‘PAINFUL SETBACK’

Southland Times, Issue 20794, 7 June 1929, Page 7

‘PAINFUL SETBACK’

VATICAN AND ITALY

MUSSOLINI’S SPEECHES DEPRECATED

REPLY BY THE POPE

(United Press • Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.)

Rome, June 5

“Together they stand and together they fall, even if the Vatican City State should fall with them,” declares the Pope in a letter to Cardinal Gasparri answering Mussolini’s speeches especially referring to Mussolini’s hint that the fate of the Latcran Treat)' and concordat may not be the same. The Pope characterizes Mussolini’s speeches as a painful setback to the rejoicing throughout Italy, and the world following the signing of the Lateran Treaty and adds, referring to Mussolini’s declaration'that if the Christian religion had not been transferred to Rome it would have flickered out like ant other Palestine sect: "Least of all would his Holiness have expected that heretical or worse than heretical expression regarding the very essence of Christianity and Catholicism.” The letter continues: “It was neither fitting nor generous to recall laws and regulations which must be most painful, offensive and damaging to the Holy See, Pontiff and Catholics throughout the world.” It declares that Mussolini’s statement that the Church is subject to the Italian State is tantamount to saying the Supreme Pontiff is subject to Italy and adds: “Mussolini’s frequent declarations that the State preserved all means of vigilance over the Church clearly suggests that the clergy are suspicious characters and the Church has attempted usurpation and spoliation of the State, while the contrary is historically and notoriously true both in Italy and abroad.” —Australian Press Association.