The language in Antonelli's subsequent letter does not appear passive at all or anything short of a diplomatic exchange in which the status of country is treated as a given. It is repeated and punctual as well as consistent with his repeated reception of at least three different CSA envoys plus the Bishop P.N. Lynch of Charleston, who was formally designated to serve as a diplomatic envoy and intermediary with the Vatican by Davis himself.
Vatican Secretary of State Giacomo Antonelli disputed this, insisting that the Pope in no way intended to make a political statement in his address to Mr. Davis."
There does not appear to be any letter fron Antonelli in the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion series either stating or suggesting this. If you do have one then by all means quote it and post it here. There are letters from Antonelli referring to the CSA as a country etc., and letters indicating his extension of diplomatic protection to a CSA Envoy, Dudley Mann, after yankee diplomats tried to have him arrested as a "rebel" in Rome.
Formal diplomatic recognition is a process that often includes the exchange of diplomatic letters of recognition, the exchange of "ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotnetiary," the enactmentment of legislation, the formalization of a treaty, etc. The CSA sent Bishop Lynch to the Vatican and Europe as an "ambassador plenipotentiary" (an ambassador empowered to make treaties).
The full appointment reads
"Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting:
Know ye that, for the purpose of establishing friendly relations between the Confederate States of America and the States of the Church, and reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity prudence, and abilities of the Right Reverend P. N. Lynch, I have appointed him special commissioner of the Confederate States of America to the States of the Church and have invested him with full and all manner of power and authority, for and in the name of the Confederated States, to meet and to confer with any person or persons duly authorized by the sovereign pontiff of the States of the Church, being furnished with like power and authority, and with him or them to agree, treat, consult, and negotiate concerning all matters and subjects interesting to both Governments, and to conclude and sign a treaty or treaties, convention or conventions, touching the premises, transmitting the same to the President of the Confederate States for his final ratification, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate of the Confederate States. In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the Confederate States to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand at the city of Richmond the fourth day of April. in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty- four.
JEFFERSON DAVIS."
This differs significantly from Davis' previous diplomatic appointment to the Vatican:
"Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, to A. Dudley Mann, greeting:
Reposing special trust and confidence in your prudence, integrity, and ability, I do appoint you, the said A. Dudley Mann, special envoy of the Confederate States of America to the Holy See and to deliver to its most venerable chief, Pope Pius IX, sovereign pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, a communication which I have addressed to his holiness under date of the 23d of this month. Given under my hand and the seal of the Confederate States of America, at the city of Richmond, this 24th day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
By the President:
JEFFERSON DAVIS." The difference between the 1863 appointment and the 1864 appointment indicate significant and widespread advances in the diplomatic relations between the CSA and the Vatican over the course of that year. It also appears to indicate the perception that recognition of some formal type had occurred. Keeping in mind that Benjamin's letter was his first response to Mann before any further diplomacy had occurred, it is not at all unreasonable to conclude that the exchanges had advanced beyond simple courtesies of title, as you would have us believe.
It is interesting that Davis chose the Bishop of Charleston for the job. Afterall, Lynch was, in effect, the Pope's "emissary" to the Catholic of South Carolina. One of Lynch's main duties was to work with the Catholic countries of Europe, especially Ireland, to turn off the spigot of Catholics flowing into the United States. He was largely successful.
After the war, the Church did harbor several former Confederate envoys. I believe they negotiated a pardon for Lynch. Of course, the Church harbored Noriega of Panama too.