century certainly is an
example of God writing straight with crooked lines. St. Pius
X was elected Pope only after Franz Josef, Emperor of
Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary vetoed the
candidature of Cardinal Rampolla (Pope Leo’s Secretary
of State) who-- it was feared-- favoured the French over the
Austrians! The Austrian Kaiser had no objections to
Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto who was elected in Rampolla’s
place and became Pius X. One of the new Pope’s first
actions was to ensure that all future papal conclaves be
conducted in strict secrecy under lock and key with no
communication with the outside world until after the
election. The Austrian Emperors passed into history but the
strict secrecy of papal conclaves remain.
St. Pius X fought to maintain the purity of the Faith by
issuing several pronouncements against “Modernism,” and
even required priests to take an oath against it. (Towards
the end of the century Pope John Paul II would also be
forced to institute an oath to be taken by all Catholic
professors to protect the Church from the same heresies).
It is also because of St. Pius X that children make their
First Communion at the age of reason (about 7) rather than
wait until they are confirmed. The Eucharist is so
important, maintained St. Pius, that children should be
able to receive it as soon as they can understand what it is.
He also encouraged frequent reception of the Eucharist,
before this time to receive every Sunday was unusual. The
fact that so many people now receive Holy Communion
every Sunday is in large part due to St. Pius X.
Unfortunately his encouragement of frequent confession
has not had as much success. St. Pius X died just as the
Great War broke out in August 1914, only forty years after
his death Pius X was canonized.