Italy’s Church Interference Code
REFERRING to the efforts of Italy to curb church interference in political matters, the Catholic Review says:— “The new code consists of over four hundred articles, divided into three books, of which the only important ones are those which refer to the clergy and the church. These are intended to muzzle effectively the mouths of priests and bishops, and because of their sacerdotal powers deprive them of their rights as men and citizens. The code will do this very nicely, and the clergy will not even enjoy the melancholy French privilege of writing letters. This gives immense satisfaction to the devil and the sectarian press of America, who cannot see with what success this code will one day be turned against themselves.” This shows something of the feeling which exists in Italy; and it also shows that it has grown out of the principle of ecclesiastical interference in politics—the very evil which is being so assiduously cultivated by so-called Protestants at the present time in our own country.