Mussolini and the Vatican

...it does not refuse to do any little thing it can, unofficially...

...All that would remain in that respect would be to change the unilateral dispositions of one power into a bilateral agreement between the two, and, with the presumption, justified by what has been seen of the results, that the dispositions were, on the whole, sound, the consultation necessary would be a comparatively easy process...

...It would make possible a concordat which woul be of great advantage to the Church and religion i Italy...

...This sound feeling has been strengthened by the entire change of attitude toward religion and the Church on the part of the present government...

...Th Italian fears that excess of caution might bias th Pope subconsciously against him...

...it is really no more than a matter of convenience, the final and only judge of it, as of other conditions, being the Pope...

...Satisfactory, instead of unsatisfactory conditions of fact on certain working points would exist...

...When the government commission started its work, it recognized that there would be many points on which the assistance of ecclesiastical experts would be valuable...

...There still remains an indistinct, almost subconscious feeling among some Italians that things are very well as they are—they might not be improved by a change...

...When you have cleared the ground of that obstacle the two powers can go ahead...

...The Roman question has to be settled first...

...There must be a basis for papal sovereignty, liberty, and independence to rest on, and, it is understood, has, indeed, been said semi-officially from the Vatican, that no other basis than the territorial has been discovered up to now...

...Presumin that some day a settlement should come, the worl would see and feel no difference...

...In some press comment, however, when the draft report came to be published, the word "collaboration" was used to describe this assistance...

...It was noted that, if and when a settlement of the Roman question ever came into the realm of actual possibility, such settlement must be accompanied by concordatory articles establishing new conditions of fact in innumerable matters of working arrangement between Church and state...

...It would be th righting of a wrong done by Italy to the Holy Se fifty odd years ago, on such terms as the Pope shoul think it right to agree to...

...There must be, in fact, a reform of ecclesiastical legislation...

...On the other side of the Tiber, there is a similar feeling...

...The extent of territory usually suggested in such irresponsible conversations as the writer has had from time to time with persons worth listening to, runs roughly: The Cathedral of Saint John Lateran, the papal villa of Castel Gandolfo, Saint Peter's, the Vatican, the Vatican Gardens and such acreage around them as the supreme Pontiff should consider suitable, sufficient, and convenient to round the territory off...

...Is such settlement any nearer now than it has been before...

...There are several dispositions regarding the status of religious orders—the exequatur for the appointment of bishops, for instance—that might almost have been taken from the text of some of the recent papal concordats...

...The reform cannot well now restore the property, though Signor Mussolini has done a great deal administratively in that regard, but it goes a long way toward restoring the rights...

...This magisterial statement must be as welcome to the prime minister as it was necessary for the Vatican...

...It may well be believed that it woul make Signor Mussolini very happy if the questio could be settled while he directs the policies of th country...

...Generally, the atmosphere is entirely favorable...

...One word, however, may be added...

...In his Christmas, 1922, encyclical, the reigning Pontiff said: "Italy will never have to fear hurt from the Holy See...

...That is so generally realized now that it is not impossible to get competent persons to talk on the subject, everyone knowing that such conversation is completely irresponsible...

...On the other side of the Tiber, Pope Pius XI has endorsed what Pope Benedict XV's pronouncement of 1915 indicated...

...given the evidently good dispos tions of the present government and the known goo will and charity of the supreme Pontiff—a settlemen would go through without difficulty, would, indeed, b welcomed...

...The letter is interesting as it approaches the old Roman question along a road not used before, the word ucollaboration" being in this case the starting point, and the simple, irrefutable argument runs: The ecclesiastical experts were asked to assist the commission...

...But study reveals difficulties...

...the Vatican is courteous...

...Now, when the Reform of Ecclesiastical Legislation was first put in hand, the importance of it was at once recognized here...

...It would make no difference to anyon else...

...Hardly anyone now would uphold the old thesis that "the law of guarantees is a perfect instrument, there is now no Roman question...

...it is even hinted that he has dreamed of it settlement during the Franciscan Year—of whic Italians are thinking very much, and with the fulles recognition of all that it should mean...

...The moral prestige of the Papacy has grown wonderfully despite the "abnormal" and unjust conditions...

...People on both sides are studying the subject...

...Three prelates put their expert knowledge at the disposal of the commission...

...There is goo reason for believing that the ground has been ej plored...

