Omaha daily bee., 1895-06-05
KENRICK IS NOT DEPOSED
Archbishop Kain Simply Appointed 0oad-
jutor with Greatly Enlarged Powers.
WRITTEN DECREE ENRouTE BY MAIL
Announcement at st. louis Based Upon
What the Vatican Terms an Unfor-
tunate Misconstruction of n Cable
Dispatch from Rome.

ROME, June At Is stated at the Vatican
that the brief cablegram from st. Louis an
nouncing the deposition OF Archbishop Ken
rick and the nomination in his stead Of Arch
bishop Kain as successor is due to an un-
fortunate misapprehension OF a cable from
Rome which summarized the action taken by
the congregation Of the propaganda. The
written decree was mailed to the United
States severeal days ago and gives in full the
contemplated changes. 1t does not depose
Archbishop Kenrick from his present title or
position nor does 1t appoint Archbishop Kahn
as his successor Such action could have
been taken only through papal bull.
The present action is a decree Of the con-
gregation made for the purpose Of assisting
in the management and administration Of the
church property Of the archdiocese. Had
the archbishop been relieved he would have
been given new title as arch
bishop Of suppressed diocese in
tho far east in order that the change
would entail no sacrifice Of dignity or sta
tion. But the decree makes no change in
his title and leaves him in possession of his
present title as archbishop OF st. Louis. 1t
defines exactly and clearly the position OF
Archbishop Kain as coadjutor, making more
definite the powers conferred upon him
year ago. 1t does not, however make him
the successor of Archbishop Kenrick, but
gives HIN such strong powers as coadjutor
that he will be able to carry on the laborious
work of managing the church property and
affairs as though he were archbishop In name
or fact This will bring no deposition OF
removal of the venerable head of the arch.
diocese. 1t is regretted that the few words
sent by cable summarizing the full decree
should have been misconstrued. The de
cree was mailed to Archbishop Kain ant
would not have reached him until after the
announcement made last Sunday based OF
the cable.
o.. HOW THE MISTAKE OCCURRED.
ST. LOUIS, June 4.-The cablegram from
Rome puts quite a different face on The
supposed removal of Archbishop Kenrick, al
narrated yesterday. There has been a mis-
take somewhere, and the way it came abou
is like this When proceedings were recent!
instituted in the local courts in behalf o
prominent Catholics, lay and clerical, ask
ing for the removal of Archbishop Kenricl
from his trusteeship in the church propert!
of the st. Louis diocese, Archbishop Kali
took similar action in the ecclesastca
courts. He sent to the propaganda peti
tion setting forth the same condition o
facts narrated in the prayer of the peti
tloners in the local courts. He furthe
asked that the old archbishop be remove
and that he be appointed archbishop Of st
Louis in his stead.
There reason for this dual pro
cedure. The local legal proceedings wer
instituted to determine first, that Arch
bishop Kenrlck held church property il
the diocese of Missouri as a trust. Second
that he was mentally incapacitated fror
administering this trust. Third, that neN
trustee be appointed
The hitch came in on the last poin
While Archbishop Kain was merely coad
jutor archbishop of st. Louis, even thong
appointed with the right OF succession, h
had no standing in court over his appoint
ment as successor in the trust held by tn
old archbishop, which, in virtue of his pc
sition, was optional with the court l
fact IL the Judge saw fit he might hav
created fat job for some friend, not neces
sarily a Catholic, and appointed him
serve as trustee until Archbishop Kenrick
successor as archbishop of St. Louis wa
appointed by Rome. The point forC
seen. and Archbishop Kain pettioned Rom
to appoint him bishop of st. Louis.
On May he received a brief cablegral
from the propaganda stating that his pet
tion had been received and favorably acte
upon. He took this to mean that his n
quest had been complied with.