The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-28
MASTER OF DIPLOMATS
HIGH ESTEEM IN WHICH THE POPE
HOLDS sATOLLrS SUCCESSOR.
Father MnrtineIli. Formerly Prior
General of the Augu>tiuinns. Will
Arrive This Week.

New York Herald.
The coming of Father Martinelli. prior
general of the Augustinians. as second
Apostolic delegate TO the United States. Is
a subject of universal interest. As the
successor of Cardinal Satol-i. Leo's new rep
resentative will fill a difficult roe The
American public has been deeply impressed
with the tact. urbanity and broad-minded-
ness of the first Papal delegate. The pol
icy of his successor is theme for general
speculation. The extraordinary power that
the Vatican bestows on the Apostolic dele
gate may be seen from his commission, the
full text of which is:
Venerable Brother-Holding you in very
especial affection. we. by our apostolic au-
thority, and by virtue of the present let
tiers, do elect, make and declare you to be
Apostolic delegate to the United States or
America, at the good pleasure of ourseif
and this Holy See. We grant you all, and
singly, the powers necessary for the carry
ing out of such delegation. We commend
all whom it concerns to recognize in you,
as Apostolic delegate. the supreme power
of the delegating Pontiff
We command that they give you aid con-
currence and obedience in all things; that
they receive with reverence your salutary
admonition and orders Whatever sentence
penalty you should declare or inflict
against those who oppose your authority
we will ratify, and, with the authority Civ
en- us by the Lord, will cause to be observed
inviolably until condign satisfaction be
made, Notwithstanding constitutions and
apostolic ordinances or any other thing to
the contrary.
The commission is signed Leo, Pontiff
Maxine. and bears the seal of the Fish
ermanS ring.
That member of a religious order had
been selected to WELD this immense author
ity came a revelation to the Roman
court. Such appointments are always made
in its regular diplomatic service and on
routine lines that have been held for CEN
he nrin a.
and nuncios form a separate ecclesiastical
division. and. according to all tradition, the
American mission should have gone to one
in their ranks. But Leo XIII can be ruth
less with traditions when occasion requires.
The Roman world was equally startled a
few years ago when he sent Mgr. Gott
head of the most austere order in the
church, the Carmelites, to preside over the
Brazilian hierarchy, the most autocratic
order under the See of Peter. Mgr. Sbar-
retti, present auditor of the papal legation.
and one of the best-informed men of the
| times on the subject. If Roman prelateS and
| church diplomacy made the following re-
| mark when Martinellis appointment was
made public:
A DELICATE MISSION.
| 1.-The Holy Father fully realizes the diff
| Guilty and deicacy of the American mission:
there are so many nationalities striving for
mastery and so many different conditions
| that are seemingly irreconcilabe to COM
| plete harmony. But His Holiness has many
resources upon which to draw. In the court
! of the Vatican there are precious mines of
| diplomatic lore. and that Father Martineli,
| after months of investigation, has been
| elected from another branch is a sign that
he is considered not tried man among
| diplomats nor a trusty man among coun-
| cillors, but the master of ALL
| But clothed as he is in his supreme au-
| thority of the Church of Rome, the dele
gates position will not be bed of roses.
| To the element OF his flock represented by
! the orders his appointment has caused
| great rejoicing. To the hierarchy with
| whom he must hold such constant and in
| innate relations, he is openly unwelcome
Some of the American Bishops have dealt
| rather severely with the orders; it is UNI
likely that they will relish Martinelli as
! their chief. The coming of Satolli was not
regarded by the bishops, hitherto the. SUI
! preme authority in America. as an unmixed
| pleasure. In a missionary country as TINS
! had always been considered until four
years ago. every archbishop Is duke;
| every bishop baron.
| Ii priest or congregation differed from
| them it was a far cry to Rome. 1t usually
| required four or five years to receive an
answer from a protest. Often in the inter
| val conditions would change, and the final
decision would refer to an obsolete state
| of facts. The American hierarchy, one OF
! the most learned, influential and powerful
| in the church, cannot. humanity speaking,
| be expected to submit uncCmpainingly to
| such curb on their authority as Father
| Martineill, with the ascetic views and stern
| discipline of the order, is most likely to
| prove.
To Father Martinelli the news of his APP
| pointment came as unexpectedly as to the
| rest of the Roman world In the shades OF
the beautiful Augustinian Convent of Santa
Monica. the Vatican messenger found the
prior general quietly teaching a class of
| seminarianS He had quilted the plain of
| his daily cares and troubles TO ascend for
while the serene heights of the philoso-
| phv of Thomas AQuinaS.
The first chapter of Martinellis diplomatic
career began on Aug. g. In the SiStne
| Chapel the delegate received from the hands
! of Rampolla Cardinal Secretary of State
| the purple insignia of the archbishopric
| While holding the simple rank of priest he
had been elected to preside over the Ameri-
can hierarchy, with the cardinal, the arch
bishops and bishops. 1t was necessary, as
! a preliminary step to his promotion, to be-
stow upon him the episcopal dignity.
WEARS A MONKS COWL
| AS prior general of the Augustinians Father
Martineln is compelled to live in Rome
He therefore exchanges this lofty position
as head of an ancient and powerful order to
| become archbishop of an imaginary see
| and to wrestle with the most difficult prob
| lem that the propaganda possesses = the
| American church Yet he may in time
| change the monks cowl for the cardinal
Father Martinelli leaves Rome the early
part of September. He will bring, beside
| his commission, another important docu
| ment Cardinal Satolis letter of recall
| from the cardinal project of the propa
ganda. The retiring delegate VIII remaiI
| the social and religious world proposes tc
| make this period memorable.
The new delegate, besides being one OF
| the chosen few who have greatness thrust
| upon them, seems in other ways one of for
| tunes favorites. He is large handsome
| and in the prime of life He is described as
| of genial disposition, noted hnguist
brilliant converSatonalist ana very clev-
| er business man.
| AS prior general of the Augustinians he
| has visited every convent of note in the
| world and, possessing quiet perception. he
| has thus gathered "a fund of useful knoWl
| edge.
The ecclesiastical career of the delegate
has been eminently successful. He entered
| the church when fifteen years old, and dur.
ing the first years OF his novitiate he was
employed in teaching. In this position he
proved very capable. In after years this
experience was of much service. shown
by the manner in which he controlled the
members of the order
He was born in the historic town OF
| Lucca, Tuscany, forty-eight years ago this
| month. He comes of the Bardini- Marti
nell stock which for centuries occupied
one of the dingy palaces of the Tuscan
| village. His father was a firm believer II
| the theory of temporal sovereignty for the
| Pope. and when this failed, his three son,
| entered the church in preference to living
| under temporal sovereign.
| One became cardinal. another holds
| high office among the Augustinians. anC
| the third has just been appointed apostolic
delegate to America.
Men Who Served with Bryan.
Washington Special in Philadelphia 'reIe