THE POPE AND THE TELEGRAM VIA SUEZ.

Wanganui Herald, Volume VI, Issue 1845, 16 July 1873, Page 2

THE POPE AND THE TELEGRAM VIA SUEZ.

TJiuler the above heading the New Zealand Tablet of the 21st June remarks : —"Our summary of the telegrams via Suez, last week, contained the following : — ' Owing to the state of the Pope's health, a new Pope is said to have been nominated belongiuo- to the Jesuits.' This must have afforded a good laugh to our readers, who are, of course, aware of the extreme improbability of such a thing. Such statements show how persistent and and how determined to pre- ■ severe in. calumny and insult, are the Premies of the Holy See. In the first Mjiee, the health of the' Holy Father is (Sscellent : true he had a slight cold; but slight colds do not usually call on people to adopt measures for appointing their successors'. In this case the wish was father to the thought. 2. The Popes do not 'appoint their successors. The vacancies of the Holy See are always, and in accordance with the law of the Church, filled by election. The mode of election is the following : On the 9th clay after the death of a Pope, the Cardinals who are the electors' enter the conclave—that is the place of meeting for the purpose of this election —and proceed by ballot to elect a newPope. A clear majority Avill not suffice; two thirds of the Cardinals present must unite in favor of some ecclesiastic before there can be a valid election and until this is obtained there must be a scrutiny twice each day morning and evening. It has very rarely happened, indeed, that any one outside the College of Cardinals has been chosen, and a departure from such a course is very improbable in ttie future. There is no member of the Society of Jesus in the Sacred College at present, and the chances of the election of a Jesuit are, therefore, veiy remote. This illustrious Society has amongst its members many of the most learned, able, and holy" men in the Church, men capable of holding any position in the Church. But one of the rules of this order is that-none of its members shall accept any dignity or pre-p.minence in the Church. For'this reason there are no Bishops belonging to. this Society, except five oi.-%ix Vicars-Apostolic of Missions, which are served almost, or, indeed, exclusively by Jesuits, aud in these cases the Vicars-Apostolic are also the local Superiors of the Society. But the enemies of the Holy See, cease not to propagate statements which are notoriously untrue, for the purpose of creating a prejudice against Christianity, and this Suez telegram is one of them."