ROME LETTER

New Zealand Tablet, 23 July 1914, Page 9

ROME LETTER

(From our own correspondent.) N N Rome, May 30, 1914. CENTENARY OF THE RETURN OF PIUS VII. Even with the grandeur of the Consistory still before our eyes, we must not allow the centennial celebration of the return to Rome of Pius VII. on May 24, 1814, after five years of captivity to glide, without mentioning a few incidents of his triumphal procession from the Milvian Bridge, two miles from the Porta del Popolo to St. Peter’s and the Quirinal. His carriage, drawn by 72 young Roman nobles, was surrounded by the Sacred College, the Roman Senate, the envoys of England, Austria, Spain, the King of Naples, the Austrian and Neapolitan cavalry. The aged Pontiff went first, that beautiful May evening one hundred years ago, to St. Peter’s to give God thanks for his release. Then with all Rome surging through the streets the carriage set out for the Quirinal, the Papal summer palace. And old chroniclers tell us as the Pontiff passed through the Piazza del Popolo a - young man of twenty years broke through the crowd and threw himself on his knees, with tears rolling down his cheeks, to receive the Pope’s blessing. That was Count Giovanni Maria Mastai, who, thirty-one years afterwards was to mount the Papal throne as Pius the Ninth. Then the carriage moved along to the Piazza del Gcsu, in which a tribune had been erected for the accommodation of ladies. Among the ladies was Anna Pccci, with her two sons, Peppino and Nino, aged eight and five years respectively, who reached out their hands to touch the Pope’s carriage. Of these boys the elder was to be known to Italy 64 years after as Cardinal Pecci, while the younger was to be loved as Pope Leo XIII. On reaching the Quirinal ten minutes later, Pius VIE. observed Napoleon’s officers had removed the statues of SS. Peter and Paul and other saints, which they replaced by those of Venus, Jupiter, and other deities. ‘ Every one to his fancy,’ he remarked with an amused smile, and passed into his own home once more. TITLES AND CONGREGATIONS ASSIGNED TO THE NEW CARDINALS. At the conclusion of the Public Consistory the other day, the Holy Father published the names of the churches in Rome from which each of the new cardinals will take his title, also of the Roman Congregations to which each is assigned as follows:—■ Cardinal Horning, Order of Priests, Hungary, Title of S. Agnes Outside the Walls; the S. Congregations of the Council and of Propaganda. Cardinal Begin, Archbishop of Quebec, Title of S. Vitale; the S. Congregations .of Religious and of Propaganda. Cardinal Della Chicsa, Title of SS. Quattro Coronati al Pincio ; S. Congregation of the Council of the Ccremoniale. Cardinal Bettinger, Title of S. Marcello; S. Congregation of the Sacraments and Rites. Cardinal Sevin, Lyons; Title of S. Trinita al Pincio; S. Congregation of Studies and the Consistorial. . Cardinal Hartmann, Cologne; Title of S. John at the Latin Gate ; S. Congregation of the Sacraments and the Consistorial. Order of Deacons. Cardinal Tecchi, Rome; Title of S. Maria in Dominica S. Congregation of Rites and the Consistorial. Cardinal Giustini, Rome; Title of S. Angelo in Pescheria; S. Congregations of the Sacraments and of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs. Cardinal Lega, Rome Title of S. Eustacchio; S. Congregations of the Council and Studies. Cardinal Gasquet, Rome ; Title of S. George in Velabro ; S. Congregations of Religious and the Political Commission for Biblical Studies.

