While summoning the world’s Zouaves to defend the Papal States, Pius IX appeared ashamed of promoting that spirit

March 30, 2017

By Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

Somehow, when summoning the Zouaves of the world to defend the Papal States, Pius IX by no means preached a crusade. Of course the doctrine was on his mind, but there was a kind of shame and fear of pushing that spirit forward because of the excess which, through a kind of psychological continuity – which expressing myself poorly I would call atavistic – remained in people.

And since that strong reaction against excess had remained in people and they no longer heard anything about the other side [of the matter], the thing waned in the direction we talked about.

 

(Excerpt from an MNF, Thursday, Sept. 14, 1989 – Nobility.org translation)

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