CONCERNING CARDINALS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143586, 26 August 1911, Page 7

CONCERNING CARDINALS.

THEIR CREATION AND FUNCTIONS

(Sydney Sun.) Iu the list of common, yet simple, words that in our English language have the effect of striking deeply tile imagination, and awakening, even among tho least lettered, a rich vision of colour, pomp, circumstance, and power, surely the term cardinal takes no mean place. There cannot be more than 70 cardinals at one time. That was fixed by Pope Sextus V. in 1686, and the rule has so remained. But from a variety of reasons, such as vacancies by death, non-creations or non-nomina-tion through motives of policy, etc., there are always many “hats” vacant. Up till the other day there were only 45, and the death of his Eminence Cardinal Moran makes one less. Many of the 44 are very old (much oyer 80), and in the natural order of things the ranks of these princes of the church will soon ho still further depleted. It has been thought that tho church in America ought to be further recognised by the creation of one or two further cardinals, but the present Pope Pius X. is, according to a cable received this week, firmly against it, and it is even stated that there will bo no more appointments made during the lifetime of the present pontiff. This may seem strange, and indeed has been the theme of not a few thoughllui articles on the present position of the church, but only those in the innermost confidence of \ atican circles can even surmise the reasons that have weighed with tho supreme head. It is remarkable that Britain has not at present a cardinal. However, the creation of those exalted prelates is a function of the Pope alone. Tie may, and in fact usually does, make a formality of consulting the Consistory, hut it is only a formality. First and last, the occupant of St. l 3 eter’s chair is the ions et crigo of the dignity. Just as there are ranks even among tho elect —for do we not real of angel and archangel. cherubim and seraphim ?—so were every seat in tiie Sacred College occupied the gathering would consist of six cardinal-bishops, fifty cardinalpriests, and fourteen' cardinal-deacons. It may not he uninteresting at the present time to say something of tljo method of creation. Some weeks, or, according to circumstances, months in advance tho person selected for the high dignity is warned by a biglietto (note) from the Pope. Then from the office of the papal secretary of state ho is officially informed of it by a cererr.oniarius of the Pope. He attends the Vatican, and is introduced or presented by one of the cardinals and duly invested with the rochet (surplice) and red biretta (scarlet square cap). A few days later in a public consistory the Pope presents him with his cardinal’s hat, which, after the “capping,” or moment of consecration, is not worn, but is suspended in the special church in Rome to which the cardinal is attached either actually or nominally. The hat is usually buried with the prolate. The late "Cardinal Moran’s hat has been hanging in tho beautiful church of Santa Susanna for 26 years. What will bo done about it in this case—and so far away?

But some interesting symbolisms have to follow. The public consistory is followed by a secret one, at which, of course, only the members of the Sacred College are present. We are told that the Pope begins by closing or sealing the mouth of the new cardinal, whmis led before him, as a symbol of the discretion he ought to observe. Then, with all duo solemnity, he bestows upon him, in addition to tho insignia of office already given, a cardinal’s splendid sapphire ring. He next assigns to'him his title, and lastly, after going through the formality of consulting the Sacred College, completes tho ceremony by unsealing the prelate’s mouth, thus intimating that it is both the privilege and duty of tho new prelate to say his say without fear or favour in the important matters which it will be his duty, either alone or in consistorial commission, to consider. If it is inconvenient for the cardinal-elect to be preset the insignia of office may be sent to him by a special envoy, all except the “ hat?” which alone the pontiff can bestow.

And here it may be appropriate to recall a curious provision or power that the Pope has. v Ho can nominate cardinals in petto (Latin, in pectore—in the breast). That is to say that he can intimate that he has nominated certain persons to bo cardinals in his mind, and that their names will at a future date be disclosed. There may be, it appears, often high reasons of State or expediency for this proceeding. One of the curious things about it is that when the nomination is divulged it acts retrospectively from the time when conceived in petto, and the prelate has also tho right to tho retrospective emoluments. This, as may be imagined, is by no means an unwelcome provision in the case of poor priests. Should the Pope die without divulging the names the mere mention of them in this Inst will cannot make the secret nomination .valid. Pope Pins IX. thought of reserving the names thus until' after his death, but on grave doubts as to the validity of the course being suggested altered his mind. The insignia of the cardinal’s high office, then, arc—(l) The red hat, (2) red biretta, (3) sapphire ring, (4) mitre of white silk, and fo) purple cassock. Perhaps it is needless to say that the lofty dignity pertaining to the office of cardinal arises from a direct participation in and reflected glory from the very sovereign throne of St. Peter. The cardinals fijrm the Pone’s council and senate, and as such, and as the sole electors of the Pope, they ore placed far above all other ecclesiastical dignitaries. Catholic kings awarded to them the rank of princes of the church as being next highest after the Pope, just as princes of the blood royal rank next after the king. Pope Innocent IV. first gave them the privilege of the scarlet hat in the year 1245. Urban VIII., on .Tune 10, 1630, gave them for all time the title _of Eminence. Undoubtedly their most lofty office is exercised when a conclave is summoned to elect a new pontiff. Then it is, perhaps, that they will need most those four cardinal virtues which were known to the ancients—Justice. Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude; and the added Christian ones of Faith, Hope, and Charity, with a large benevolence.