If the laws of the state are openly at variance with the laws of God—­if they inflict injury upon the Church—­or set at naught the authority of Jesus Christ which is vested in the Supreme Pontiff, then indeed it becomes a duty to resist them, a sin to render obedience.

And consider how many fields there are in which the laws of a democratic state do and forever must contravene the “laws of God” as interpreted by the Catholic Church.  Consider for example, that the Pope, in his decree #Ne Temere#, has declared that Catholics who are married by civil authorities or by Protestant clergymen will be living in “filthy concubinage”!  Consider, in the same way, the problems of education, burial, prison discipline, blasphemy, poor relief, incorporation, mortmain, religious endowments, vows of celibacy.  To the above list, as given by Gladstone, one might add many issues, such as birth control, which have arisen since his time.

What the Church means is to rule.  Her literature is full of expressions of that intention, set forth in the boldest and haughtiest and most uncompromising manner.  For example, Cardinal Manning, in the Pro-Cathedral at Kensington, speaking in the name of the Pope: 

I acknowledge no civil power; I am the subject of no prince; I claim more than this—­I claim to be the supreme judge and director of the consciences of men—­of the peasant that tills the field, and of the prince that sits upon the throne; of the household of privacy, and the legislator that makes laws for kingdoms; I am the sole, last supreme judge of what is right and wrong.

#Temporal Power#

What this means is, that here in our American democracy the Catholic Church is a rebel; a prisoner of war who bides his time, watching for the moment to rise in revolt, and meantime making no secret of his intentions.  The pious Leo XIII, addressing all true believers in America, instructed them as to their attitude in captivity: 

The Church amongst you, unopposed by the Constitution and government of your nation, fettered by no hostile legislation, protected against violence by the common laws and the impartiality of the tribunals, is free to live and act without hindrance.  Yet, though all this is true, it would be very erroneous to draw the conclusion that in America is to be sought the type of the most desirable status of the church, or that it would be universally lawful or expedient for state and church to be, as in America, dissevered and divorced.  The fact that Catholicity with you is in good condition, nay, is even enjoying a prosperous growth, is by all means to be attributed to the fecundity with which God has endowed His Church—­But she would bring forth more abundant fruits if, in addition to liberty, she enjoyed the favor of the laws and patronage of the public authority.

Accordingly, here is Father Phelan of St. Louis, addressing his flock in the “Western Watchman”, June 27,1913: