POPE LEO AND THE IRISH AGITATION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2998, 3 February 1881, Page 3

POPE LEO AND THE IRISH AGITATION.

The Aurora, -which is understood to reflect the Papal mind on popular questions has an article on the atitude of tho Vatican towards the existing state of affairs in Ireland, in which it says : —" There is one thing which for us Catholics does not admit of discussion, and which every Government has the right to ask and require from the bishops and Catholics of every country, and that is that, in pointing out burdens and in asking reparations for wrong, thoy should not pass the limits of the respect due to the authorities, and that they should hold them■selves with holy disdain aloof from those means which in tho complex are called revolutionary, and which branch out in so \ many ways—in tumults, in secret societies, in intimidations, and still worse, in incendiarism, homicide, and treachery. Such means are abhorred by Catholics, and if others, under whatever pretext, adopt them they cease by that sole fact to belong to the Church, and they compromise and dishonour even the holy cause. Could it ever be possible that the noble Irish Episcopate would—we will not say, let things take their course—but Avould fail to denounce such disloyal means—means which, while defiling the faith of Catholic Ireland, would ruin her cause in all honest minds ? To put this question is to give it an answer admitting no reply. To adopt violent means, as, alas! has already been and would still be done in Ireland by turbulent and dangerous men, is not only a crime, but also a folly. A right-minded people, jealous of their dignity, as the English are, would never consent to give redress sought to be forced from them by violenco and by criminal means ; but, thanks be to Heaven, Catholic Ireland has no need for such means. The Irish Episcopate and the Pope will be in accord in maintaining the principles of the Church, and in striving ever to be an element of order, of temperance, of civilisation, even amid the raging of ardent passion. A few days ago some of the Irish bishops came to pay filial homage to Leo XIII. We were not present at the conversation between those bishops and the Pope, but wo know the spirit by which both were animated, and it does not seem to us far from the truth to say that Leo XIII. spoke to them as follows : —Beware my brethren that the enemy come not to sow tho tares of the factions {delle sette) among jow. Beware ithatyow aamlslry give not tho slightest)

pretext for consuro. Separato from you thoso who aro terrorising and raising the homicidal knife against their fellows. Preserve tho traditions of tbe Holy Church whose pastors you are, and remind your faithful flocks that our fathers came out from the catacombs and cruel oppression, led by the hand of tho charity of Jesus Christ, and through the serene and peaceful defenco of their right." ~SVe can pledge ourselves, that if not these exact words, certainly these sentemonts were expressed by tho Pope and accepted by tho Irish bishops."