. . . It is sometimes said that the dangers of State interference which made the strengthening of the papacy necessary for the defense of Christian freedom, are things of the past. The Church, some say, has never been freer than it is today. That is a very optimistic view. The presence of nationalisms and the growth of totalitarian States are facts of the present century, and even in regions where the Church is free in face of the public authorities, it is exposed to very many kinds of dependence on various social forces and the tyranny of what is called 'public opinion'.
Petrine Offices and Particular Churches by Henri DeLubac, S.J. (as posted to Pontifications).
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