Salient Points of the Pope’s Discourse. After the ceremony of imposing the red hat on the new Cardinals the other day in the Vatican, the Holy Father, responding to their expression of thanks for their election to the Senate of the Church, addressed to his newly elected lieutenants a stirring discourse. Let me just give the salient pohits of what Pius X. said: (1) The sorrow at the death of so many Cardinals since the Consistory of 1911 is tempered by the consolation of being able to fill up the ranks of the Sacred College by men notable for piety, learning and zeal. (2) Never was the Church in more need of champions than now, not only from enemies without the fold but from many within. (3) Nowadays many seek to conciliate faith with a false modern spirit that leads not only to the weakening but to the total loss of faith. (4) This tendency includes a claim to correct and set right the Church. (5) Often the Pope's warnings have been misunderstood and misinterpreted. (6) The true friends of the Pontiff are those who obey him, not those who study how to evade his orders and oblige him by insistence worthy of a- better cause to grant exemptions that are painful, pernicious, and tend to cause scandal. (7) In these circumstances the Pope needs the solid aid of the new Cardinals. (8) The Pope approves of Catholic associations that aim also at material ends, but moral and religious objects must always have first place in them. Mixed associations, alliances with nonCatholics for material objects are allowed in certain definite conditions, but Pius X. has special love for the purely Catholic associations. , What the Pope Did Not Mean. One of the tricks adopted by anti-Catholics and half Catholics of late years is to pretend to read offence between the lines in public utterances of Pius X. We all recall the storm in a teapot raised on the publication of the Encyclical on St. Charles Rorromeo a few years ago. What wonder is it, then, that the Vatican organ finds it necessary to publish this note: —‘Wo have seen that some journals, commenting on the address delivered last Wednesday by the Holy Father to the new Cardinals have insinuated, cither for the purpose of confusing ideas and perturbing minds, or for other ends, that his '.Holiness, in referring to pernicious exemptions or dispensations which arc obtained from him by insistence, wished to allude to the anti-modern-istic oath in Germany. This is absolutely false, and to ns it seems a mistake in this regard cannot be possible. The only passage in that speech that refers in a particular manner to Germany (although not to it exclusively) is that on mixed associations, and in this the. Sovereign Pontiff has only confirmed once more the principles unfolded by him in the Encyclical “ Singular! quadam.’ With this we hope to cut short all possible erroneous interpretations on the point.’ Notes. In conversation with this writer on the Irish question, his Eminence Cardinal O’Connell, Archbishop of Boston, declared the news of the passing of the Third Reading of the Home Rule Bill afforded him the most profound consolation. Next week this column will contain a sketch of the life of Mgr. Cerretti, Apostolic Delegate to Australasia, whom Pius X. has preconised Titular Archbishop. To-day the Most Rev. Archbishop Harty, of Manila, arrived at Rome as guest of the Church of S. Silvestro in Capite. ■ • ' Though Miss Gould has withdrawn from the matrimonial tangle which is now three years before the S. Tribunal of the Rota, the case is far from being finished yet. In Mgr. Nazareni Patrizi Miss Gould, or Madame Castellane, has an earnest advocate who intends fightingon in her interests without thought of self interest. The case now lies between Count Boni di Castellane versus the defender of the Matrimonial bond, bub Mgr. Patrizi will continue to watch the case on behalf of his late client, even without a brief. The Bishop of Sale, Australia, has arrived at Rome with Rev. Fathers Martin and Hcgarty.

f Rome, June 6, 1914. WHEREIN NATHAN SINNED. Lest anyone should give credit to Nathan, representative of Italy at the Panama Pacific Exposition, in case he poses as an innocent victim of hot receptions in America, here are the specific charges against this low type of Cockney:—(l) On September 20, 1911, addressing the concourse of Italians gathered at the Porta Pia in memory of the taking' of Rome, Nathan made insulting references to the Pope and the Catholic Church. 1 hat very evening Pius X. wrote an indignant letter to the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, complaining that a. public servant should make such vile references to the Papacy in the city that should be his tranquil abode. The Italian Government, instead of reproving Nathan, kept silent on the outrage. (2) The insult was reiterated on September 20, 1912, in a modified form. (3) Under Nathan’s administration the walls of the churches of Rome, with few exceptions, were lot out as hoardings at 30 francs a year to advertisers. (4) Nathan has prevented for several years religious instruction from being taught, in the elementary schools. And though the law gave parents- the use of the edifices to have the Catechism taught, Nathan, while Mayor of Rome, continued, by trickery and red tape, to frustrate this regulation. This lias been remedied since his fall from power. (5) Suppression of the small salary allowed by the Municipality to the Capuchin Order for the work of its priests in accompanying the Municipal hearses that carry to the cemetery at midnight the bodies of the poor, (15) As ex-Grand Master of Italian Masonry, Nathan, repudiated by most self-respecting Israelites, supported by a clique of Socialists and Radicals, has persistently used the office of Mayor to injure the Church. THE APOSTOLIC DELEGATION TO AUSTRALASIA. Roth to Americans and Australasians a brief sketch of the life of Mgr. Cerretti, Apostolic Delegate to Australasia, will be of interest: Archbishop-elect Cerretti is now close on forty-two years of age, being born in the town of Orvieto in the Papal States, of an excellent family. His student days were passed in the Vatican Seminary, Rome, where his studious life and manners soon attracted the notice of his superiors. While in the Vatican Seminary the future Archbishop attended lectures in Canon Law and Theology in the Papal University of S. Apollinare in both of which subjects ho gained the degree of doctor. After his ordination, Dr. Cerretti frequented the Royal University Della Sapienza, where he became a Doctor of Literature, which subject he professed in the Vatican Seminary for the next few years. So much for his academic life. Now for his diplomatic career. Shortly after taking the Chair of Literature, a position fell vacant in the S. Congregation of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, to which Leo Nil I. was recommended to appoint him. Here Mgr. Cerretti labored till ordered to the Argentine Republic in company with the Papal Nuncio. His next post of duty was Mexico, in the capacity of secretary to the Apostolic Delegate, who was raised to the Sacred College at the recent Consistory, in the person of Cardinal Serafini. On the completion of his term in Mexico, Pope Pins X. despatched Mgr. Cerretti as auditor to the Delegation of Washington, where he has had excellent tuition in the offices of- Cardinal Martinet and Archbishop Ronzano. In person Mgr. Cerretti is of medium size, and strongly built. I He is a diplomat born,’ observed a. class-fellow of his, Mgr. Rella of the Sistine Choir, to the writer the other day, ‘ And he won’t talk much.’ The Delegate Apostolic will not reach Australasia until towards the end of the year. Bishop Phelan, of Sale, Australia, informs the writer that the American Cardinals and Bishops whom he met in Rome these days have given him glowing accounts of the urbanity and business ability of Mgr. Cerretti.

