THE POPE PASSES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 341, 31 October 1879, Page 16

THE POPE PASSES.

(From the St. Patrick College Gazette.) Once more we are in the narrow road between the two long blank walls, into which we turned out of the Porta Pia. At this instant a horseman, in dark attire, with a cocked hat and feathers, and drawn sword in hand, dashes past us. Immediately the -whisper "11 Catti strada, il Catti strada" (the Pope's outrider), passes from mouth to mouth, and, from the boys whom we left behind us in the vigna, arises a shout of " Evriva il Papa,Eviva il Paj>a." How did they know he was coming 1 They pour in a dark, swift stream, out of the gate, and down the dusty lane into the Porta Pia. They form two long dark lines along the street, and drop on their knees to beg his blessing. There was only this wanting to complete their joy — and mine. How gleefully will they tell at home that tbey have seen the I'ope I And so shall I. lam not looking at the modest state with which he rides. lam looking at the Pope. The venerable Pius IX. has many personal qualities to endear him to all generous souls. But it is not for his qualities or his deeds lam looking at him. I am looking at him as the Pope, as the Head of the Catlwlic Chvrch, as the most wonderful man of the whole world ! I have gazed with a languid curiosity at one or two of the rulers of this earth. I knew them. Go back a few generations and you will find that they succeeded to some older family. Go on a few generations, and you may safely say, they will be supplanted in their turn. Not so with the Pope ; you can trace his predecessors back to Jesus Chrl6T, and from Jesus ChbiSt back to Adam—" who was of God." Ah unbroken line from that man ivko had just 2>assed, back to the first — " who icas of God!" Can any one look on that long line aud not be struck ? Let him meditate on it. It is worthy of profound coasideration. Yes ; I, too, shall gladly tell that " I have seen the Pope." And if, on that happy evening, anyone could have told me that '• after my departure "' ravening wolves would enter, not sparing tbe fold (Acts xx, 29.), I should have been afflicted, but not dismayed. And if he had told me that the temporal power of the Pope would be for ever destroyed, I would have said to him :—: — " When the first Pope was crucified, head downwards, on the Vatican Hill, this city was capital of the largest and most powerful empire the world ever saw. It extended North, South, East and West of the Mediterranean. It has been broken up, and small portions of it constitute the great kingdoms of the present day. If the Pope's power were merely a temporal one, like that of Rome, it might share the fate of Rome. But it is a power given by God merely to subserve the Pope's spiritual authority, by freeing him. from the domination of selfish and. unscrupulous princes. In the beginning of the Church, the preachers of the Gospel had no acknowledged authority, and its want was supplied by miraculous powers. But in proportion as the Church acquired authority, and natural means (of course sanctified by God's grace), became sufficient, these supernatural aids became gradually more rare. This independence of the Pope is such a natural means, sanctioned by God, and if ever an empire, more powerful even than that of Rome, should start up and overwhelm it for a moment, eventually it will rise again, and the mighty empire will fall ! Joseph O'Malley, S.J.