American Catholicism and Vatican Authority
"American Catholics" would just as well drop the appellate prefix, "American." It means nothing but a quasi independence, and even this must sooner or later be put off. Anything like Americanism is to be diplomatically limited by the Vatican. The Roman Church is Roman, and never will be anything else. The church in America was placated by giving it a cardinal, but when the time came to appoint an "apostolic delegate," to have charge as a vice pope, an Italian was sent over. And when he is recalled to Rome to enter more closely into the counsels of the Vatican, another Italian takes his place. The commission of Monsignor Martinelli, the new delegate, contains the following expression of absolute authority:— "We command all whom it concerns to recognize in you as Apostolic Delegate the supreme power of the delegating Pontiff. We command that they give you aid, concurrence and obedience in all things, that they receive with reverence your salutary admonitions and orders. Whatsoever sentence or penalty you shall declare or inflict against those who oppose your authority we will ratify, and with the authority invested in us by the Lord will cause the same to be observed inviolably until condign satisfaction be made, notwithstanding constitutions and apostolic ordinances or any other thing to the contrary." Those Protestants who are deceiving themselves with the idea that Catholicism in America is to become in any way a permanent improvement upon the Catholicism of the Old World or of ancient times, will learn, sooner or later, that whatever semblance of liberalism may be seen on the surface in this country, "Rome never changes." This semblance will be tolerated, even encouraged, for a time, but Rome will keep its hand on the helm; so that when a profession of religious liberalism shall have gone far enough to suit Rome's purpose, the Roman hand may summarily check anything like liberty of action independent of Rome, or that would prevent Rome's reaping the advantages gained.