...That is fully recognized in responsible ecclesiastical circles...

...The press debate of 1921, following the restoration of relations with France, showed a distinct desire for settlement and an understanding of the Vatican case...

...it would raise the prestige of the Papacy an the Catholic religion and thus tend to the salvatio of souls both in Italy and throughout the world...

...The sovereignty of His Vicar is spiritual as is that of Christ Himself...

...The Pope is not now the enemy of Italy...

...Nor is it used unless the occasion is important...

...Bu to conclude with the old adage: "The Vatican is neve in a hurry...

...When the reform was announced it was recognized at once to be a very remarkable legislative proposal, and interest increased with successive reports of the commission charged to frame the bill...

...Also, it is quite certain that a settlement of the question would generate in some minds abroad the idea that the Holy See might tend to be, in world politics, a appanage of the Italian Foreign Office...

...But such a regime is impossible as long as the unjust condition of things established in 1870 and 1871 continues...

...The preliminary actuation of such a reform by the government could not but make such a process easier if and when such a moment came...

...But the fact always remains that change of existing conditions, settlement, that is to say, of the "question," is necessary preliminary to any concordatory consultation...

...The ecclesiastical legislation to be reformed was established while Italy was uniting itself, taking over to itself in the process Church property of enormous value and Church rights of great juridical and greater ecclesiastical importance...

...The extent of territory is immaterial in principle...

...And the Vatica must give far more serious thought to that and othe suggested consequences in proportion to its far mor serious responsibility...

...This can only be done by bilateral agreement, in a regime, that is, of concordat...

...there is no available evidence that things hav gone any further as yet...

...the end of a long perio of impossibility for the Holy See to have relation with Italy...

...We reach the conclusion that on the part of Ital a settlement—on such terms as one imagines possible given the improved conditions and advance in know' edge and sentiment...

...On the part of the Holy See the sens of far greater responsibility, consideration of th world-wide, international, sopra-natural character o the Church and the Papacy, must cause far more ser ous thought...

...Pope Pius XI has just sent such a letter on the Fascist government's bill for the Reform of Ecclesiastical Legislation...

...There is a consideration that might help to overcome the natural hesitation of the Italian to agree to the passing of any Italian territory under another sovereignty...

...The Pope's letter closes all controversy and at the same time shows authoritatively why the word "collaboration" is inadmissible...

...There are spots that might comfortably be included, however: the Knights of Columbus present the Oratory of Saint Peter, the new land bought by the Propaganda close by Saint Peter's and the Vatican, for instance...

...Moreover, recognition of that character of the sovereignty of the Pope might help to overcome suggested difficulties regarding "subjects"—who are in actual fact spread over all the world, not confined in a little territory placed geographically in Italy...

...The outlook of the Italian people on the question is very different from what it used to be...

...That is at surd, but the consideration cannot be disregarded...

...they had permission to do so from the ecclesiastical authorities but no mandate from the Holy See...

...March 31, 1926 THE COMMONWEAL 569 MUSSOLINI AND THE VATICAN By L. J. S. WOOD A LETTER to the Cardinal Secretary of State is a convenient and the most official and authoritative means used by the Pope to deliver a message on any matter of current interest—not of purely religious interest, for which there are more solemn means of expression...

...It is the spiritual nature of that sovereignty, recently accentuated by the institution by Pope Pius XI of the feast of Christ the King...

...The general improvement in what may be called sentiment, to distinguish it from anything official, is undeniable...

...Controversy followed, not all of it dignified...

...It is not of the nature of a temporal power camped in the middle of Italy...

...The great point, once noted happily in the Osservatore Romano itself, is the disappearance of the old feeling of the inevitable hostility between the Holy See and Italy...

...That is certain...

...Any proposal that Signor Mussolini thought right to put before Parliament would receive its assent, the nation's consent, and the king's most cheerful signature...

...One still hears talk of the old "strip to the sea," but aeroplanes would now seem to have destroyed the significance of that and it would give rise to inconvenience...

...Such assistance was asked for and given...

...On the Italian side, the unpalatable thing would be the thought of the passing of Italian territory under another sovereignty...

...Conditions being as they are, the legislation is and must be unilateral, and the Holy See cannot accept the principle that the civil power can legislate unilaterally on matters the charge of which is given to the Church by Almighty God...