The Holy See did not accept what had happened. It did not recognise La legge delle guarantigie7 (the Guarantee Laws) and, in 1874, forbade all Italian Catholics to take part in the election of the Parliament of a “usurper-state”[non expedit].
The historical Left in Parliament and government, made up of old leftist liberals and supported by parties of varies hues ('Transformism' it was called), prevailed over the historical Right (moderate liberals) in 1876. The historical Left, supported by various forces, gave rise to several cabinets headed by Augustine De Pretis, Benedict Cairoli, and Francis Crispi. These cabinets demonstrated a somewhat secular and radical orientation.
2. Circumstances in the religious area
Even within life revolving around religion and faith one could quite clearly note the transition from a time when the covenant between 'throne and the altar’ was stressed, to one of growing separation of the two. This was partly brought about by political measures considered as harassment, largely brought on by the inability to respect the necessary distinctions between the religious and political spheres, at least in practical terms, and the final self-inflicted blow, the Papal decree Non Expedit , the consequence of which was to sideline the Church in political terms.
However the presence of the Church and Catholics within religious and social fields was remarkable.
2.1 The situation in the Catholic Church.
Christian reconquest of society was due to Papal leadership. The Popes had gained new prestige by withstanding persecution and revolution (Pius VI), including Napoleon's efforts (Pius VII). The names of these Popes are:
- Pius VII (1800—1823), elected in Venice after Pope Pius VI who died at Valence, France;
- Leo XII (l823—l829); Pius VIII (1829—1830);
- Gregory XVI (1831—1846);
- Pius IX (1846—1878), and
- Leo XIII( l878—l903).
Undoubtedly, from a worldwide perspective, the Catholic Church was showing evident signs of rebirth. Its structures found new strength and better appreciation, as did its evangelical and pastoral activity. The setting up of Concordats meant new, broader relationships with States. There was a keen revival of missionary activities. Doctrinal positions of varying theological import and result were adopted: Pope Gregory's Encyclical Mirari Vos which dealt with Catholic Liberalism (1832); the definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception (1854); Pius IX 's Encyclical Quanta Cura and the Syllabus, which were published in 1864 in order “to dismantle the errors of the century”; Vatican Council I (1869 -1870) which promulgated the Constitution De Fide Catholica, and the Dogma of Papal Infallibility. There was a remarkable wave of conversions linked with orientation to Rome and with the ‘Oxford movement’. The Oxford movement began in 1833 and was made famous by the conversion of J. H. Newman (l801-l890) to the Catholic Church in 1845, and H.E. Manning's conversion in 1852.
The restoration of university studies began with Leo XII in 1824. The event marked the starting point of an upward movement of culture, and a more appropriate formation programme for the clergy which reached it peak with Leo XIII.
7 The law of 13 May 1871 by which the Italian State intended to legitimise the occupation of Rome on 20 September
1870, the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy of the former Papal States, and the regularising of relationships with the
Vatican. The Holy See never recognised this.