The Morning Star And Catholic Messenger

The Church in Poland.--It will be remembered that Mgr. Sosnowski, Vicar General and Administrator of the Diocese of Lublin, in Poland, escaped into Galicia just in time to avoid the decree of transportation to Siberia, which had been issued against him as against the greater part of the Polish Bishops, for no other offence than his refusal to be forced into schism. Letters from Lemberg, in the Correspondance du Nord-Est, state that, on his arrival in that city he applied for permission to go to Rome, and having obtained it, represented to the Holy Father, in an audience, the unhappy condition of the Church in Poland.

His Holiness is stated to have replied in these words: "I am, it is true, the unworthy representative of Jesus Christ, God and Man; still I have not the gift of knowing what Providence in its designs has in store for nations, nor the date of its accomplishment. Nevertheless, I entertain a firm hope that the mercy of God will soon change into clemency this scourge of chastisement which for divers sins has fallen so heavily on the Polish nation, and that He will grant to that people which now suffers so grievously the grace of His blessing, in restoring its ancient existence, independence, and its place (among the nations). As a pledge of this hope, I give my apostolic benediction to that nation, and to you who represent it." Before the opening of the Council Mgr. Sosnowski returned to Rome, and being presented at the audience in which the Bishops of Galicia were presented to the Pope, was addressed by his Holiness in Latin as follows: "With the help of God you have arrived here a second time in good health, and you have done well to come, for you shall take part in the Council. There were difficulties in the way [Mgr. Sosnowski is not a Bishop], but I removed them by my authority and power. It could not have been otherwise, especially when I learnt that from the Polish territories subject to the Russian Government, no one of the Bishops, whose number is already so reduced, will come to Rome, and that because the Government has refused them permission to attend the Council, adding, indeed, that they might go without leave, but that they would never be allowed to re-enter the country." The presence of the Polish prelate in the Council appears to cause considerable uneasiness to the Russian Government. The semi-official press is very sore about it, and there are even rumors of a private mission to Rome to explain away inconvenient revelations. This, however, requires confirmation.--Tablet.