THE POPE AND THE PROTESTANTS OF ROME.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1655, 10 June 1879, Page 4

THE POPE AND THE PROTESTANTS OF ROME.

The clerical journals in Rome publish a long and important letter addressed by Leo XIII. under date March 25th, to the Cardinal. Vicar on the subject of Proteßtant schools in Rome. His Holiness points out how the enemies of the Church seek to influence the minds of youth. He laments that while in the public schools scarcely an hour or two are devoted to the Catholic Catechism, in those opened by Protestants the minds of youth are imbued with wicked doctrines in conformity with tho heresy they teach. These schools are increased in number year by year by the work of strangers and by the aid of foreign gold, and that in a city whore fo.merly no teaohing was set forth, or, in other words, permitted, but that pure doctrine willed by the Church. That these thingß exist affords proof how little the dignity and liberty of the Roman Pontiff aro provided for since the dominion of his States was taken from him. It is impossible for him to resign himself to a state of things so contrary to his dignity and so irreconcilable with the rights and most holy duties of his supreme power. But in tho midst of the gravo difficulties which surround him nothing remains but to turn his especial solicitude to mitigate the evil and impede its diffusion. The Pope then sets forth that to this end he has named a commission of prelates and members of the Roman nobility, which, without interfering with existing Catholic institutions and tho persons connected with them, shall assume the high direction and vigiiauco over nil tho Catholic elementary and primary schools, and be, as far as tho present, condition of things permits, tho common centra from whioh they will derive unity and increase. This commotion is to examine into the exact condition of the Bchools in the different districts of Rome, ascertain how far their number and amplitude correspond with the multitude of children requiring instruction, study how they can be enlarged and increased in number, inquire into tho ability and morality of the masters, &o. But inasmuch, tho Pope continues, as the struggle error is making against truth ia principally sustained by the gold largely distributed r.mong an impoverished people, so the success of the undertaking will greatly depend upon having a large supply of pecuniary means at hand. The Pops therefore proposes to contribute annually as great an amount as his private means permit; and as tho conservation of the faith in Romo is connected with the interests of all tha Oatholio world, he intends to make its schools prosper by devoting to them as much of tho abolo of St. Peter as tho needs of tho Universal Church will allow. But, as all this will bo insufficient, the Pope calls upon all Catholics to contribute themselves and use their efforts to prevail on Others to contribute to thia erd.