SOVEREIGNTY OF POPE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 591, 18 February 1929, Page 14

SOVEREIGNTY OF POPE

CATHOLIC CELEBRATION A TREATY OF PEACE “Whatever happens there will always be a Pope to occupy the throne of the Fisherman Pope,” declared Bishop Cleary in the course of a sermon at St. Patrick’s Cathedral last evening, when a solemn Te Deum of Thanksgiving was held to mark the signing of the treaty between the Italian Government and the Vatican, settling the Roman question. In a scholarly and eloquent fashion Bishop Cleary told the story of September 20, 1870, when the city of i Rome was taken by Victor Emmanuel, since when the Popes had been voluntary prisoners within the Vatican. “The troubled old Pope of that day, Pius IN., wanted to make three things clear to all the world. First, in view of the impossibility of successful resistance, he wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Secondly, he wanted to make it clear that he did not voluntarily resign his rights as a temporal sovereign. Thirdly, he wanted to make it clear that those rights of his were taken from him by violence and by an act of unprovoked and aggressive warfare.” SPIRITUAL INDEPENDENCE Speaking out of his own knowledge acquired as a student in Rome, Bishop Cleary said the anniversary of that invasion and capture of the Eternal City had in successive years, from 1871 to 1926, been noisily celebrated. “But that day of celebration was for the Church within the city of Rome a day of mourning,” said the preacher. “We students stayed within our colleges on that day. Other citizens stayed indoors, or, if they appeared in the streets, they wore mourning. “Last Monday’s happy event may have ended for ever an unfortunate anniversary. Then was signed a treaty of peace between the Pope and the Kingdom of Italy. The Pope’s spiritual independence has been iully recognised, and a definite territory has been assigned, over which the Pope is the absolute ruler. So on last Monday ended the old enmities of 58 or 59 years, and the Pope is now, thank God, supreme in his own right as high chief of the Church of God for the faithful all over the earth.” One of the things that troubled Catholics in the fateful years that followed 1870, continued the bishop, was to hear the predictions by those outside the fold that Pius IX. would be the last of the Popes—that the Church of Rome would shortly be at an end. Those were the loose and foolish prophesies of those who had no knowledge of the long history and trials of the Papacy, and the divinely appointed rulership of the Pope. Rome had been threatened time and again, said the preacher, in recalling particularly the invasions of Henry IV., Charles V., Barbarossa and Napoleon. PAPACY WILL NEVER PERISH The preacher told how Pope Pius IX. refused to submit to the Law of Guarantees, passed by the Italian Government in 1871, holding that it would make him a virtual pensioner to the Italian Crown. The Pope was not allowed even the possession—only the use—of the Vatican. The Pope and his successors had since remained voluntary prisoners in the Vatican. “Violators of the papal territory have from time to time appeared through the ages,” said Bishop Cleary. “In the days to come there may be another Henry IV., another Charles V., another Barbarossa, another Napoleon, another Victor Emmanuel. We cannot foresee what the next 100 years or the next 500 years of history will bring forth. “Some think that Western civilisation will be overrun by barbarians from the East. It may happen; it is not for us to prophesy. But this one thing we can prophesy—that, whatever happens, there will be a Pope to occupy the throne of the Fisherman Pope. Of that we need have no fear whatever. Hordes of barbarians may come from the East or from the South. They may again capture the Eternal City and drive the Pope from his temporal throne. “The Pope may live in the catacombs, on the mountain-side or in a cave, as Popes before have done. But the ring of the fisherman will go from Pope to Pope, from Rock Man to Rock Man, the centre of unity of the Church, the strengthener of his children, th€: head and the front of the Church of God on earth.”

13, after an extra bead. Dick, Cooner, Smith, Stevens (skin), 15, beat Gordon, Black, Tabb, E. Wolfenden (skip), 8. In the final Stevens, 16, beat Creagh, 8. WAIUKU Percentage Fours.—Whiteside, Teape, 27, V. Duff, Crouch, 20: Tong, Roscoe, 24, v. J. Arkle, Bonnar, 17; G. Arkle, Barriball, 21, y. Bridle, Greenliead, 13; MeNaughten, Jack, 17, v. Summerville, Jones 16; Barker, Staunton, Millington, 21, v. Duthie, Newth, AY. R. Harris, IS. HUNTLY HUNTLY, Sunday. Huntly v. Taupiri, Huntly names first. —Meadows, Berry, Simcock, Thompson, 15, v. Gorman, Buss, Watson, Laybourn, 23; Rev. Curley, Douglas, Boyd, W. Smith. 17, v. Warne, Jackaways, Seath, Hill, IS; Gavin, Holt, Northmore, G. Shaw, 13, v. Waring, Horwood, Powell, Barber, 16; McGhie Paubline, Barclay, Lindsay, 29, v. Whitehorne. Catley, Turton, Gleeson, 19. TE AWAMUTU TE AWAMUTU, Saturday. Nine rinks from Cambridge Bowling Club visited Te Awamutu on Saturday. Included among the visitors was a veterans’ rink, and a team of first-year players. Cambridge teams were successful in each game. Following are the scores. Cambridge players being mentioned first in each instance: Veterans.—G. E. Clark, T. Simpson, S. Cowley, AY. McFarlane (s.), 29, v. E. Rushbrooke, W. Savill, C. Bowden, S. H. Dunkley (s.), 17. First-year Players.—A. Richardson. IT. Rowland. P. Nairn, R. White (s.), 27, v. V. L. Gittos, E. A. Clarke, J. Haines. A. Rawson (s.), 11: C. Cooper, El. Webber, MeCn.thie. A. Harris (s.). 23, v. G. O. Jourdain, F. W. Bevin, R. L. Henderson. J. T. North (s.), 19; W. Edwards, W. Woolly, N. McFarlane, S. Lewis (s.), 23, v. A. Brown, E. AY. McCarter, A. J. Tailby. S. W. McMiPan. 21: S. Glanville, D. .T. Rundon, N. Hill, T. Dix (s.). 24, v. R. Moorhead, C. G. Downes. A. C. Crulcksh.ank, R. Metcalfe, 22; Hay. W. Wilkinson, Edwin, .Tames, J. Hallidav (s.), v. O. O’Brien, H. Andrew, G. Smith, L. G. Armstrong (s.), 21; G. W. Wilkinson, F. Tucker, -Gibson, S. Boulton (s.l, 25, v. A Rennie. A. Johnston, A. G. Weatherill, A. A. Reise (s.). 16: T. Boyce, Sands, E. L. Wallis, M. Butler (s.l. 21. v. G. W. Johnson, R. Ross, W. .T. North Us.). 26; H. Speight, C. Andrew, R. Sutherland, A. McNamara (s). 23, v. E. Bryant, A. S. Wallace, R. Laurie, J. A. Hawkins (s.), 21. IN OTHER CENTRES SOUTHLAND v. OTAGO (Special to THE SUN) DUNEDIN, Saturday. A representative bowling match, Otago v. Southland, was played on the Caledonian green to-day in a strong wind, almost of gale force. The game resulted in a win for Otago by 193 points to 181. Otago thus retains the Ilarraway Shield.