19. We know what happened in those places
where Our instructions did not arrive in time. "With the participation of
the authorities," as the message reveals, some procession took place. But
those "authorities" of the Government and of the party were the
selfsame persons who had already assisted or were about to assist, silently and
inactively, at definitely anti-Catholic and decidely
anti-religious acts - which is something the message does not say. The message,
on the contrary, asserts that there were local ecclesiastical authorities who
considered themselves in a position "to pay no heed" to Our prohibition. We do not know of any single local
ecclesiastical authority who deserves the insult and the affront implied in
those words. We do know, however, and we strongly deplored the impositions, the
threats, and the acts of force used or allowed to be used against local
ecclesiastical authorities. We know of impious parodies of sacred processions,
all of which were permitted to take place to the profound sorrow of the
faithful and to the great amazement of those citizens who, desiring peace and
order, were obliged to behold both peace and order undefended and even worse
than undefended by those very persons who have both the solemn duty of
defending them and a vital interest in doing so.
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