Year: 1870




IEle, and here and there, an American adventnrer'
The Italian element is comparatively small Inc
organized French force Is at Ciyita Vccchla' l"o
hours from Rome ready foT duty in case OF need r.
DISCOURSE AT THE OPENING or THE COUNCIL
--ENGLIsH CRITICISMS ON THE POPEs ALLo-
CUTION-MovEMENTS AGAINST THE COUNCIL
--DURATION OF THE CoUHCIL-CoEfUsloN
OF TONGUES Janus CONDEMNED AND
PRoHBITED-DEATH or TENERANI.


IPRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT


ROME. Dee. &--The Discourse Of the Archbishop
of lconiunn Monsignor Puechcr PassaYaii, at the


opening of the Council is III tho same tone and spirit
as the other official documents of which have be-
! fore sent YOU a translation, 1t takes the ground,


that not only the Church, but the whole fabric of


civil society in imminent peril from the progress


of the revolutionary movement. The lovers OF free
dom are painted in the blacklist cOlOrs the ennis


saries of the devil. Nothing is safe from their de-
structive influence All that is dear and beautiful
in the relations of life is on the verge OF
dissolution. 1t is time OF fearful trial and
great sorrow of heart The only refuge is in the


bosom of the Catholic Church. The ark of ST. Peter


still floats in the midst of the raging waters, al


though it is encOmpassed about with fierce and IN
sidous foes. But the Church, in some measure


has been laid waste by the malice of Satan lnquity
| abounds and the love of many has waxed cold. a


false philosophy threatens to pervert the influence Of


truth. Science as Cardinal Reisach lately re-


marked is usurping the place OF the Holy Ghost"


In this dire emergency the Church must be strength


ened the world is lost She presents the only bar


rier to impending ruin. But she has oeen shorn OF


portion of her strength. Hence the convocation OF
| the Council was imperative necessity. The only


hope Of society is the power of the Holy Ghost as


manifested in the wisdom of the hierarchy assembled
| in Council. Dvested of its ecclesiastical pomp OF


phrase the plain English of this as understand IT,
is that the successor of St. Peter IS IN fear
for his patrimony He has already lost much


both of his temporal and spiritual power and with 1t


the prestige which has surrounded the ThTsx, His


hands must be strengthened at all events, the scope
of his influence must be enlarged, and supports


be added to his authority. This is the doctrine of
| the Sacred College of the Jesuts, of Archbishop
Manning and many of the other English and Ameri
can Bishops, and of the Pope himself. On the other
hand it is contended by a powerful minority, at
| least if not majority of the French and German


prelates that the Pope should be left as he is; he
has sufficient power already; his interests are not


identical with the progress of CathOcism the Pope


is not the Church, and! the Church is not the Pope


the victory of the Church is to be gained by the


spread of her doctrines by the power of her truth


over the hearts of the faithful by her saving energy
in the body of her members, and not by the accu-
| mutation of power in her Head. Instead


of attempting to give more explicit definition to


the infallibiity of the Pope, theory which it Is
| maintained is of comparatively recent origin, it
would be better an eminent Catholic divine of
| our own country lthOush not a patriarch nor q
| bishop remarked TO me few days since, to fall


back on the Apostles Creed and extend its influence
| over both Church and State" This is the idea of
| Bishop Dupanloup, and the powerful party which


he represents, On this issue, if any, the Council


will divide and this account chiefly its proceed
1 H. D..
world. Meantime, the Papal view of the question


earnestly put forth in the Inaugural Discourse of
| Archbishop Passavalli an abstract of which now


send and which forms important, if not an inter


esting contribution to an intelligent comprehension
| of the spirit of the Papa party in the Council.


! The Reverend PTelate commenced his Discourse by


expressing his inadequacy for opening the services


on an occasion of such vast and solemn moment. lie
should at once have declined the duty had he not
been encouraged by the voice Of Him. who with


" the authoritative spendor of all the sacerdOtal


majesty" presides over this assembly. He was also
prompted by another motive to accept the office.
Having been born in the city in which the last


Council of the Catholic Church was held, he had


been impressed with the idea that the Divine Proyi-
dence had called him rather than others to the work.


in order that he might revive the memory of the


signal benefits which that Council had conferred


upon the Christian world. He accordingly took
courage TO perform the duty which obedience de-
manded of him. and would open the Council with the
words of David "They went forth weeping, sowing


precious seed; but will return with JOY bearing their


sheaves with them which describe in faithful cOloTs


our present mOurnful condition and the happy issue
of future events The orator then proceeded, with


cOpOus flow of gorgeous rhetoric, to describe the Ia


bors of the Apostles, and the Incompatible success
Of their ministry Having completed his lively pie
4 I A. NIl In


tinued 81 do not doubt Venerable Fathers, that you


will find IN this condition of the Apostles the proO
type of your own. l see you willingly coming from


the most distant parts Of the earth to this august


assembly but at the time with dOwncast visage,


with heads bending under weight of anxeties, and
| hearts overwhelmed with grief, account Of the


terrible ruin of souls which the ancient enemy Of the
human race has already accomplished, and still


greater than which he is preparing to effect in the


future. see yOu repeat coming up to this mystic
! assembly, that by the ,union of your forces and
| your counses, you may gather more abundant seed


for the fruits Of truth and justice. Nor will


your expectation be vain, is clearly shown by the


very gravity of the subjects which to be


sidered in the Synod" The speaker proceeds to
| announce the nature of the questions. The Council


to treat of the best method TO restore the Christian


nations from the foul and corrupt cisterns by which
| they have been enticed away, TO the fountains of
| pure and living waters; how the vital energies of
| the faithful can be so combined as TO resist the
| insane audacty of atheism, hypocrisy and impiety;


how the spirit and life of Christians be in


vigOrated, to shine forth with the divine luster,
which was seen for the first time earth, when


religion the beautiful and beloved daughter of Cod


purified by the sacrament of water and of blood


which flowed from the side of the Redeemer, de-


scended from Calvary for the conquest of the world
| The same terms may be used of the present assem-
blage What fountain of pastoral charity 1t will