THE POPE'S BOYHOOD AND YOUTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 179, 1 September 1876, Page 14

THE POPE'S BOYHOOD AND YOUTH.

M. Villefbanche gives the following interesting details concerning the boyhood and youth of Pius IX., in *La Paroisse/ a French weekly paper :—" Sinigaglia is a pretty little city of TJmbria in the Pontifical States, and one of the most ancient in Italy. It was founded by a tribe of Gauls who came from the banks of the Seine. At the time that France was in the agonies of the most terrible revolution of modern times, Sinigaglia had for mayor a gentleman named Jerome Mastai Ferretti. The Mastai family is a very excellent one, and originated in Crema, Lombardy. It abandoned that city in the fifteenth century, and established itself at Sinigaglia where it has always been distinguished for its private virtues and public munificence. It added the name of Ferretti to that of Mastai, on the occasion of a matrimonial alliance with the last heiress of the house of Ferretti. Count Jerome had for his wife a lady named Catherine Sollazzi. She bore him several children, of whom the second, John Mary, was destined to become Pope Pius IX. He was born May 13, 1792. His father was exceedingly anxious about the education of his children. No one was better acquainted with the painful condition of affairs in Europe, and the increase of infidelity disturbed him greatly. He took every precaution to secure his innocent offspring from its pernicious influence. In his endeavor he was admirably seconded by the good Countess, his wife, who was a lady of singular talent and ability. John Mary responded to the care and vigilance of his parents in an admirable manner. He was a very pretty child and very intelligent. When Pius VI. was led captive into France, little John was taught to feel for his sufferings, and used to add a prayer for him to those which he said at night. When any news of this unfortunate Pope was heard, the child expressed the greatest desire to become acquainted with it. " How can God permit such horrors to take place ? ' he would ask, 'is He not the Master of all things ? Then why does He permit His Vicar to be dragged away like a malefactor and imprisoned ? ' 'My child,' would answer the Countess, ' it is because he is the Vicar of Christ that God allows him to be treated as Christ was.' ' But, mother, these French are very wicked people, and why do you make me pray for them ? ' 'Our Saviour, John, prayed for His enemies.' When Pius VI. died, people used to say that there never would be another Pope, and little John, hearing them, would ask : ' Will there really never be another Pope ? ' His mother did all she could to sustain his faith and to persuade him that there would be another Pope, and she did this so well that if anybody expressed a doubt of it in bis presence he would boldly answer : • I know there will be another Pope, because my mother says there will be one.' When he was twelve years old, he was sent to the college at Volterra in Tuscany. This school was directed by the Scolopi Fathers. His progress was considerable. In the meantime his uncle, the Bishop of Pesaro, was imprisoned for his fidelity to Pius VII., and another uncle, a canon of St. Peter's, was imprisoned in Rome for the same cause. So it is easy to see what a faithful and thoroughly Catholic family that of the present Pope was. One day an inspector deputed by the French Government to visit all the schools and colleges in Italy went to Volterra, and amongst other children examined young Mastai. He was so struck by his brightness of intellect that he said : " That child will be a great man before he dies." This gentleman died in 1830, when young Mastai was Archbishop of Spoleto, and, as he knew him well, used to tell the story of the first impression Mastai had produced upon him. John Mastai was six years at school at Volterra. He never was in any army, although many biographers assert that he was a soldier from 1811 to 1812 — some under Napoleon, others under Austria. But this is false; Pius IX. never carried arms. He remained quietly at Sinigaglia until the return of Pius VII., and was presented to that Pope during his triumphal progress through the Papal States. A cruel illness now afflicted him, and he was for some time a victim to epilepsy. He always declares that, under God, he owes his recovery from this illness to his mother. On regaining his health he went to Rome in 1818, but when Cardinal Prince Odescalchi undertook to preach a mission at Sinigaglia, Mastai joined himself to him, and returned to his native city for a short time. This Prince Odescalchi afterwards abandoned the purple to become a Jesuit. Abbe Mastai's ill health had hitherto prevented his entering holy orders, and it was not until December 18, 1818, that he received the sub-diaconate. A little later he was permitted, to say mass, but on the sole condition that he said it assisted by another priest. Pius VII. said to him as he granted this favor. ' I think I can safely predict that your ill health will be speedily removed.' It never returned."