THE POPE AND THE TELEGRAM VIA SUEZ.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 8, 21 June 1873, Page 6

THE POPE AND THE TELEGRAM VIA SUEZ.

Ottb summary of 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 belonging 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 shameless, and how determined to persevere in calumny and insult are the enemies of the Holy See. In the first place, the health of the Holy Father is excellent : true. He Had a slight cold, but slight colds do not usually call ou people to adopt measures for appointing their successors. In this case the wish was the father to the thought. . Secondly, the Popes do not appoint their successors. The vacancies of the Holy See are always, and in accordance with tho law pt the ohuroh, filled by election. The mode of election is the following :— On the 9th day after the death of a Pope, the Cardinals, who are the electors, enter the Conclave— that is, the place of meeting for tbe purpose of this election- -and proceed by ballot to choose a new r ope. A clear majority will not suffice, tiwo-thirds of the Cardinals present must unite in favor of some ecclesiastic before there can be a valid eloction, and until this is obtained there must be a scrutiny twice each day— morning and evening. It has very rarely happened, indeed, tnat any one outside the College of Cardinals has been chosen, and a departure from such a course is very improbable in the 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, very remote. This illustrious Society has amongst its members many of the most learned, able, and holy men in the Church, men capable of voiding any position in the Church. But one of the rules of this Urder is, that none of its members shall accept tiny dignity or office of pre-eminence in the Church. For this reason there are no Bishops belonging to this Society, except five or six Vicars- Apostolic ofMbsi.ns, which are served almost, or indeed, exclusively by Jt suits, and in these cases the Vicars- Apostolic are also the local Superiors of the Society. l

« h? 1 - enemies of the Holy See, and consequently of the Church or Christ* 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