Full in the panting heart of Rome! Have a look at the photograph above. That's Father Peter Ludwig of the Diocese of Lansing, who is currently studying in Rome, upon a recent pilgrimage to the tomb of Blessed Pope Pius IX (1792 – 1878) at the Basilica of St Lawrence Outside the Walls. Today is the Feast of Pope Pius IX. Happy feast day! Why celebrate though? Father Ludwig now explains what Blessed Pope Pius IX means to him:
Blessed Pope Pius IX is famous for many things. I know him best for having founded the Pontifical North American College in 1859 at the building where I now reside. Pius IX reigned as Pope from 1846-1878, which were some extremely difficult times. The Church during his pontificate was losing much of its political power. In 1870, the Papal States were all but completely annihilated. In response, the brave seminarians of the North American College in Rome offered to fight to preserve the Papal States. Pius IX responded in the negative, gently reminding the seminarians that their work as future priests was a spiritual battle— one that did not require the Papal States to remain intact for victory to be achieved.
Reflecting on the tumultuous pontificate of Pius IX reminded me of our own times. Catholic ideals are being challenged in many ways and it can often feel like we are losing ground. Pius IX lost a lot of ground during his time as Pope, but he never lost his faith. Now, he is buried a stone’s throw away from the tomb of Saint Lawrence the Martyr, who chose in 258 AD to die rather than deny the Catholic Faith. The world was against Saint Lawrence just as it was against Pius IX. No matter how much ground we seem to lose, we can stand with these men, who knew deeply that the world need not be on our side for us to walk in the victory won by Jesus Christ.