The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-09
inquiry; and tho return Of election officers
may be set aside by the courts when neoes-
sary TO promote the ends Of justice
The Catholic Plenary Council In Bal
timOre.


Tho assembling OF the third Plcnary Coun-
ell at Baltimore on Sunday next will mark
an epoch In the history OF Catholicism In
the United States. Not only will 1t domon-
strnte In most impressive way the deep
root and wide expansion which the ancient
faith has acquired In our now country, but
1t Is expected 70 effect reforms In tho in.
ternal economy of tho Church that will ut
oncO promote its cnorgy OF action and bring
1t into fcllcitous accord with tho sclf-rullnR
spirit OF American institutions.
A Ponary Council being composed OF tho
whole hierarchy OF q given nationality. q
comparison Of tho meeting about to convene
In tho metropolis of American Catholicism
with the earliest experiment OF tho kind
mndo in Tho same city. will exhibit the sur
prislng growth OF tho Catholic religion In
this republic within single generation.
The Catholic clorgy and laity Of tho United
States were represented by but 80 prelatcs
in tho first Plcnary Council which met
ut Baltimore thirty-two years ago,
whereas no less than rs Archblshops.
Bishops, and mtrcd abbots will take part in
the forthcoming assembly. Indeed, II wo
take into account tho Vcars-Gencra the
heads Of religious orders and scmnarics,
and the thcooginns skilled in canon law by
whom the prolatos will be attended. tho
whole number OF participants in the APP
preaching Council cannot be placed lower
than 800. In other words, this assembly.
though purely national in its scope and
function. may rs regards tho number OF
attendants and the area Of territory repre-
scented, be favorably compared with histori-
-
illustrate by another standard Of comparison
the magnitude OF this array, we may point
out that France herself. the eldest daughter
of tho Church, oven with the cooperation OF
her colonial dependencies, could only muster
at this time 90 Bishops and Archbishops in
Galican Council. Neither can all the do
minions of tho EArsDuRG Kaiser show a
total Of more than 6s prclatcs. including
thoseof tho Greek. Catholic and the Catholic
Armenian as well as Of the Latin rite.
What changes In tho organization and dis
clplino of the American Catholic Church
shall DO enjoncd by this Council can only be
authoritativcly known after It's DEGREES havo
been reviewed and duly approved at Rome.
But tho general aims with which tho as
sembly has been convoked are understood to
be twoiold; namely on the ono hand to
enforce on tho subordinate clergy moro
rigorous and exemplary compliance
with the austero requirements of the
canon law, and, on the other hand,
to make parish priests lrrcmovable
during lifo or good behavior. Far
from being inconsistent, these two objects
arc believed to be inseparablo, for experience
has shown that nothing tends so powerfully
to cngendcr axity of discipline and conduct
on tho part of the minor clergy as a preca-
rious tenure of Office. dependent solely on
the pleasure Of their Bishop. 1t Is reported
that the Vatican strongly favors the conces-
sion to American parish priests of the long
coveted boon OF irrcmovabilty, and there
Is reason to believe that tho programme
recommended to the Bishops summoned
some months ago to Rome will be pune
tiliously carried out at Baltimore. Should
this prove to be the case, and should tho
secular clergy Of the Catholic Church in this
country acquire security OF tenure, coupled
with the privilege OF nominating the Bishop
for their diocese, they will indeed have cause
to look back with gratitude to the third
Plenary Council from their position OF
heightened dignity, independence, and re-
sDonSihilitv