OUR ROMAN LETTER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 375, 25 June 1880, Page 16

OUR ROMAN LETTER.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Mat 7.

The Italian Ministry were defeated on the 29th April, by 177 ■ votes against 154, in the Chamber of Deputies, on a question of confidence respecting the prolongation of the term for provisional exercise of the Budget.* The ministers in consequence tendered their resignations, and "the King on reflection determined to dissolve Parliament. The decree for dissolution was dated May 2, and the general elections were fixed for May 16. The day for ballotting in cases of failure of candidates to obtain a legal majority of votes is fixed for."May 23, and Parliament is also convoked for assembly on the 26th of May. The recent hostile majority was composed of the party of Sella, Minghetti, and the Eight, with dissidents from the Left and Centre. It is expected the new Parliament will furnish materials 'to form a strong ministry, probably from the Left. Ministries- now sucoeed each other as rapidly in Italy as in Turkey or Spain. The Government party in the Municipal Corporation of Rome bas,also sustained a defeat by the rejection of the proposals of the Government for giving some millions of francs to the municipality on the condition that the municipality should build for Government a, certain number, of hospitals, barracks, and other public edifices deemed necessary for the capital of Italy. The syndic and some of the municipal councillors were strongly in favour of accepting the ministerial proposals, as they cared more for their own political advancement than for the financial prosperity of Rome. But the majority of the councillors are endeavouring to avoid the catastrophe which befel Florence, and now threatens Naples also with bankruptcy. In the time of Pius^lX., the Roman Corporation had millions to its credit. Now it is heavily in debt. "To accept the offer of the Government would renflfet the corporation bankrupt. The Catholic elejae&tfia t3i% corporation is influential, and will save the corporation frotfrflii&ncialWn. M". ;*?©B.l'Qpe''B nephew, Count Ludovico Pecci, is to be married to Signorina Zaccheo. The count was recently made a Guardia Nobile, and Leo XIII. made over to him the" Pecci estates at Frosinone on the occasion' of the marriage. He also gave him a small sum of money to defray hiS expenses as Guardia Nobile. > : On the 25th of -April there was an important reception at the Vatican of the French Pilgrims nnjder the direction of the Viscount de Damas. This pilgrimage is the ninth made by French pilgrims since 1870/ and state of ' France made it all the more important^ The, Consistorial Hall was the place selected for the audience; 'and the Pope was surrounded by a brilliant court. In xeply to an address read by Viscount de Damas and signed by all the pilgrims,. His Holiness spoke in the French language to the following effec.t : — ■" We. repeat what we have recently said to an illustrious Frenchman, namelyj that we love " France, because we acknowledge 'in that nation numerous rights' to 1 our love. Sincerely Catholic in the greater part of her sons, faithful- to the Church, and respectfully • devoted to the successors, of St. Peter, , France has never ceased under any circumstances to display her admirable activity in . sustaining, propagating, and carrying out in triumph plans for everything that is good', profitable to souls, and agreeable to God^ ■ Always generous, She shrinks front no- sacrifice. The demonstrations of your love, piety; faith and courage, fill Our heart with a sweet consolation, a consolation of which "We, alas, feel the necessity more . and more every day. Can We be <gther than profoundly grieved when We consider, what is passing mi Europe., and is aimed at the detriment of religion ? Can We refrain from anguish at sight of the

battle against the Church waged in nearly every country ? As for what concerns your beloved land, We feel the gravest inquietude respecting religion, and We pray unceasingly to God that He may lull the tempest which threatens the Church, and may jestore in mercy liberty and peace to her. But as long as the storm rages and the contest prevails, We shall never fail in Our duties as Pontiff. Exercising upon society the divine mission confided to Us, We will protect without weakness and defend unflinchingly, as was done at all epochs by our predecessors in the Apostolic See, the rights of truth and qf conscience, and We will sustain the interests of religion which are at the same time the interests of the nations. For, in truth, who can seriously -believe that the barriers which they place to the free action of th&iChurch contribute to secure the order and prosperity of the people ? Search the annals of France for ages, and you will find that the epochs in which she shed over the woild the most brilliant and luminous, lustre of her glory, and gave her sons the most joyous intervals of .internal peace, were precisely those epochs when the salutary influences of the Church upon souls were most largely and most powerfully exercised. Instructed by the records of the past, the perils of the present time, and, above all, by the teachings of your faith, you, my beloved friends, mast attach yourselves ever more and more to your mother the Church, and to this Apostolic See, which is, as you rightly said in your address, the • lamp of truth, the ark of salvation, the source of life." This speech •of the august Pontiff caufed immense enthusiasm, and the pilgrims crowded to his feet to express • tbciv devotion. Leo XIII. seemed overcome by emotion and won all hearts by his gentle and majestic bearing. His words refuted the calumny that the policy of the Vatican is changed from what it was under Pius IX., and that the Pontiff is disposed to temporise with \h.i persecutors and spoilers of the Catholic Church. The Church of Sts. John and Paul on the CoeliauJMount was lately the scene of an imposing ceremony, the translation of the body of St. Paul of the Cross from the chapel of the Sacrament in the basilica of Sts. John and Paul to a new chapel built in great part by the munificence of Prince Alexander Torlonia. On Saturday, the 24th of April, the three new altars were consecrated, the principal one in the new chapel by Cardinal Howard, the other two by the Bishops of Nottingham and Clermont respectively. A triduum was held, beginning on the 26th, the solemn translation of the body of the Saint having been made ou the 25th. St. Paul of the Cross was the founder

of the Passionists, and died more than 100 years ago. Hi« body is still preserved, and his features are intact. Numerous crowds attended the solemn functions, and filled the vast Basilica. Cardinals Manning and Howard, and the English Bishops of Clifton, Salford, and Nottingham were present. Monsignor Patterson, President of St. Edmund's College, Ware, is to be consecrated on the Sunday after Ascension Day by Cardinal Manning for the See of Emmaus in partibm infidelium. He is to reside in Westminster diocese, but will be neither Auxiliar, Suffragan nor Coadjutor. Dr. Weathers will still continue to be Auxiliar. The assassin who lately stabbed Dr. Ferenzona in Leghorn is arrested, but great difficulty will be found in procuring evidence to convict him. The murderer is a writer in an ultra-Republican journal. A subscription was opened for benefit of the orphan children of poor Ferenzona, and General Garibaldi sent a donation of 100 lire to the Orphan Fund, but expressed in the letter which accompanied his donation no abhorrence of the crime. Measles and small-pox are prevalent in Rome. The inhabitants of Trastevere, headed by Prince Falconieri, have memorialed the Government to take measures to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water in the works for the improvement of the Tiber at the Fatnesina. The stagnant water produced last summer malaria and fever, and the Roman Hospitals were filled with sick. In the Farnesina grounds were lately found some beautiful statues and a Columbarian, containing six niches, each with its urn for the ashes of the dead. Rings, calcined from the action of fire were found in these urns. These objects of antiquity, although rightfully the property of the Duke di Ripaldo, proprietor ot the Farnesina, were taken possession of by the Government and placed in a musenm. The Bishop of ArSagh, Dr. Woodlock, Canon Farrell, Mr. D'Arcey, of Dublin, Miss Talbot, Lady Herbert, of Lea, Lord Beaumont, and Miss Donaldson, are now in Rom?.