Socialism and the Pope

III. "Sacred Heart" Literature!

In his letter, dated February 2, 1930, addressed to Cardinal Pompili (published in English by the Catholic Truth Society), Pius XI. denounces "infamous carnival pageants" organized in the towns and villages of the Soviet Union, at which lorries paraded the streets on which

"were erected large Christmas trees, on which numerous dolls, dressed to represent Catholic and Orthodox Bishops, were hung by the neck. Then, in the middle of the city, other youths performed acts of sacrilege of every kind against the Cross."

It is a pity that His Holiness, in his opposition to blasphemy, did not consider the outrages committed against the persons of Bishops Hooper, Ridley, and Latimer, and Archbishop Cranmer, to mention no others, before the Papal authorities consigned them, via the Secular power to the flames. And these disgraceful mockeries, let me remind Pius XI., were not in effigy. If the Church objects to being the victim of mockery it should not have pioneered it against others. Did not Jesus mention the intimate connection of reaping and sowing?

The Pope concludes his protest with a mockery, which is supposed to combine faith with rhetoric:-

"Therefore, that We Ourselves may make, in the best possible way, an act of reparation for all those outrages, and also that We may invite the faithful of the whole world to this reparation, We have determined on the feast of St. Joseph, the nineteenth day of March to go to Our Basilica of St. Peter's and there to celebrate over the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles a Mass of expiation in propitiation and reparation for these great and awful offences against the Divine Heart...After having asked pardon and pity from his Sacred Heart, for the sufferers and likewise for their oppressors. We shall pray to the most holy and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, to her chaste spouse, St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, to the special protectors of Russia, the holy Angels, St. John the Baptist, St. Nicholas, St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, SS. Cyril and Methodius, and all the other Saints, and especially St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus, to whom We have in a particular manner entrusted the future of these souls."

Was ever printing press devoted to the spread of more appalling drivel?

According to the Irish "Messenger of the Sacred Heart" (organ of the Apostleship of Prayer, published in Dublin) the Sacred Heart to which the Holy Father appeals, blesses the races and promotes machine-gun practice. In its issue for November, 1923, this precious journal, under the heading "Thanksgiving," published the following testimony to the power and grace and glory of the Sacred Heart:-

"SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL FAVOURS.

"A fine day for the races. ...
"285 letters of thanksgiving.