized
them.
The strongest of his protests on
this subject was issued when Presi-
dent Loubet. disregarding the prohi-
bition to all Catholic rulers and
heads OF. stafcs-t' visit the king Of
United Italy in his capital, was the
first. with the exception of Prince
Ferdinand of Bulgaria, since 1870,
to go as guest of the Quirnal.
This. however. was not only
caused by the feeling towards Italy,
but much more by the state of relig-
ious war with France, which was
the most remarkable event in the
last pontificatc. and of which many
have attributed the responsibility to
Pope Plus Y, while the hostilities
had already begun under Leo Kill
France found imitators in Spain,
which passed in parliament bills
against the relisit<s congregations
and the clergy, leading to the recall
OF the Spanish ambassador accredit-
where the republic proclaimed on
October 5, 1910, brought about a
complete separation between church
and state, the expulsion of the relig-
ious congregation and the confisca-
tion of their properties.
| While such serious crises were
taking place between the vatican
and some of the Latin countries,
which had been known in history as
the most faithful of the Holy See.
the relations with Italy. while main
tanning in the outside form the usual
character of hostility. were in sub
stance much more cordial
1t would take long to enumerate
all the reforms of religious char
acter initiated by Plus X, such as
that OF restoring the Gregorian
chants, of preaching every Sunday
from text from the Bible, himself
giving the good example by having
as long as his strength allowed him
the faithful of the different parish
es of Rome in the courtyard of San
Damaso to hear him explain the Cos
pei story. and carrying out one after
|
principles which he had professed
and advocated as bishop and patri-
arch. One of his undertaking will
leave an important mark in the his
tory of the papacy-the codification
of ecclesiastic law. He entrusted
the work to an illustrious scholar in
Canon Law. Mgr. Pietro Gasparri. on
whom he conferred the red hat in
December, 1907. Another epoch
making task was that of the revisios
of the Vulgate, which he confided to
Father Francis Alden Gasquet. alb
bott-president of the English Bene-
dictine congregation. so well known
as learned historian.
Plus X was determined to restore
the most iron discipline among the
enemy. and this led to an unre1ent-
ing campaign against that section of
Eecclesiastics who professed unortho-
dox opinions and were called Mod
ernists. The encyclical promulgated
on September 8, 1907. condemned
the Modernists and their doctrines.
Following this several leaders of
the Modernist movement were ex-
communicated in Italy. England and
Iry- HTJN.-