Year: 1872


pendence OF his acts But how can this ne nova.
days II the actions OF the Roman Pontlf are con
tnually exposed TO party agtatIons, the arbitrarv
will OF governors, and II he is in peril of seeing AZ
each step, his peace troubled and the tr nauiitv
OF his counsellors and ministers constantly
menaced.


In the same way the liberty of the sacred con-
gregations, to whom falls the duty OF resolving the
questions and all the difficulties of the entire Catho-
lie world Is of the highest Importance to the secu-
rty OF the Church. as also for the legitimate wants
anu imperious necessities or every Christian
nation IL s the most important that no man
should suspect the freedom and independence OF
the decisions and DEGREES promulgated by the COM
mon mon rather OF the Faithful. No one should have
MS conscience disturbed by the thought that foreign
pressure can influence Pontihca resolutions. IL is
IMPERATIVE tnat the Pope, the religious orders and
ectly free, also that this new freedom shond be
manifest and evident and that there should be,no
doupt OF suspicion respecting it in the mind Of any
one rms religious liberty OF Catholics having
as an Indispensable condition that OF the Pope him.
self 1t follows that tho Pope, supreme udgs and
not being free, every Catholic Is likewise not sure
OF the independence and freedom OF his actions.


Hence the doubts and the anxietles which
trouble the minds of the faithful; hence those reli
giOuS perturbatiOns OF the various States: hence
those outward demonstrations OF Catholic faith,
nal disturbance OF che Catholic mind, and which,
rather than decrease, will continue more and more
evidently as they have hitherto done, from the hour
thai we were violently deprived OF our temporal
dominion until that In which the head OF Catho-
licty shall be reinstated in his rights and restored


THIS oeing the case, 1t Is not easy to understand
how people can seriously speak about reconcilia-
tiOn between the P0ntincal government and that OF
the usurper. What reconciliation can there bel
In the present state OF afrairsi II is not SIM
pie question which has risen up in the order OF pO-l
tics, or in that OF religion, and which admit Of
favorable solution by means OF official negotia-
tions: On the contrary, 1t regards violent staa-
tion forced upon the Sovereign POntn, and which,
entirely destroys that Indispensable liberty and abb
solute independence which is OF vital Importance td
the government Of the Church. In these conditions,
for the Roman Pontin to lend himself to concilia-
ton would be equivalent to remuneration OF the
rights of the Holy See which he has received as a
sors, and to resign himself by an act Of
his VIII, to the frequent encounter OF innumerable
obstacles in the exercise OF his supreme ministry,
to leave the conscience OF the faithful In condition
OF anxiety and troubles to close the way all free
to the Of tha
sublime mission received by the Roman P0ntiicate
directly from God, with the strict obligation to de-
fend its independence by every human means In its
power.


No! we cannot stoop to approve these assaults
sacred rights this culpable interference OF civil
authority in ecclesiastical concerns. Firm and
immovabe, we VIII defend with honor. and by
entrusted to our charge. We are ready to face
the greatest sacrifice, and II necessary to shed
imposed upon us by the supreme mission We have
received from on high. With the help Of God we
courage to the other pastors and ministers Of the
Church who, BY reason OF the adversity OF the
times, sustain so noby so many struggles In the
cause Of God and for the welfare Of souls, for the
defence OF the sacred legacy Of faith, and for the
integrity of the principles of eternal Justice and
further about these socalled guarantees which the
usurper'S government pretends to have given the
misleading the good faith Of the Simple minded
and to oner as an arm to those political parties,
who neither care for the independence of the
Roman P0ntin nor for his liberty. Leaving on one
side every other argument, does what Is now hap
pening in Rome, at . time when 1t would be most
and efficacy OF ths 80 much vaunted laws of guaran-
tees-does not what now happens daily in Rome
prove how futile and powerless they areY Truly 1t
Is well to proclaim the person and residence OF tho
Roman Pontif inviolable, when the government
has not the power to guarantee US from thousand
insults to which our authority is daily exposed;
when we are, Ike all other honest persons doomed
to be sad spectators OF the unfair way In which
our not keeping the door of our residence shut,
when If we attempted to 20 forth, 1t would only
be to assist at scenes OF revolving impiety, or
to expose ourselves to the Outrages OF persons
accustomed to excite immortality and disorder, or
the risk of being involuntary cause Of con-
promise Of personal guarantees to the dignitaries
of the Church II they are forced to hide in tho
streets the insignia OF then dignity SO as to avoid
i'll treatment If the ministers OF God and the most
sacred things are made the objects of contempt
land ridcule to such an extent that the most
august ceremonies OF our holy religion can no
longer be celebrated in public; In short, II the
sanity pastors of the Catholic world who come to
Rome from time to time to render up an account
OF the affairs OF their churches can no longer do so
without being exposed to insult and even danger
IL is OF no use prOclaimng the liberty OF our pas
tOral ministry when the whole legislation, even in
its most important points, as for instance in the
case OF the sacrame1ts, are In open opposition to
the fundamental laws OF the universal Church. 1t
is OF no use recognizing by law the authority OF
nize the value OF the acts which it publishes, and
when, with unparalleled injustice, they do not per-
NIT its members to enjoy the revenues OF the egiti-
mate patrm0ny Of their churches or to enter their
episcopal houses; TO such state Of complete
penury are they. reduced but for the charity
OF the faithful which sustains us, and which en-
ables us for the moment to share with them the
aims OF the poor. In word, what guarantee can
be given by the government for the execution Of its
promises when the first fundamental law of the
State is not only attacked with impunity by the
first comers, but is rendered null and void by the
government itself, which, at each step, as 1t
Chooses upsets or changes, either by DEGREES or by
new laws, its fundamental principles, and thus de-
stroys all the respect with which they should be


All this, my Lord Cardinal we have explained to
you, principally for the purpose that you should
make known to those governments who have &C.
credited representatives at the Court of the Holy
See the pitiabe condition to whicn this new order
OF things has reduced u.s. to the great prejudice of
the Catholic cause. We charge you, my Lord Car
dna to protest In the name OF the sovereign PontR
against the attacks committed not only against our
selves but against all Catholicty Not less inter-
ested than ourselves in the tranquility and peace Of
mind Of their subjects, these governments will take
into consideration this want OF liberty and inde-
pendence In the exercise OF our apostolic ministry
nom which we are at present suffering. II each
CatnOHc mas rlgnL 10 demand from nlS govern
ment guarantee for his own personal religious
liberty he has no less right to invite that govern
ment to see that he who Is for each Catholic the,
guide and interpreter OF his faith and religion shall
also be free and independent. Moreover, 1t Is the
interest Of all governments Catholic or otherwise,
to restore peaceand tranquility to the great Cath0-
lie family and to sustain our real independence.
They cannot deny that, called by God to defend and
sustain the principles Of eternal justice 1T is their
duty to defend and protect cause which
is the most legitimate on EARTH assured that by
sustaining the sacred rights of the Roman POntn
they also sustain and defend their own rights. They
cannot gainsay that the Roman P0ntK and the
pOnti1cal throne, far from being an embarrassment
to the repose and prosperity Of Europe, or 1.-THE
grandeur and Independence Of Italy," has always
served as O link or union between the princes and
the people, and that 1t has ever in all times been
the centre OF concord and peace To Italy in par
tcular lit must be said) the holy See has always
been the cause Of her true grandeur, the guardian