ITALY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 547, 19 February 1870, Page 3

ITALY.

An. important Papal Bull has been issued, .:and,' : uii ; der' the seal of secresyj establishing regulations for the (Ecumenical Council. In the Exordium it exhorts Bishops to live in the practice of charity, humility, sobriety, and pious contemplation during thb session of the Council, and declares , that although the right of making the proposition for a Council belongs; only: to the YEope' himself and to -the Court of Rome, he desires and exhorts every father to think it his duty to make propositions. The conditions of the first proposition were .made in writing, and submitted privately to a Council of bishops named by the Pope. The second proposition has for itß object the general interests pf .the Church, not of any particular diocese. The third will be accompanied by a statement of the motives which led "to the presentation. The fourth must be conformable to the spirit and traditions of the Catholic Church, and imposes secrecy on every person concerned in their conciliatory labours. ■ G?he i majority of ßishops are,dissatisfied'with, many provisions of the Bull. : A brilliant review of pontifical Zouaves was held on Dec. 15; by General Kanzel^r, of War. , .. Letters from Rome report that the Pope is appointing GaUican Bishops . on the leading committees. It is generally understood that the object of 7 the Pope in dissolving the CduiQcil, incase of his ideath, is to preyeiit the T©K jto thejPapacy d£any but anltalian, Apr i prehensions with regard to the health of the Pope were caused by a report circulated, throughout Europe, that he had had an apopletic attack and remained incapable of motion. The j report is pronounced entirely unbounded, and the health of the Pope is remarkably good. I Cardinal Pontine, a native of Rome, • fi as died, aged 72.