9. Scalabrini to Rampolla¹⁵

Piacenza, September 6, 1892

Your Eminence,

With the blessing of our Holy Father and therefore of God himself, our humble Congregation of Missionaries for the Italian emigrants is growing from day to day. This fact has engendered in my heart the desire to have a Cardinal Protector with whom we could transact the more important

affairs having to do with this work (the missionary institute), which has a future. I hereby humbly and respectfully express this desire to the Holy Father through you. Every member of the Sacred College he would choose for this purpose would always be a source of great consolation and help. But if I may suggest someone who is closer to me, I would propose the Archbishop of Florence, an apostolic man and already a great benefactor of our work.

            But if the Cardinal Protector must reside in Rome, then my choice unquestionably falls on Your Eminence, whom I deeply venerate and love. I trust you would grant me such a great honor. If not, Card. Mazzella or someone else. At any rate, regarding the choice as well as the advisability of the choice, I leave everything entirely in the hands of the Holy Father.

            This desire, a confident outburst of the heart, and Your Eminence will allow me to say it, became more vivid after the death of the beloved Card. Simeoni. I do not accuse anyone but I do want to bring up a fact. Since that time I have no longer found for the missions for the emigrants that zeal and that love that animated that superb and unforgettable Cardinal and his worthy secretary, Mons. D. Jacobini. I won’t go into details. Let me give you just one fact. From the very beginning the Holy Father was kind enough to allocate 10,000 Lire from the income of Propaganda Fide for the support of the Institute of Missionaries. That sum was paid to me for several years. In 1890, Card. Simeoni asked me to give up the aforementioned sum of money for that year, assuring me that the subsidy would continue and perhaps even be increased, depending on possibilities, precisely to make up for the sum withheld. I made the sacrifice with joy, hoping in the future. But, unfortunately, Card. Simeoni died. Notwithstanding repeated requests, I did not get anything more, nor did I even hear a word on this matter. I leave it to you to judge whether this behavior is just an inconvenience.

            I tell you all this without complaining and without criticizing anyone in the least. I am convinced that the works of God are born and grow at the foot of the Cross, and in this I find my consolation.

            Please excuse my boldness and recommend me to the Lord. With the greatest veneration, I remain

Devotedly and respectfully yours,

John Baptist Scalabrini, Bishop of Piacenza