The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-03-09
POPE BENEDICT'S POSITION

pray to her that order, peace and love
might soon be restored to a suffering
world .. -
Toward the end of that year, in
! the consistorial allocution of Decem-
Der g. he made one of his memorable
statements, one that may be consid-
cred as the seed of every legitimate
movement for peace undertaken since,
when he declared that the way to a
just and durable peace consisted in a
clear and straightforward formulation
by the respective parties of their aims
and purposes, to be followed by a con-
| ference in which, all injustice being
laid aside, mutual concessions and
compensations should be made in the
spirit of equity.
''In 1916 he urged the practice of the
spirit Of penance in the families of the
be1lfgerents and appointed a general
communion day for the children for
the return of peace. A few months
later he protested against the mali
cious charges made against his impair
tiality and solemnly affirmed that no
selfish interests guided his acts, but
that he was working for the cause of
suffering and bleeding humanity.
"The following year witnessed again
his untiring efforts in the cause of
order and civilization. His work cul-
minated in his peace note of August
to the heads of the many nations at
war, a document which in spite of it's
critics is monument to the universal
affection, the prudent diplomacy and
the strict impartiality of the Vicar Of
Christ @"
THAT document has been misunder-
stood by some, by others wilfully mis-
interpreted. 1t was not meant to be
final award, 1t purported to be but an
effort to bring the nations together in
the persons of their representatives
and delegates for the purpose of be-
ginning a discussion of peace. 1t was
not judicial decision. 1t was diplo-
matte effort: It contained the broad
outlines of a plan of settlement. I'm
less / am much mistaken, when the
peace congress assemblies the final
verdict of the nations win be based on
the general principles pointed out by
the Holy Father.
Pope and Belgium,
1T has been saiti again and again
that Benedict XIV has forgotten Bel
GUM, that he did not speak up for her
in her hour of betrayal by the superior
forces of her invaders. When Benedict
XIV came to the throne Belgium had
already been invaded by the German
armies and considerable part of her
territory overrun The fragrant injus-
tice had already been committed.
When the invasion took place the
sanity Plus was already in the
shadow of DEATH. 4
Ion coming to the throne the new
Pope did not wait long to let the world
know of his sentiments with regard to
the violation of Belgian territory. He
spoke att first with prudent circum-
spection for not all the facts were in
his possession. But he soon learned
the truth and acted conformably to it.
''As a last word beg to congratu-
late my countrymen on the generous
ardor with which they have rallied to
the support of our. beloved President
in his dark hour of trial. He has
strien for high ideals and has found
a reward in an enthusiastic response
from his fellow citizens. They have
not failed him and will not do so in
the future, but will continue to give
him and his colleagues that loyal sup
port which is an earnest of complete
victory and of a return of the happy
peace for which he and the Holy
Father are laboring, each in his own
sphere" @