The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-14


the style of address was adopted-by decree
OF Pope Urban VIII in 1630-which makes
Eminence the title of cardinals Their pre-
vious title, Illustrissimi, was of equal dignity,
but the word was selected with less so5riety
of taste. 1t is not probable that Archbishop
McCloskey sets much personal value Oh the
style Of address, but the Catholics of this
country and particularly of this archdiocese,
will gratefully appreciate this recognition by
the head of their Church. When the intelll-
gence first reached this country, few days
ago, that the Pope intended to raise Arch
bishop McCloskey to the Cardinalate, he ex-
pressed sentiment of regret We do not
suppose that this was q mere expression OF
personal modesty or Christian humility, but
think it rather implied q sense Of the in
convenience to which his ecclesiastical
promotion would subject both him
and his flock. He had, at that
time, no reason to expect that the ordinary
usage, which requires newly appointed car
dinals to repair to Rome and receive the red
hat from the hands of the Pope, would be re-
Taxed in his favor. 1t would be a serious in
terruption of his pastoral duties to make a
journey to Rome for the purpose OF comply
ing with mere ceremonial Our despatch
from Rome, printed yesterday, indicates that
the established usage is to be waived in the
case of the American Cardinal There can be
no doubt of the authority Of the Pope to
devate from it in his discretion for sufficient
reasons
newly appointed cardinal receives a red
cap and red hat as marks or symbols of his
office. According to the usage of many CEN
turies the cap is given to the cardinals by the
Pope if they are at Rome, and is sent to them
if they are absent but the hat has never
been conferred except by the Pope's own
hand. The red cap is in the nature Of
notification the comforting Of the red hat is
a full investiture, which completes the title to
the Office. The cardinals cap is called
berrettd, and the statement of our intelligent
correspondent at Rome that the berrett0 is to be
sent at once by special messengers and the
cardinals hat to follow atterward in the care
Of an ecclesiastic of higher dignity, indicates
that the old distinction between the two is to
be observed while releasing the American
Cardinal from strict observance OF the estab-
lished ecclesiastical etiquette. The berretta will
be an authentic official notice of his elevation,
and the sending of the hat by church digni-
tary dispenses the Archbishop from the duty
of the European cardinals to go to Rome and
receive it from the hands Of the Pope. The
berTeta, or red cap, is to be sent at once,
without waiting until after the equinoctial
storms before the papal messengers cross the
ocean, which, we suppose, is the reason of the
inquiry respecting the safest lines of steam
ships and their days of sailing. The Catho-
lies of this country will think the value of the
Pope's recognition or compliment is enhanced
by the deviation from usage which exempis
the American Cardinal from the duty of a long
journey to Rome on a point of ceremonial
etiquette. This, at least, is the Interpretation
which we put upon the discrepancy between
our despatch from Rome and the ordinary
usage according to which the cardinals hat
could be received only from the hands Of the
Pope himself.
Archbishop McCloskey acquires new dig
nifty, but no additional power by this gracious
and complimentary act. He is precluded by
distance from participating III the most i'm
portant functions of the Sacred College. The
most important of all, that of electing a new
Pope, although in the course of nature it
must soon devolve on the College of Cardi-
nails, must be performed under conditions
which will not permi. Cardinal McCloskey to
<o1-1 -, H. x,la,, Al
purpose on the tenth day after the demise of
q Pope-a period SO short that an American
Cardinal could not be present unless he
should happen to be accidentally in Europe
at the time. The other functions of the
cardinals are chiefly local, appertaining to the
civil and ecclesiastical administration of the
Papacy. The cardinals have always been
the princes and chief dignitaries of the
Roman States. During the long period
before the Pope was stripped of his
temporal power they held the highest
Offices in his civil government as
tration. A large majority of the car
dinals have always been, and still are,
Italians; but their functions have been
dwaried and narrowed since the assumption
by King Victor Emmanuel of civil jurisdiction
in the States of the Church. Unless the tenn
poral power Of the Pope should be recovered
there is no longer any reason why so large
proportion of the cardinals should be Italians;
but it is not probable that this consideration
has in any degree influenced Pope Plus in
elevating an American Archbishop to the
Cardinalate. Besides testifying his personal
regard for Archbishop McCloskey he has
merely intended to recognize the impor-
lance of the Catholic Church in the United
States.
The interest Of our Protestant population
Al. 4. 70