The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-11

of the ambitions or the necessities
actual or fancied-of powerful |
neighbor. The whole civilized world |
raised it's voice in protest when Ger
many walked rough shod over Belgian |
land and liberties simply because |
Prussian military power found it |
necessary. When, then, should the |
world regard with mute Indifference |
the wanton robbery of papal lands, |
the ruthless abolition of papal au- |
tonomy, when these crimes are COM
mitted because the policy of Cavour
demands a united Italy?
But suppose we waive the question
of justice. Let us rid ourselves of the
embarrassing presence of blindfoIded
Judge. Let us assume that in the gen.
eral settlement Of world questions ex-
pediency be taken as basis; that all
those, and only those, difficulties be
considered and, if possible, cleared
away which if left untouched might
stand in the way of stable, lasting
peace. Would the Roman Question"
in that case imperatively need to be
considered? Would the Pope, surely
in the interests of the peace of the
world, be entitled to intrude his claims
and force his case on the attention of
a court already distract with the up
roar and confusion of endlessly COM
plicated litigation?
An American Example.
The correctness of an affirmative an
swer may be easily perceptible in the
| light of an analogy borrowed from
American history. In 1890 a tract of
| land at the confluence of the Potomac
and it's eastern branch, part of which
was coded by Virginia and part by
Maryland, was established as the seat
of the Federal Government and called
the District of Columbia This dis
trict was created in order that the Fed
eral Government, being outside the
| territory of any of the states, might,
as nearly as possible, be free from
sectionalism and work out domestic
and foreign policies unwarped by pro-
vincial interests; that the national
government might not be unduly in
f1uenced by any one state or any group
of states.
Now the position of the Pope rela-
tive to the Catholic populations of the
various countries of the world is some
what analogous to that of our central
government relative to the people of
the different states. He is the SUI
preme ruler of the Catholic Church,
he is the head of all the Catholic peo-
pie in all the countries of the world.
1t is absolutely essential for the peace
of mind of all his flock that he be
thoroughly impartial, that his decisions
be absolutely unprecedented by any ma
tional or provincial considerations.
Christians all over the world should
I be able to feel fully confident that the
/ doctrines of Christ, as they receive
them, will be untinged with the views
and opinions of any foreign nation,
that laws enacted and disciplinary
measures introduced by the supreme
Church authorities are dictated by
motives uncolored by any national or
racial interest. But it is extremely
difficult for the Vatican at all times
to make itself proof against the subtle
intrusion on it's consels and it's legis
lation of the thought and policy OF
the country upon which it is depend
ent And while Catholics the world
over have never come to doubt the
disinterestedness of the Roman Pom
tiff, still this confidence the Holy
Father has had to purchase at the
pain of being continually on the watch
. lime office; and every Pope since 1915
has insisted on the essentially annoy
ing and unsatisfactory character Of
the Vatican's present position.
, A Natural Objection.
MISUNDERSTANDING from the purely
religious aspect of the question-it is
obviously to the disadvantage of Cath
olics in any country to be even ap
parently the subjects of foreign
power. Suspicion is laid on their 10y
atty, doubt is raised as to the genu
4 ineness of their patriotism; they are
accused of having divided allegiance
Here in America that has been quite
commonly done. The Pope, it is urged
; is an Italian; his. court, his counselors
{ his assistants are largely Italians, sub
? ject to the Italian government, depend
ent upon it's protection, attached ant
I devoted to their country. All those
: therefore, who render obedience to thu
! Pope are, indirectly at least, subject tt
: Italy. Hence they are not, and cal
. not be true, unalloyed Americans.
! Now this objection could never b.
sustained were the Pope territorial.
. and politically Independent. Ever.
country with Catholic subjects coult
J then feel secure against even the pc
: tential introductions of foreign though
) into it's life, and free from any pos
sible weakening of the native loyalt.
l by its people by reason of their re
! ligious affiliations.
) From the viewpoint, then, of con
;, venience and expediency, both relie
L ious and political, it would manifest.
= promote the peace of the world wer
: tardy justice accorded the Vatican an,
the Pope once more placed in a pos
L ton of unassailable neutrality befor
the peoples and their rulers.
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