 A special 50th anniversary edition of the journal asserted "More than a simple journal [La Civiltà Cattolica] is an institution desired and created by the Holy See and placed at exclusive service for the defense of the Sacred doctrine and the rights of the Church".During the papacy of Pius X, the editor of the journal began to be appointed by the pope or with his approval.During the 1920s and 30s, the journal has been described as "extremely authoritative...because of its tight ties with the [Vatican] Secretary of State."