The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-05-13
Pope Plus XII On Genoa Meeting

cause international hatred, the sad re-
suit of war, causes harm also to the
victorious nations and is the forerun-
ner of a terrible future. Nor should
one forget that the best guarantee of
peace does not consist in an array of
bayonets, but in mutual confidence and
friendship. Moreover, should there be
excluded in the aims of the Confer
ence any discussion about the former
treaties, as well as about the imposed
reparations, this should not prevent an
exchange of ideas to facilitate for the
vanquished the fulfilmefit of their obli-
cations, resulting thus also in an ad-
vantage for the victors.
Moved by these sentiments of equal
love towards all nations, which the
Mission entrusted to Us by the Divine
Saviour inspires Us with, We extend
to all the Faithful the appeal which
You, Venerable Brother and faithful
interpreter of Our spirit, have ad-
dressed to your diocesans, and We ex-
hort all to join their prayers to Ours
for the good result of the Conference.
May Gods blessing descend upon it,
may from the decisions, which We
hope will be made in loving spirit,
shine upon poor suffering humanity
that concord SO longed for, which after
eight years of sorrow and ruin, link
ing together the nations in common
brotherhood, will urge them on the
of o;yi1i1o
tion, and thus verify the ideal of the
Church which, as st. Augustine so well
says, remembering our progenitors
unites citizens with citizens, nations
with nations and absolutely all men
not only in societies, but indistinctly
in kind of brotherhood (cives civil
bus gentes gentibus ct prorsus hon.
ines, primorum parentum recordatione,
non societate solum, sed quadam etiam
fraternitate coniungit.-De Moribus
Ecclesiae Catholicae, l, 30.)
POPE Plus XI.
Solemn Warning To Statesmen.
1t may be gathered from the fore
going letter that Plus XI wished to
perform an act of religious character
by exhorting the faithful of the whole
world to pray. But he added to this
appeal some remarks on the duties of
those taking part in the Conference,
which give the document also high
political importance and render it
therefore solemn warning to the par
ties engaged in deciding the destinies
of Europe.
The thoughts of Plus XI are iden-
tical with those often expressed by
Benedict XIV during and after the war.
Universal peace is the supreme de-
sire of the Holy See, and it is only
when peace reigns in hearts as well as
in treaties that humanity will find
again tranquility and salvation.
When the letter of Pope Plus XI
finally came, it evoked unanimous IA
vor from public opinion. Non-Catholic
papers have received it with words of
admiration and respect. One of these,
"l Paese," declared: "This letter has
the advantage of placing beyond ques-
tion the moral responsibility of the
Head of Catholicism, who, whatever
the result of the Conference may be.
will always be able to boast of having
expressed his fair and serene opinion
setting forth his supreme conception
of justice"
This judgment is indeed right, and
all must acknowledge it by rendering
| homage to the high universal prestige
| of the Papacy, nc matter to what re-
ligion or to what political party they
| belong.
| The extent of the Pope's influence
! on the Conference cannot be measured
| TO the full, but it is already apparent
in many directions. 1t has fixed in
the mind of the world certain practi-
cal truths which it will be difficult for
tho Congress to ignore.