Cardinal Schwarzenberg has been the subject of conversation in Rome for
the last few days. He is said to have formally gone over to the
Infallibilist camp, and the report will no doubt make the round of Europe.
But it is not true, and he himself declares, notwithstanding appearances,
that he has not changed, and does not mean to change, his attitude and
mind. The circumstance which has given occasion to the rumour is as
follows:—
In a combined meeting of German and Hungarian Bishops, it was resolved, on
Haynald’s motion, to request of the Pope a better representation, and one
more accordant with the dignity of the two Churches, on the Commissions.
It was hoped that a majority of the French and a considerable number of
the North American and Oriental Bishops, and even some Spanish and Italian
Prelates, would join in this step. For Haynald’s object was to propose
that the whole assembly should be divided into eight national groups, and
that each of these “eight nations” should be entitled to have two or three
members, elected from its own body,—some sixteen or twenty-four in
all—added to the four elected Commissions, and to the Commission nominated
by the Pope for examining all motions proposed. This, it was thought,
would secure a counterpoise to the skilfully disciplined majority which
was crushing out all opposition. For it has already become evident that
the strength of the Romanist party lies in the number of titular Bishops
selected by the Pope, and Vicars-Apostolic or missionary Bishops; in
persons, that is, who, having no flocks, or only having them in
expectation, represent in fact nothing and nobody, and can therefore bear
no testimony to the faith of their Churches, which have no existence. The
Germans were greatly elated by this project; they admired and
congratulated themselves on having shown so much spirit, and daring to
tell the Pope something widely different from the assurance that they were
ready to die in absolute subjection to him. Hereupon Schwarzenberg came
forward to declare that he would not sign the petition, as he did not
choose to compromise himself further with the Pope, and Rauscher of
Vienna, and Tarnóczy of Salzburg, sided with him. This caused great
consternation, and at the first moment many thought it betokened an entire
apostasy, and that in Schwarzenberg’s case the Cardinal had triumphed over
the German. But he has so emphatically denied this that he must be
believed. It is very conceivable that Schwarzenberg, seeing more deeply
into the situation at Rome, was led by grounds of expediency to take this
course; possibly the mere wish to make as sparing use as they could of the
fund of high spirit and courage brought from Germany, and the fear of
using it up too quickly, in case the Council should last some time, may
have determined the three Prelates to decline subscribing. Already a new
demand has been made upon the Bishops, to adopt the _Schema_ the Pope had
intrusted the preparation of to the Jesuits.
The contest over this _Schema_ has begun in good earnest, according to the
impression made by the General Congregation held yesterday, Dec. 28. The
first part of the _Schema_ was the one the speakers dwelt on,—as far, that
is, as they could be heard, for the acoustic uselessness of the hall makes
itself felt before and behind, and the pulpit had to be carried about all
round the room before the right position could be hit upon for it.
Meanwhile it had transpired, who were the authors of the _Schema_ which
the Pope meant to promulgate, “with the approbation of the Council,” as a
binding rule of faith. They were two German Jesuits, Schrader, and
another, either Franzelin or Kleutgen. It is remembered how, a year ago, a
great deal was made in the newspapers of distinguished German scholars
having been summoned to Rome for the preliminary labours of the Council.
If several of the names mentioned created surprise from their obscurity,
it gave satisfaction to find among those invited men like Hefele and
Haneberg. It is now clear that every work of real importance was intrusted
to other hands, chiefly to the Jesuits, while Hefele was summoned to Rome
to extract the ceremonial from the Acts of the Council of Trent, after
which he was dismissed, and Haneberg was commissioned to prepare a report
on Eastern monasteries. Schrader has become notorious as the advocate of
the extremest Papal system by his book _De Unitate Romanâ Commentarius_,
where he treats all episcopal authority as a mere emanation of the Papal.
According to him, every article of the Syllabus is to be so understood
that the contradictory statement contains the true doctrine. It was
therefore with very good reason that he was chosen out to draw up the
_Schema_, or, in other words, to fabricate a second strait-waistcoat for
theology, after the Council had already been put into one in the
regulations for the order of business.
The _Schema_ has aroused manifold displeasure, even among allies of
Schrader and his brethren, and men who, like them, are Infallibilists.
What I hear said everywhere is that the whole thing is a poor and very
superficial piece of patchwork, with more words than ideas, and, as the
blind old Archbishop Tizzani said in the Congregation, is above all
designed to stamp the opinions of the Jesuit school as dogmas, and to
substitute a string of new obligatory articles of faith for the
_theologumena_ or doctrines of the theological schools hitherto left open
to the judgment of individuals. For a Society, like that of Loyola’s
disciples, it is of supreme importance to possess in the multitude of new
anathemas what will always supply abundant matter for accusations; it
appertains to their “arcana dominationis” always to keep alive the fear of
being charged with heresy. It makes other theologians dependent on the
Order, and cramps their literary energies. And it must be borne in mind
that there are no longer any powerful theological corporations which might
meet the Jesuits on equal terms. Were the _Schema_ to be adopted, very few
professors of Old Testament Exegesis could escape the charge of heresy, so
far is the inspiration of the scriptural books, even the
deutero-canonical, extended here for the first time.
