The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-09
THE THIRD PLENARY COUNCIL.
The Great Gathering of Catholics Which
Meets in Baltimore To-Day.
Baltimore Special.

Baltimore Special.
The third Plenary Council of Baltimore, which
meets on Sunday, November g. will form the
largest gathering of Catholic prelates that has
assembled since the celebrated Council Of Trent
in the sixteenth century, except the Council Of
the Vatican which adjourned in 1870 before
completing its labors. Councilsare as old as the
church, and are either Provincial, Plenary or
General A Provincial Council is composed Of
the suffragan bishops subject to the jurisdiction
of bishop; for instance, Provincial Council OF
Baltimore includes the bishops of Richmond,
Wheeling, Charleston Savannah and ST. Angus
tine who are the bishops belonging to the arch
diocese of Baltimore, A Plenary Council is
composed of the entire hierarchy of a country.
The present Plenary Council Of Baltimore in
cludes- all the archbishops, bishops and mitred
abbots in the United States-from Maryland to
California, and from the Gulf of Mexico in the
South, to the great lakes of the North. Cardinal
McCloskey, of New York, and Archbishop
Alemany, of San Francisco will be prevented
from attending on account OF lnhrmlnes
and advanced age The former will be repre-
scented by his coadjutor, Archbishop Corrigan,
and the latter by Bishop Riordan, of San Fran
cisco. A general council is composed of the
Catholic hierarchy of the whole world, such as
the Council of Nice, in the fourth century, which
was COMPOSED of 3l8 prelates; the Council of
Trent which numbered 1926, and the Vatican
council already mentioned The first Plenary
council of Baltimore met on May 2, 1852, and
was composed of six archbishops and twentysiX
bishops. Archbishop Francis Patrick Kenrick
presided and prepared beautiful pastoral let
ter addressed to the clergy and laity of the
United States. One of the immediate results of
this council was the creation of the Archdiocese
of San Francisco and fourteen other dioceses.
OF the prelates attending the first Plenary coun-
ell only four are alive to-day, viz: Cardinal
MeCloskey, Archbishop Alemany, of San Fran
cisco; Archbishop Amat Of Santa Fe and Arch
bishop Peter Richard Kenrick, of St Louis. OF
these the latter only will probably attend the
present council.
The second Plenary Council assembled in Bal
timore, on Sunday, Oct z 1866, and included
seven archbishops thirty-eight bishops and
three mitred abbots Archbishop Martin John
Spalding, of Baltimore, was appointed president
and apostolic delegate. The council sat for two
weeks, holding two sessions every day Its OBJ
ject being entirely spiritual, individual political
opinions were forgotten and not an allusion was
made to the exciting topics which at that time
agitated the country The principal DEGREES
passed at this council were in relation to faith
the primaey of the Roman pontiff, the relations
of church and state in this country, the power,
rights and duties of archbishops, bishops and
clergy; the sacraments, the education of Catholic
YOUTH the rights of church property, the
Catholic press, the spiritual welfare of the
blacks, secret societies, etc. In calling this
council plenary the Holy See followed
precedent established l,40O years ago,
when the title of plenary was given
to the general council Of the African
church, held in the days of St Augustine
AS each OF the seventy-fve prelates attending
the third plenary council will have Two theolosi
ans, and as there will be present large num-
Der of Wears general, heads of religious orders
(such as the Jesuits, Redemptorists. ETC. J, and
superiors of seminaries it may be safe to say
that there will be present at this council at least
800 prelates and priests.
There will be four separate meetings of the
council-private congregations public congrega
tons, private sessions and public sessions. The
private congregations will be composed of theO
logians, each having bishop for its president,
with vice president and notary. The duty
of the latter will be to keep the minutes of the
meetings of the congregation and prepare the
final report. The public congregations will be
held in the cathedral and will include all the
"synodalesn-that is all who are entitled to be
present at the synod, from the most reverend
president down to the youngest theologian. AT
these public congregations the theologians will
have the floor the prelates simply asking ques
tons proposing difficulties The private
sessions are attended only by the prelates, the
secretary and other officers of the council being
present merely to record the proceedings The
chief work of the council will be done in these pri
vate sessions form them the acts and DEGREES pro-
posed will be searchingly Investigated ard closely
ScrutiniZed The public sessions are the solemn
ceremonies in the cathedral, in the presence of
all the prelates, priests and laity that will be
able to get in the church After the pontiical
high mass the DEGREES of the council already
passed in private will be soemnly read and pro
mulgated But they do not become law until
they are approved by the Holy See, just as the
acts passed by Congress require the approval of
the President of the United States One of the
most interesting questions to come before the
cotncii-is that of introducing the canon law into
the government of Jie church in the United
States. AT present the bishop of diocese has
the power of removing priest at pleasure but
for some time there has been disposition among
the clergy to bring the church in this country
under the canon law, when parish priest would
hold his position during life or good behavior
The parish priests would then have the right to
nominate their own bishop.