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Bishop Scalabrini, Pope Leo X111 and Cardinal

Mariano Rampolla (1887–1894)

The papacy of Leo XIII (1878–1903) is marked by a great attention, continued under his successor Pius X, to both transatlantic emigrations and those toward European countries. Church archives in Rome document the vast effort undertaken to preserve the faith of the immigrants by providing priests of the same language, social assistance, and new pastoral models of ecclesiastical organization.¹ In the correspondence dealing with the issue of emigration between Bishop Scalabrini and Pope Leo XIII and his Secretary of State Cardinal

Mariano Rampolla, the focus is the Institute of Missionaries for Migrants and the missionaries’ behavior among them. Cardinal Rampolla was linked to the group of Italian Catholics called intransigent, because he was opposed to any negotiation with the Italian Government on the question of the temporal power of the Popes. The Cardinal took note of accusations of a more conciliatory approach leveled at Bishop Scalabrini’s missionaries. On his part the Bishop of Piacenza, although openly favorable to reconciliation between the Vatican and Italy, wanted his missionaries completely engaged in the religious care of the Italian immigrants without any involvement in political debates.

            Leo XIII formally approved Bishop Scalabrini’s Institute and wanted it to be “wholly ecclesiastical even in regards to its administration”. He also sent an official letter, Quam Aerumnosa, to the American bishops “to inform them of his desires and recommended that they take advantage of this new help Divine Providence has placed at their disposal.” Since a first draft of the letter had been prepared by Bishop Scalabrini and because of its significance, it is reproduced in this section. Then, Pope Leo XIII extended his concern for the migrants by directing his Nuncios to report “all pertinent information regarding the approximate numbers, conditions and needs of the migrants” in view of “any further assistance that might be considered opportune in the future.”