And thus it happened yesterday that there was no single speaker for the
_Schema_, but all, beginning with Cardinal Rauscher, spoke against it; and
Archbishop Conolly of Halifax said in so many words, “Censeo _Schema_ cum
honore esse sepeliendum.” This of course has only been the beginning of
the discussion, and we are naturally in suspense as to how it will
proceed. But so much is already gained, that a spirit of independence is
roused among the Bishops. Much is said here about the desertion of certain
Bishops from the ranks of the Opposition, and new names are mentioned
every morning, often with the remark that So-and-so has let himself be
caught with the bait of one of the fifteen vacant Hats. These Hats are
held here to be capable of working miracles. There is thought to be no
more effective means of working the conversion of a hardened
anti-Infallibilist than a decoration of that kind, and, in truth, the
number might not be great of those who would say with Darboy, “Je n’ai
point de rhumer de cerveau, je n’ai pas besoin de chapeau.” As long as
fifteen of these Hats are suspended in the air ready to descend on a
willing head, so long, every Italian is convinced, there can be no lack of
conversions. The example of the Synod of Constantinople in 859 is quoted,
where the Bishops were induced to vote for the deposition of Synesius by
promising each of them separately the Patriarchal throne. Yet of the
majority of French, German, Hungarian, and American Bishops, no one who
knows them would expect this weakness; and so on closer inspection these
rumours come to nothing. Even Ketteler, who had been given up for lost on
account of his intimate relations with the Jesuits,—he lives in the German
College—shows himself firm, and the most important personage who as yet
has deceived the expectations formed of him is Cardinal Bonnechose,
Archbishop of Rouen. It is stated in German circles that fifteen Spanish
Bishops are wavering, and show a disposition to join the Opposition. The
apprehension that the other party, whose admirable organization and
adroitness in manœuvring deserves the highest praise, will carry through
Infallibility by a _coup_ still survives, and only yesterday several
Bishops entered the Council Hall in dread of being taken by surprise by
the acclamation. Cardinal di Pietro says it is no longer possible to drop
the affair; things have gone too far already.
I understand the feeling of the Roman clergy, and their indignation at
these stubborn Hyperboreans. It is as though one wanted to snatch from the
hands of the thirsty wanderer, who, after long toil, had at length reached
the fountain, the cup he was raising to his lips. With Infallibility, as
it is now defined and made clear as the sun at noonday by the Jesuits, all
resistance is broken, every attack triumphantly parried, every end brought
within reach. If the _Curia_ once becomes by this means the horny
Siegfried, no vulnerable point even in the back will be left. The Jesuit
Schrader, in his book on Roman unity, has proved that every act and every
ordinance of the Pope is infallible. For, as he says, “all Papal measures,
as regards their truth, belong to the order of faith, or morals, or law.
All decrees, whatever their subject, always contain a true doctrine,
whether speculative, moral, or juridical. But the Pope is infallible in
the order of truth and doctrine, and therefore in all his decrees.” Your
readers will believe I am ridiculing or calumniating the valiant Jesuit,
who shines at present as a star of the first magnitude in the theological
heavens of Rome; but I have only given a faithful translation, as any one
may ascertain for himself. That is the logic which prevails here, and
which no Roman cleric doubts to be of triumphant force.
_Dec. 30._—The second Session of the General Congregation on the _Schema_
took place yesterday. About a third of the hall had been cut off by a
partition, so that the speakers could be somewhat better understood. Among
the five speakers, who, like the seven that had preceded them, pronounced
for the rejection of the _Schema_, Strossmayer, and Ginoulbiac, of
Grenoble, who is considered the best theologian among the French Bishops,
commanded most attention. The _Schema_ was again censured for going much
too far in its statements and condemnations, and it was shown that the
Council, by accepting it, would enter on a wholly new path, widely
different from that of the earlier Councils, where the Church would be
forced into constantly narrower definitions, until a complete dogmatic
philosophy, stiff and rigid, had been formalized. Strossmayer also
observed on the formula of promulgation selected by Pius, which represents
the Pope as a dogmatic lawgiver, and the Council as a mere consultative
body called in to assist him, that it is an unheard-of innovation,
departing from all conciliar traditions. This led to an opposite statement
by Cardinal Capalti, one of the Presidents, and a reply from Strossmayer.
As yet no single one of the host of 500 has said a word in defence of the
_Schema_. The excitement is, as may be conceived, great. That even
Rauscher came forward against the _Schema_ created the more sensation, as
it was he who brought its author, Schrader, to the University of Vienna.