The daily gazette., 1883-09-13
A COUNCIL OF PKELArEs.
Conference Held at the ArchbishOp's -
Conjectures AS to the Topics.
baltimore SUM-


The conference of Catholic prelates who
will go to Rome next month lasted several
hours yesterday afternoon at the archiepis-
copal residence, on North Charles street.
There were present Archbishops Gibbons, of
this city, Williams, of Boston, Corrigan, of
N. Y. ,Feehan, Of Chicago, Heiss, of Milwau-
kee, Bishops Ryan, of st. Louis, and O'Hara
of Scranton, Pa. and Rev. DIR. Walsh, admin
istrator of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Archbishop CorriSan Bishop O'Hara and
DR.. Walsh arrived yesterday morning; the
others were In the city Tuesday night. All,
with the exception of Archbishop Williams,
who is the guest of Archbishop Gibbons,
stopped at the residences of prominent
members of the Cathedral parish.
The visitors net In the library of the arch
iepiscopal residence, with closed doors, and
agreed upon the plan OF action to be OBJ
served In their consultation with Pope Leo
XIII. The conference was not for the pur-
pose of taking definite action on anI sub
ject, but to have a general understanding of
the important questions to De presented to
the Pontiff; also to hear the opinions of the
prelates on such matters as It is
know will be laid before them by the Vati-
can. The delegates will not leave
for Rome at the same time, but will
assemble in that city on day to be desig-
mated hereafter. At the conclusion of the
conference the visitors dined with Arch
bishop Gibbons, and were, subsequently
visited by many of the priests of this city,
who wanted them to spend few days at the
various parsonages. The invitations were
all declined, as the prelaies, excepting Arch
bishop Williams and Bishop Ryan, left for
their respective homes last night. Bishop
Ryan has consented 10 remain until next
week, and will preach on Sunday morning
at the Cathedral.
The subjects discussed at the conference
yesterday are the cause of much speculation.
1t is generally believed In well-infcrmed
Catholic circles that the principle topics
were church discipline and education. Un-
der the former head it is said the Pope will
make important changes, noticeably that Of
forbidding priests, secular or in orders, from
engaging In banking business OF any sort.
This acton it is claimed has been necessit-
ated by the recent failures of the late Arch
bishop Purcell OF Cincinnati, ,and the Angus
tinian Fathers in Massachusetts. Another
rumored change in the church laws is the
transfer of pastors from one congregation to
another at the will of the bishop. At present
the bishop has absolute power. He can re-
move priest from his charge whenever he
chooses. 1t is known that some of the
members of the College of Cardinals strongly
favor the retention Of all pastors in theil
/ original charges unless sufficient reasons car
be shown for their removal, or they re
quest their transfers themselves. To this
end It is supposed the Pope will decide tha
i no priest in charge of church can be re-
moved against his will, without the consent
| of committee of bishops, who will be ap
pointed to investigate such matters. The
| question of Catholic education will be thor
| oughly discussed. 1t is likely that al
order will be issued forbidding the
sacraments to parents who send their chill
dren to public schools. Pope Leo, like his
predecessor, Plus TX, is known as an advo
cate of the consolidation of some of the
Catholic teaching orders. The latter Pontif
shortly before his death refused to charter
new congregation of teachers, because he sale
there were plenty orders in the church doinl
all the good work that was necessary, parti
culary the Christian Brothers. II young mel
were desirous of entering an order they could
| join the Christian Brothers. In the United
States there are quite number of these
| orders, which may be reduced