HONOR WHERE HONOR IS HUE. Whosoever is the hand which has written the article on ‘ Australia and Catholicity in the Corriere of Rome, it belongs to one who knows that continent well but wishes to deprive the Irish race of the credit due to it for what it has done to build up the Church under the Southern Cross. However, Bishop Phelan writes to the same paper to give honor where honor is due: ‘Hotel do Russia, June 4, 1914. ‘ Hear Mr. Editor of the Corrivrr, Italia, Permit an Australian Bishop who has come to Rome for his art limina visit to express in the name of the other bishops, the clergy, and the Catholic laity of Australia, his deep feelings of gratitude for the flattering words which appeared in the Corriere d'ltalia yesterday morning, under the heading Home and Australia’ concerning the condition and the progress of the Catholic Church in that country. I should like to add a few more words to give your readers a more adequate idea of the marvellous change that has taken place in the Church in Australia during the last century. As a matter of fact, Fathers Therry and Connolly were not the first priests to conic to Australia. Three priests had already been deported there in the sad days of persecution. They took advantages of their situation to exercise their ministry to the few Catholics of the country; but this was prohibited, and they, were severely punished. Just one century ago, another Irish priest, Father Flynn, went out to his Catholic fellowcountrymen in Australia. As soon as the civil authorities got wind of his presence he was told that all the colonists had to be Protestants and that no Catholic priest would be tolerated in the country. lie was then suddenly arrested and sent off to England so quickly that ho had not even time to take the Most Blessed Sacrament from the house where he kept it to administer it to the sick. As there was no other priest, the owner of the house kept a light burning for two years before the Blessed Sacrament, and here the faithful came in secret to adore it. Such intolerance and cruelty raised such a storm in Parliament that the Government had to abandon this attitude, and so at last Fathers Therry and Connolly were permitted to land in Australia. The Irish Catholic, by name Davis, in whose house the Most Blessed Sacrament, had been venerated in the meanwhile, considered the place as sacred. lie gave his house and the ground around it for the construction of a church, and more than 90,000 francs towards expenses. The magnificent Church of St. Patrick contains to-day the Blessed Sacrament over the very spot of ground where it was kept and venerated secretly a hundred years ago. Meanwhile O’Connell emancipated the Catholics of Ireland and also those of England. Since then a large current of emigration has come from Ireland to Australia, and Catholics have not only a religious but also a political- hold in the country. In order not to occupy unnecessary space in your journal I shall fix in a few figures the change which has come

about this last century. Just one hundred years ago there was only one priest and a few thousand Catholics in Aalia. 10-day there are 900,000, not counting those of Tasmania and New Zealand. There are 5 Archbishops, 12 Bishops, J Vicars-Apostolic, and about 1000 priests. The Catholic episcopacy as well as the clergy and laity are, with few exceptions, all Irish. We have 1400 churches, 2 seminaries, 24 high schools, 132 boarding-schools, 102 semi-boarding-schools, and 732 elementary schools. All these are maintained by the contributions of the faithful. The Government contributes nothing to the Catholic schools, while the Catholics must contribute to the maintenance of the State schools. ■‘Patrick Piiki.ax, Bishop of Sale.’ Notes. ills Eminence Cardinal Farley will reach Ireland by August on a visit to his old friend Cardinal Logue, Archbishop of Armagh. So far ten cardinals and one hundred bishops have promised to attend the Eucharistic Congress at Lourdes. Rev. P. McConnells, Melbourne ; Rev. G. Johnson, Toledo ; Rev. J. Mogan, Nashville : and Rev. J. Lee, Willvnington, were among one hundred others ordained priests this morning in S. John Lateran.