The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26
THREE POPES AT ROME.
A Case Which Illustrates the Rivalry
Between the POntiffs.
poroo Ictter in Pail Mall Gazette.

Rome Letter in Pail Mall Gazette.
English people will be aware that the
three greatest dignitaries of the CATHOLIC
Church are each commonly called pope
II order to demonstrate the great power
Ind influence they enjoy. The first. of
course, is the real pontitf. called the white
oope;" the second is the general of the
Jesuits. the 'black pope" so named be-
cause Of their habit, which is entirely
black, and the mystery and darkness reign
ing in the order and the third is the project
Of the Propaganda Eide the red pope, -
whose jurisdiction extends over. all the
bishops of the world. the designation red
being used because the project Is always a
cardinal. What seems odd to the outsider
is that these three 'popes" are often in
conflict one with the other. This can really
never cease, because of the immense power
each Yields. The Emergencies and strug-
giles have generally been between the
white and BLACK .popes, when the lat
ter have not found in the former docile
followers of their views, either political or
religious.
Plus TX seemed to have the energy to
enancipate himself from his contemporary
nope" the Belgian Father Baecker, when.
on ascending the pontifical throne, he gave
the constitution to his people and two
troops to fight with the Piedmontese
against Austria for the independence of
Italy Such a course. if persisted IN,
would have united all Italy under the rule
Of the papacy, for what Italians at that
time wished above all things was TO free
their country from foreign domlnatlon ana
".
ereign. So much was this so that Carl
baIdi hearing in South America of the step
taken by Plus TX. rushed to the peninsula
to offer his sword in the service OF tne
Pone But the pontiff had worked and
acted against the wishes Of the Jesults,
and soon had to make a radical chanSe by
inaugurating that period of reaction which
was nothing more or less than yielding to
the dictates of the 'black pope rms is
the latest example of such a struggle, but
in the history of the church instances are
not wanting some ending tragically, 1t is
said. for the real Pope.
The conflicts between the white" and
general public, being almost exclusively
about religious matters. Something or the
kind has been going on OF late, and mas
now reached critical point, between Leo
XTIT and Cardinal Miecisao LedOchOwski,
the present project of the Propaganda. IA
NOUS for his fierce struggle with Bismarck,
TO which, with it's relative imprisonment,
he owed his rise to the purple.
The PoDe and his secretary of state,
Cardinal Rampolla, would have liked to in
trodCce radical reforms in the Propaganda,
taking from it's jurisdiction all those re-
gionS where there is no reason for the ex-
istence Of missions, such as England. Ger
many Russia America. etc. where the
people. although Protestant or schisma tic.
are already Christians, and leaving under
the rule of the Propaganda only the apos-
tolic prefectures and vicariates of those
regions where the populations are idolaters
An example will give better than any
thing else g. cl6dT iQSc vi uOW tilC bWO
popes. the white and the red stand.
Lately priest of an Oriental Cath Sa
the authorization of the Pope to collect
money there for his CHURCH bearing ri g let
tarv of state TO the nuncio at Brussels
for the purpose. 1t was as though s door IC,oT
tSoossens the only wearer of the purple
of that country. absolutely forbade any
thing of the kind having had no instruc-
tions from the Propaganda and no remen-
STRANGE. or authority Of the Vatican could
change his decision. Belgium. one of the
most Catholic countries in Europe, being
still under the jurisdiction OF the Prone
eanda Cardinal Ledochowski energetical-
" and vigorously opposes any change, say
ing that so long. as he remains project he
tives belonging to his office. The friction
between him and the Pope has reached
such height that in the last private cir
Gle held by Leo XIII it was remarked that
he addressed himself to every cardinal
present except Ledochowsk, for whom he
aid not find word, even when the project
kissed his hand