The Pope: Sovereign, Not Subject
THE Catholic News of October 23, referring to Premier Crispi's view that the pope is only a local Italian bishop, subject to the law of the government, utters the following unmistakable declaration:— “He must be sovereign pontiff, not subject pontiff. He must be in Rome under the protection of the Catholic powers, and indeed of Greek and Protestant, for England, Germany, and Russia are as much interested in having the pope independent as the Catholic powers of Europe. Pan-America has also a voice, and that will be clear and outspoken,—the pope is sovereign not subject.” Talk about the patriotism of the Roman Catholic press. Every energy is bent to the temporal prosperity and success of the Vatican. And if Germany and Russia and all America do not realize that it is for their interest to re-instate the pope, the Roman curia will find means to make them realize it. Cardinal Manning says that if the rulers will not obey the pope, the people will.