THE AUDIENCES OF THE VATICAN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 21, 20 September 1873, Page 13

THE AUDIENCES OF THE VATICAN.

In connection with our second leader of to-day we present the follow ing extract from the Philadelphia • Catholic Standard.' The readers of the ' Standard ' can hardly fail, week by week, to notice the veneration and love borne towards our Holy Father by the Catholic world. Viewed by the light of accomplish© d facts and the methods of worldly wisdom, who and what is Pius IX ? He is one of many distinguished sovereigns, and of these there are a great number now. Le is an aged man, whose measures do not seem to have met with the success that the world values. His enemies are neither few, poor, contemptible, noi* ignorant. On the contrary, they are numerous, powerful and organized. The mighty Czar is one of them, and he is the embodiment of autocracy ; but so is the rabid Garibaldi, and he is the unchecked democracy. The most opposite opinions coalesce in opposition to Pius IX. The Pilates and Herods of modern times shake hands and combine against the Pope. The various sets of gentlemen who form the cabinets of the several nations are all either unfriendly or opposed to St. Peter's successor. The Jews and capitalists of the great commercial centres will advance millions to any plausible scheme or to support a bubble of the passing hour, but are not so forward in the case of a Papal loan. On the contrary, their influence, directly and indirectly, is adverse to any such enterprise. The Pope is regarded as the representative of everything retrograde by those who see no good in the past, and regard every ting modern as, per te, excellent and " progressive." And yet, old, discrowned of earthly diadems, opposed by the great ones of this earth, the bugbear of apprehensive Protestants, this man, this Pius IX could boast if so disposed, of a more brilliant court than the most powerful of his royal adversaries, and of a popular following more numerous and devoted than the most violent of his revolutionary foes. To the halls of th« Vatican, week after week, and month after month, come in deputations the represenatives of the most ancient houses in Europe. The Queen of England may boast of the brilliant train of nobles that surround her, and the Emperor of Austria of his glittering courtiers, but day after day the representatives of many of the most distinguished families, the " pure blood " of all Europe, come to pay their respects to Pius IX. But, after all, rank and blood are nothing in themselves. And the Pope thinks more of the peasants and the poor who come from every part of fair Italy, and who brave rugged roads and blaspheming crowds in order to visit Rome. Not only is this seen daily in Italy, but in France, in Belgium, and in Ireland the Catholic poor are most ardent lovers of Pius IX., and imbu3d with deep religious sentiments. The audience chamber of Pius IX., sees other visitors. Now a simple and devout bishop, who has been thirty or forty years in the middle ofCambodia or Japan ; now a dignified and majestic Apostolic Nuncio whose duties require him to move in polished society and associate with kings ; now an Abbot from a Syrian monastery, grave, long-bearded and reserved ; now an Irish dignitary, to seek advice on some pending measures in the British Pailiamentj now a pious superioress, or devout nun, to crave the Papal blessing. Not only do Catholics troop to the Vatican, lay and cleric, noble and poor, but also distinguished Protestants. ' . Perhaps a chanoe traveller, like Mr Seward, whose interview with the Pope, was described lately in the • Catholic Standard.' Perhaps a scientific man or a learned scholar. The audiences of the Vatican are not uninteresting, nor are they trivial. They iudicate where is the strength of the Church, viz— at its centre. If the centre is thus supported by the extremities ; if an impression is made at the heart and transmitted to the utmost bounds, then the day of victory of the Church is sure, though it may be distant. It may come in a way we know not of, but it will be the" amazement of the world. The predictions of the wise will be confounded, and the faith of the simple hearted will be exhibited. The deputations to Borne prove that Catholicity is neither dead nor dying, but that it moves and breathes and will live.