OBITUARY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 108, 10 May 1933, Page 7

OBITUARY

CARDINAL CERRETTI DIGNITARY OF CHURCH. Received Mav 9, 5.5 p.m. ’ ROME. May 8. Tho death is announced of Cardinal Cerretti at the age of 61 from diabetes. Cardinal Cerretti, who was appointed Cardinal Bishop at the Consistory at Romo two months ago, was a great ecclesiastic, diplomat, and traveller. The late Cardinal was born in Orvieto, Italy, in 1872, and educated at the Pontifical Seminary at the Vatican. Like St. Francis of Assisi he was an Umbrian. After leaving the seminary he went to the Apollinari University at Rome and afterwards to the University of Sapien za, and took the degrees of D.D., LL.D., and D.Litt. In 1895 he was ordained a priest, and for the last two years of the century was professor of classics at tho Vatican Seminary. He was not long left in the scholastic life which he loved. The beginning of his brilliant career at the Vatican was his appointment as an official of the Tribunal Penitcntiaria, which deals chiefly with absolution for grievous sins. He was next attached lor Secretary of State and became Private Chamberlain to tho Pope. In 1904 he was sent as secretary of the Apostolic Delegates to Mexico. From Mexico he went to Washington to serve under Archbishop Falconio, Apostolic Delegate to tho American Hierarchy. After eight years at Washington he was created titular Archbishop of Corinth, and went to Australia as Apostolic Delegate. In 1928 ho was Papal Legate at the International Eucharistic Congress at Sydney. During the war the Pope called Cardinal Cerretti to Romo and made him Secretary to the Sacred Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs. This post gave him an apartment in the Vatican, and it was his duty to keep in touch with the affairs in every country in their relation to tho Holy See. Pope Benedict XV sent the distinguished young prelate to Versailles to represent the cause of foreign missions at the Peace Conference of 1919. His success as a diplomat at the Peace Conference led to his appointment. to the delicate post of Papal Nuncio at Paris. This was when, after long negotiations, tho breach was healed between France and the Vatican and diplomatic relations were resumed. As Nuncio the Cardinal won wide popularity, and after live years tho Pope conferred the Red Hat upon him. lie was the youngest cardinal iu the Sacred College, a great honour, for a cardinal is a Prince of tho Church.