CRISIS FACED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 13, 26 October 1948, Page 4

CRISIS FACED

Catholic Church Control MORE CARDINALS NEEDED (From John Talbot—Reuter’s Correspondent). (By Air Mail). VATICAN CITY. The Curia Romana, gyeat central governing body of the Catholic Church, is facing a manpower crisis which only the creation of a number of new cardinals can solve, ft has to-day only 15 cardinals who, as heads of the 11 sacred congregations (or ministries), three ecclesiastical tribunals, four offices, and the Vatican territory itself, have to carry on the work of government of the Church. Of the cardinals in the Curia Romana the youngest is 64 years old and the oldest is S 3. Owing to ill-health and the advanced age of many of them, only some four or five are able to attend with any regularity the periodical meetings held to deal with the most important questions of their various departments. The recent death of Cardinal Raffaele Rossi who, under the general direction of the Pope as Prefect, was head of one of the most important of the ministries, the Consistorial Congrfegation, has left vacant not only that post but also that of director of the administration of the goods of the Holy See. In well-informed Vatican circles it is felt that the burden of work now falling upon these 15 men, nine of whom are over 70 years of age and another three over SO, is greater than they can deal with properly. Pope Pius is believed to be in favour of increasing the maximum membership of the Sacred College of Cardinals which now stands at 70 although, in point of fact, there are to-day only 57 living members. The total of. 70 was laid down by Pope Sixtus V in 1586, but at that time Christianity did nOt extend much beyond the boundaries of Europe and Catholics numbered not more than 100,000,000. To-day, there are at least 400,000,000 Catholics spread over every country of the world. i * Wider Representation

Many predominately Catholic countries, including Czechoslovakia, Ireland, Columbia, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Lithuania, to-day have no representative in the Sacred College .of Cardinals. It is felt here that in view of the increased membership of the Church, some at least of these countries should be represented by a cardinal. At the same time, it is considered essential to increase the number of cardinals in the Curia Romana who, of course, must be resident in Rome. Recent Popes, including the present one, have by wise government, raised the Catholic Church to a position of great prestige in the world, at the same time so extending its work m all fields of human activity that its central government —the Curia Romana—is now unable adequately to cope with the great demands being made upo'n it. Pope Pius, it is believed here, will in the not too distant future take steps to solve the difficulties which have arisen ill face of modern conditions and expansions. The Holy Father himself said, it is recalled here: “In the measure with which the peoples and their leaders are inspired with Catholicism will the world again find peace and prosperity.”