The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-04
POPE LEO MAY DIE SOON
PHYSICAL POWERS OF THE HOLY
FATHER WANING FAST.
who Will BE His Successor a Question
Choosing the Head of the Church.


to suppress make it more and more APP
parent that Pope Leo KILL supreme head of
the Roman Catholic Church, is about to
die Far advanced into the evening of life
Slapped of the great nervous energy and
wonderful physical endurance which have
characterized his reign over the spiritual
world, it is growing evident to those who
have observed him that as day succeeds
day he who was once plain Gioacchino
Pecci then governor delegate to Benevento
then nuncio to Belgium, then governor bish-
op of Perugia, finally cardinal, and at last
occupant of the throne of st. Peter, will
soon rest beside those who for centuries
have ruled the destines of the Roman
Catholic Church. Closely guarded as have
been the reports of the Pope's health-one
runlor Immediately contradicted by another
"a letter received by a Catholic priest in
Chicago recently makes certain that Leo
XIII is rapidly declining.
The important question therefore arises,
who is to be the next Pope? What one of
the present College of Cardinals, which, al
though shorn of every vestige of temporal
power, includes some of the ablest and most
adroit diplomats of the day, will succeed
to the important Office of head of religious
faith which embraces 25O, 0O0 600 souls? Eli
quette forbids the discussion of this i'm
portant question on the part of churchmen
who are best qualified to express an opinion.
Yet more than one finger post points to GER
tain men. Among those closest to the Vat
lean Cardinal Parocchi, vicar general of
Rome, is looked upon with favor; the Pope's
choice, if report be true, is Cardinal Ram
polla, now secretary of state Cardinal
Kopp favorite of the Emperor of Germany;
Cardinal Ledochowski, project of the prop
uganda; Cardinal Satoll and Cardinal Glib
bons are all possible candidates.
The closing years of Leo long reign on the
papal throne were destined to have a mel
ancholy ending. After guiding the des-
TIMES of the church through ways of diff
culties which by his superior craftsmanship
were easily unraveled and set aside, Leo
XIII has lived to see the country in which
Roman Catholicism has its strongest root
involved in a war with the nation which
stands for the greatest advancement in re-
ligious liberty and political freedom 1t
was the Hottest ambition of the aged Pom
tiff, as its failure has been his most crushing
regret, to prevent the present war between
the United States and Spain. 1t was his
most ardent wish to act as the arbitrator in
the differences which involved the two
countries, and to be delegated to perform
this important task he put in motion all the
delicate though powerful machinery of the
Vatican as it has never been put in motion
before during the present century.
PRAYED FOR DEATH.
1t was necessary that he should address
himself to President Mckinley, but the
task was made exceedingly difficult for the
reason that the United States holds no
diplomatic relations with the Holy See, and
recognizes no right of interference or dicta-
ton on the part of the Church of Rome.
Therefore he was obliged to pass over the
services of Mgr Martinelli and Cardinal
Rampolla, his right-hand men, and he
chose as his American mouthpiece Arch
bishop ireland as the most likely to gain
the ear of the President in an unofficial
and informal way. Archbishop Ireland's
devotion both to his country and his church
is so well known that against him could not
be charged an attempt to further the cause
Of Rome at the sacrifice of national patriot
ism. But the obstinacy of Spain from the
first defeated all chance of a continuance
of peace, and the war began as a natural
consequence of the international complica-
tons. Then ii was that Leo threw himself
on his knees before his altar and fervently
prayed that death might intervene to spare
him the pain of witnessing the bloodshed
which he knew would come.
1t is said that the outbreak of the war
has worn heavily on the Pope. People who
have gained audiences with him or have
watched his movements in the gardens of
the Vatican say the last year has wrought
an alarming change in his manner. His
an aShen pallor, his eyes have lost their
keenness, and his elasticity has disappeared.
1t is said that he is on the verge of a men
tai collapse.
Another crisis which has brought trouble
and worry into Leo's closing years is the
political uncertainty and the recent bread
riots in Italy Leo was witness Of the for
nation of the present kingdom of Italy. His
keen, statesmanlike perception makes 1T APP
80 l. hat HOY de- y
union of the Italian states are weak and
dangerous Locked within the walls of the
Vatican, he is none the less appreciative of
the political rottenneSS which surrounds
him. He knows that the people are taxed
beyond endurance, that poverty and unrest
prevail, and that there is growing up a
hatred of royalty and authority that threat
ems both the temporal throne of Italy and
his own court. Where to remove the seat
of the Pope, if popular unrest makes 1t dam
gerous for it to continue longer in Rome is
a question which is given serious considera-
ton
And so this remarkable old man is going
down to his grave in the midst of a sea of
trouble. The difficulties which surround
Rome are entirely external and in no sense
due to the Popes administration of his Of
flee. On the contrary Leo'S pontificate has
been remarkably statesmanlike and success
full. His reign of nearly twenty-one years
has witnessed a growth of the Catholic
faith that is unparalleled, and the ma
chinery of the church has been remarkably
free from friction and diSSenSiOn.
HAS LIVED PLAINLY
That Leo has lived almost to his ninetieth
year and has remained equal to the great
demands of his office is due to his close re-
gard for the most exacting laws of health
and hygiene. When he was elected to his
office in 1878 he was almost seventy years
old. Although neither robust nor strong he
instantly began to astonish the world with
his great capacity for work. Almost
whole life given to observing the political
growth of Europe laid the foundation of
superior craftsmanship, and he immediate
entered vigorously into the discharge of his
duties. which he handled with an adroitness
and skill which stood in contrast to his
predecessors. Yet while manipulating with
a master hand the details of diplomacy ariS-
ing from the constant repression of the
church and the spirit which has led the
to shear it of its power and despol 1t, Leo
XIII has persistently observed the most
simple and commonplace rules in his every
day life.
His rooms are few and severely plain. His
life is methodical and his meals. according
Ills library, with its bookcases of white and
gold its pillars and screens and its outlook
upon the piazza of ST. Peter is his fayorite
room. He arises regularly at O'Clock and
makes his toilet with the help of his valet
After ne has put on his pure white vest
diamonds he says mass in his private chapel
and then listens to mass himself Then
comes the reception of the pilgrims who
may be awaiting him. AT promptly . O'Clock
he takes a cup of broth and at 10 o. CLOCK
receives Cardinal Rampolia his secretary
the weighty and perplexing problems of the
government of the church and its rotations