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)
