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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3920, 31 May 1877, Page 2

The celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the consecration of his Holiness Pins IX. was to haA-e begun on the 21st of the present month, that day, fifty years ago, having been the day of his preconisation as successor to the deceased Archbishop of Spoleto. Very shortly afterwards, on the 3rd June, he was consecrated in Home by Cardinal Castiglioni, afterwards Pius VIII. He made his solemn entry into Spoleto on the 29th of June amid great demonstrations of popular enthusiasm — " an enthusiasm which," says the Tablet, " soon ripened into love and veneration." The fiftieth anniversary of anything human, though it should be and is a, joyous event, can hardly fail to lie tinged with melancholy reflection. When we hear of the golden wedding being celebrated, we feel sure it will soon bo followed by the departure from the scene of this world's affairs of one or both of the principal performers in it ; and thus it is not to be disguised that the celebration of Pius IX. 's fiftieth episcopal anniversary may but briefly prelude the final close of his earthly career. About a couple of months ago rumors were continually current as to the precariou.sness of the Pope's health. A contemporary, writing on the 3 1st March, says ; — " The rumors as to the health of the Pope have for some time been very serious. The Pope is so strong an old man, and Home gossips so 2>erpetually about him, that reports of his illness are received with considerable incredulity, but there seems good cause to believe that this time, although the immediate danger has been overcome, the Cardinals Avere seriously and reasonably alarmed. His Ho] mess's legs gave way, whether from partial paralysis or natural weakness, and that is a sign in so old a man which can hardly be mistaken." It goes on to remark that preparations had been completed for the. election of his successor, but on the cpiestion as to who the successor would probably be, conjecture might confess itself at fault. " The utmost," it observes, " that the most observant Catholic can venture to say is that the: chances are heavily in favor of an Italian Cardinal, that no German or French nomination is probable, that an English nomination is conceivable, though not likely, and that if an individual is to be named, Cardinal Morochini is, among uncertainties, the one least certainly uncertain." It is said that the Society of Jesus is desirous that the Pope to bo .. elected should bo one of character and of sentiments calculated to cement again the old alliance between the Church and the masses, and that it Avill use all its A'ast influence towards the attainment of this end. As to the possible results of such a selection Aye may quote the same contem-

porary. " There cannot be a doubt," it says, "that if the Papacy swayed visibly, and still move if it swayed strongly in this direction (the direction of democracy), the effect -would be enormous. The mere suspension of the internecine right now raging between the Revolution and the priesthood would be one of the grave events of our time. The mere relaxation in countries like France in the hostility now felt by pious women to popular ideas would send thousands, hundreds of thousands of their sous into the popular army. Let us take a single and most concrete illustration. There is nothing whatever in the doctrines, traditions, or discipline of Rome to prevent a Pope from declaring ex cathedra that the duty of almsgiving to the poor, a binding duty on Catholic individuals, is equally binding on States and communities. Does anybody believe that if that were said officially, in a way to make it a tenet of the entire priesthood of Europe, that a poor-law of sonic sort could in any Catholic country be any longer resisted '? It would he morally impossible. The whole weight of the masses, of the pious, of the womon, and of the Utopians would be thrown on one side ; while the strongest force upon the other in most conflicts, the Sceptics, would be divided and confused. That is but one illustration out of many that might be used." "At any rate," it goes on to remark, " the event said to be approaching is, from every point of A'iew, one of the first order, to be Avatched Avith anxious attention by eA'ory man in Europe avlio seriously cares to understand the general drift of the affairs of the civilised world."