Finally Eugene met the Pope and was able to begin to understand the mess which the political intrigue had caused.<\/p>\n
\n… The audience with the Pope was closed to all but myself and the ministers. I was with His Holiness for a very long time. Well now! after the government had made futile protestations against my elevation to the episcopate, since it could not deny the Holy See an authority it exercises every day, another line of attack was prepared and they let it be known confidentially that, since I was a well-known Carlist leader and was holding political meetings in the Bishop\u2019s Palace, it would be necessary to prosecute me before the courts;<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cCarlist\u201d refers to those in France who regarded King Charles as the last legitimate king, and the current King Louis Philippe as an illegal usurper. While Eugene was certainly no fan of the present king, the allegations made by the government were untrue. The French authorities, however, threatened to prosecute him on these subversive (yet untrue) charges, and thought that getting the Pope to intervene would be one way to solve the problem.<\/p>\n
\nthat this would be the subject of an official note unless the Pope wisely intervened, as was the hope, for it would be very distasteful to the Government to be reduced to the extremity of bringing a bishop before the courts. The Pope, in good faith and to shield me from this dishonour, issued his summons. If I had been told why, you know I would have replied in proper manner, and since I have made no moves, or said a single word in favour of the Carlist cause, granted even there be such a cause, seeing that my principles are that the clergy has enough on its hands to defend the faith without getting mixed up in politics. I would have gone to the courts myself if needs be, sure of carrying the day. Since I am here, I shall see the matter through…<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Henri Tempier, 28 August 1833, EO VIII n 458<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Finally Eugene met the Pope and was able to begin to understand the mess which the political intrigue had caused. … The audience with the Pope was closed to all but myself and the ministers. I was with His Holiness … Continue reading