The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-26
leo The Editor.

According 10 the rumors from Rome, the
pone is now finishing a new Ponthcai
document addressed to the dissenting
churches. and claiming the supreme au-
tboritv of the Holy See from the time
Of st. Peter.
And lust here 1t may be interesting 10
note how the Pope gets cut his encych-
calls. Leo XIII. at first studies his subject.
When he forms the outlines in his head,
he sends for one of the Cardinals or pre-
lates who are in his confidence, explains
his general plan TO him. and requests
him 10 develop IL. This Cardinal or pre-
late whom the Pope selects for his COLA
bcrator is always most eminent theolo-
gian. lie works out and amplines the
rough draught which the Pope conldes
10 him. When this is done he brings 1t
to his Holiness, who gives IL the first
revision, adding 10 IT, correcting it, or
making excisions. as his judgment die
tates.
When the Pope is satisfied with this
FIRST study, he turns the matter over 10 his
Secretary OF the Latin Letters" whose
function in is TO translate the Pontifical
documents into Latin This prelate is
distinguished I.atnist. When he receives
the first text of The encyclical which is
always in Italian, he stretches It out IN
long and elegant Latin periods This
done the document is printed in the
printing establishment of the Vatican
The Pope then gets the proofs Of IL and
Immediately begins to revise and correct
II. Leo Kill is hard to please in this mat
ter He is very particular and often
passes sleeploss nights meditating over
the cadence Of a period. 1t is not the
perfection of style alone that ne aims at:
he takes the greatest care TO present
In, 81. 4.
as. fearing 10 let "A single word go be-
yond his idea and thereby leave room
for false interpretations. Sometimes the
Pope sends the encyclical to Cardinals
and other high ecclesiastics with the
requests for their opinions. These learn
| cd men read carefully the Latin text
| and return IL 20 the Pope with their
| observations. The Popes proof. loaded
| with notes. additions. and excisions. Is
| finally sent 10 the Vatican printers. who
return II 10 his Holiness I'm its final form.
At last the Poue has his oncyclical I'm
proper shane. but IL frequently happens
that Leo XIII keeps IL locked up for mon
this before giving IL publicity He watches
the current OF public opinion. and waits
for favorable chance to bring out the
carefully prepared document, because an
cncvciioal presented at an unfavorable
moment creates little or no impression.
That IS just what happened 10 the first
encyclical OF Leo NH. upon the union Of
churches addressed "ro Princess and
Peoples" 10 came out on the very dav
that President Carnot was assassinated,
and the newspapers were hardly able 10
| give IL more than a couple OF lines.
Up to the time Of Leo XIII. the-encycli-
| Gals were almost always addressed ito the
| bishops and Faithful in Communion
with the Holy See" but the coming ency-
| clicals VIII be 'ro all Christians" and in
reality u will be addressed 10 dissenters
| rather than 10 Catholics, because II Is
| tho former that the Pope wishes 10 reach
with the view OF converting them.-Cour-
| rior des Etats Unis.