Year: 1872

In the following letter the Holy Father sets at
rest for ever all the rumors that have been SO In
dustriously circulated regarding possible recon-
ciliatiOn with Italy. The Holy Father reviews in
this mastery state paper the whole Italian situa-
tion and shows how futile and empty are the alb
surd guarantees. To every Catholic whose ignor-
ance has been 80 great as to lead him to imagine
that the Pope can be at once Independent and
slave we commend these teachings Of our Father.


Plus TX, Pope.


To the MOST REVEREND CARDINAL JAMES ANTo-


NEILI OUR SECRETARY or SrATE:-


Forced by the sad circumstances which at pres
ent surround us to witness each day the cruel sight
OF fresh and violent attacks directed against the
absolute duty, to testify to Your Eminence the
profound bitterness which We feel on learn.
the ministers OF the usurper's government, who
has announced his firm resolution to present to the
Chambers bill for the suppression OF the religious
orders Of this our city, the seat OF the See OF the
Vicar OF Jesus Christ and the metropolis OF the
Catholic world


ever the true end which they had In view when
they first began to despoll the Apostolic See OF Its
notion not only on ns but on all CathoIicsy % Who can
deny effectively that the suppression OF the religious
orders or the arbitrary limitation Of their existence
is not q direct attempt aimed against the liberty
and Independence Of the Roman POntT? Taking,
as 1t does out Of his hands OF the most power
lul ana most et1cacious means OF governing the


All the world knows that as the centre OF Chris
tlanity IL IN Rome SO the religious houses which
have been established there for centuries are 30 to
speak, the centres OF all the orders and all the con-
Kregations which are spread over the entire Catho-
built by the indefatgabIe care Of the Roman Pom
tiffs and endowed by the generosity of pious
by the supreme authority Of the Sovereign Pom
tiifs from whom they receive their life, counsel
and direction. These houses were instituted with
q view to furnish workers and missionaries for
all parts OF the world, and, without turn
ing to history, it VIII sufice, in order to point
out the advantages received by the Christian re-
public from the counses OF these evangelical labor.
ers to glance over the various countries of Europe
the most distant and inhospitable shores OF Asia,
Africa, America and Oceanica, where. even In our
days. these Jealous ministers OF God consecrate
themselves with exemplary selfabnegatton to the
interests and good OF the docks, and sacrifice their
health and even their lives in the fuldlment Of their
duty.


Now, If they suppress the religious orders or limit
their existence 1t will be no longer possible for the
world to experience, as does now, the benefits of
these charitable and pious institutions. 1t is in
Rome that are established the principal novciates
destined to prepare new soldiers for the faith. It
Ia to Rome that flock the religious or the whole
G Se er It IA S ys am
the shadow OF the apostolic throne that all
the business, even foreign, of the various
that are elected, in the assembly OF
the religious Of different nations the generals and
dignitaries of all the various provinces How then
can we hope, unless these great centres continue
in their present condition. to see their benencent
work continue to obtain the same resutsg No, to
suppress the religious houses OF Rome Is to leave
without life the various communities dispersed
the entire world, and to despoil them In Rome
OF their property Is to dispossess the entire orders
Of their rights The suppression in Rome OF the
religious orders Is not only an act OF manifest in
justice against well-deserving persons, but also
real attack against the international right OF all
CathOllcty


Besides it is our duty to state that the suppress
sion Of the Roman religious houses Is exceedingly
prejudicia to the Apostolic See, for 1t is from
among the most distinguished subjects of these
fellow aborers in the sacred ministry as well as as
sstants for the various ecclesiastical congregations
which serve the Church most zeaousy, either by
the light OF their Judgment in the various missions
cOnfded to our care, or by giving themselves up to
profound studies whereby they are able to reilte
errors or again by giving wise councils In matters
OF discipline to each OF the various churches of the
Catholic world.


1t is manifest therefore nv Lord Cardinal that
the real object Of the ministers OF the usurping gov
ernment In the project Of law which they are now
preparing Is nothing more or less than continua-
ton OF the sinister and subversve plans which they
hypOcrtically pursued since the day they took viO
lent possession Of Rome, and by means OF which
our temporal authority but also that Of our
supreme apostolate, to the greater advantage
OF %.' Uur temooraes i bV the annexation OF Re
patrimony Of the Church, patrimony given to the
| POpes by an admirable dispensaton Of Divine Prov
more than eleven centuries, by the most just and
sacred Of rights for the good Of all Cathollcity.
And who can now entertain the fantest illusion
to the true nature OF this plan, which tends to
overthrow the authority ofthe Supreme Chief of the
Church, and to degrade the dignity Of his august
ministry, and to completely upset the Organiza-
ton Of the Apostolic See, which has been In ex-
istence for so many centuries


Every day, my Lord Cardinal, you have beheld
these usurpatiOns which, now for one reason and
now for another, are being perpetrated In spite
Of all ,,dn morality and justice; ian ana all these y,
the destrOyers' plans 10 whom then, II not these,
we to attribute these DEGREES, which are being
| incessantly multiplied, and which have gradually
substracted from our authority all the institutions
OF charity and benevoence, the colleges OF educa-
tiOn and establishments of public instruction in the
ticular care as also that OF our predecessorsS To
what, II not to this ought we to refer that ini-
quitOus law which drives into involuntary service
In the army those youths who have dedicated them
selves to God and the hopes of the Church, thus de-
privnR the clOiser and the ministry OF battalion
OF new and laborious missionaries To what IL not
to this, are we to impute this rage for spreading
horrible errors by teaching with impunty every
kind OF anti Christian doctrine either In the public
schools, by incredible scandalOus lectures, delivered
with wicked bodness, by apostates and men who
Church Chr s'e' TO what this hi'H0r relaxation @e Of
morals S-this insolent tOleratiOn OF lewd
spectaclesY ffequent Proianations OF things
the most sacred and inviolabe OF things, and, in
short this systematic persecution OF all honest per-
who faithful to the Church and to the Pope
You know, my Lord Cardinal, how each day our
heart has been torn by the sight OF the suerings OF
the Church. Reduced 20 powerless condition and
misiortunes, we can only bemOan them; but, at the
same time, we publicly raise our voice In protesta-
tiOn against the evils Of which the Church Is the
victim, so as to convince the whole world OF the
miserable condition to which we have been
duced. IL Is true we could have saved ourselves in
part the pain Of drinking daily OF this bitter chace
and OF witnessing In person such sad sights, by
seeking an asylum In some foreign country.
But II reasons OF great religious interest have
caused us, In the present state OF things, not to
abandon our dear city, the seat OF the Roman Pom
tificate, 1t s certainly not without particular pur-
pose OF Divine Providence that we have not done
| SO, provided that we might be able to con-
vince the world thereby OF the fate reserved to the
and independence OF his supreme Ap0stleship are
compromised by the change in that condition,
which was providentialy ordained by God. And,
Pope be called free and independently II is not suf-
fcient for him to say that for moment he is free
| and regards his personal liberty he must be-
| and appear 80 TO the eye Of every one inde-
pendent and free In the exercise OF his supreme