The Irish standard., 1918-02-09


origin and character of the war will
not be forthcoming till the Chancel-
tories OF Europe reveal their secrets.
The Vicar of Christ, therefore, had a
right to maintain strict neutrality>and
not to interfere with the loyalty of
Catholic soldiers to their Church or
their country.
Has that neutrality been unfavor-
able to the Allies? If the Pope has
not praised the Central Powers has
he neglected to blame them? To this
it may be answered what neutral Pow
er except the Pope has officially con-
demned the violation of Belgian neu-
trality which the Holy Father so
strongly reprobates in his Consistorial
Allocution of January %, 1915. The
Vatican has acted consistently and
theoretically in condemning the inva-
sion and maltreatment of the Bel
gians, in securing the release of the
victims OF Belgian deportations, in as
sisting in the repatriation of invalided
prisoners of war, in protesting against
the sacrilege of Rheims, in condemn
ing aerial commandments of unfortified
cities, and in refusing to Judge on the
legality of blockades.
Germany Has Always BuHied the
Church.
Indeed, many of the leading German
papers instead of ringing with praise,
have complained of the attitude of the
Vatican as anti-German and more
benevolent to the Entente than to the
Central Powers. Germany is Prot
estant and national in outlook in con-
trast to the international character of
the Catholic Church, and since the
days Of Luther till Bismarck's time,
has always assumed a bullying dispo-
sition towards the Church. In recent
times, it is only necessary to recall
the Kulturkampf of the last century,
and Bismarck's desire to land troops
at Civita Vecchia to sack the Vatican.
Even Austria was benevolently in
clined in favor of the Papal States in
Italy only as political weapon to
maintain it's stronghold on Italy.
The Pope and Italy.
AS far as the Pope and Italy are
concerned the carping critics against
the Vatican are all at sea. While the
present Pontiff in his encyclical of
November 1, 1914, maintained the
rights of the Apostolic See and de-
manded guarantee that the Common
Father of all the Faithful should be
nrfo oil
in the administration of his Apostolic
office, he looks to the achievement of
extra-territorial independence ode jure''
by the triumph of the sentiments of
justice among the Italian people, and
added, ''Those governing Italy are not
wanting in good intentions to elimi-
nate the present inconvenience"
Thus when all these unfounded at
tacks on the neutrality of the Holy
Father are examined one by one in
the lights of the facts of history, they
vanish into the thin air of falsehood
which composed them. The Church is
international and must maintain in its
August Head the attitude of impartial
Neutrality when so many of her chill
dren are locked in internecine conflict.
Four great Catholic countries, France,
Italy, Belgium and Portugal, are on
the side of the Allies, while one, Aus
tria- Hungary, is with the Quadruple
Alliance. Unobtrusively and cautious
ly the Holy Father, like President
Wilson, is working for liberty and
justice to all the nations, and is seek
ing to bring lasting peace and good
will out of the rivalry and hatred of
war. In no higher or better way
can the Chief Shepherd of souls aid
the misery and unhappy condition of
the children of men.