Rome's Difficulties

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 4, 1912

Rome's Difficulties

THE Northwestern Christian Advocate of March 13 makes the following comment on decrees which the Roman Church has issued concerning marriage and the exemption of Roman priests from trial in civil courts:—

The Vatican is having a hard time getting recognition for its decrees. A recent decree declaring illegal marriages between Protestants and Roman Catholics unless celebrated by a Roman Catholic priest, has been denied by the higher courts of Canada; and the decree forbidding the summoning of Roman Catholic ecclesiastics before civil courts has been disallowed by the German government.

More than this, the government of Hungary, although dominantly Catholic, has successfully resisted the promulgation of the decree concerning marriage in that country. But the government of the United States has not as yet given any indication of an intention to express its disapproval of either of these decrees, although both are plain violations of the rights of the citizens of any country wherein they may be promulgated. Neither is it likely that the government will take any action in the matter. The present attitude of official America toward Rome would seem to preclude the possibility of any action on the part of the national government which might cause disappointment at the Vatican.