The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-04

is generally attributed.
| POWERS RAPIDLY DECLINING.
But Leo's powers of physical endurance
which have lasted so well when free from
the burdens of mental anguish and suffer
| ing rapidly giving way under the pres
| sure of sorrow and disappointment which
| old age finds hard to Withstand 1t is likely
| therefore, before a great while that the
| dignitaries of the church will be called upon
| to perform the serious duties of electing
successor. The method Of choosing a Pope
is interesting because in no other election
| IN the world has ii a parallel.
| IL mas always been the custom to elect the
successor in the line of st. Peter within ten
! days following the death of the Pope The
meeting OF the cardinals held for this pur-
| pose is known as the ''concave," from the
| fact that it is behind closed doors locked
| twice on the outside by the prince marshal
| and twice on the inside by the camerIengo
| OF the Roman Church. The utmost effort is
| bination OF forces, either by the cardinals,
| who do the balloting, or the laymen who
may be interested in the proceedings.
The camerlengo-he who bars the doors of
| the Sistine Chapel within-becomes a most
| important parsonage the moment the death
! of the Pope occurs Upon him rests the
| he does by rapping three times on his head
| with silver mallet calling the Pope S
| and he certainly does not he reports the
! fact to the College of Cardinals, and during
the interregnum assumes the duties of the
| pontificate, assisted by the ''heads of or
| ders,' the senior cardinals, and the three
| grades of bishop priest and deacon
1t is believed that st. Peter appointed his
| rum, or Council of the Bishops of Rome,
| out of which grew the present college of
cardinals, has grown. chose the Pope, and
| for time even the laity was given a voice
! in the proceedings. Indeed two Popes--John
| XIX and Adrian V-were laymen, and Greg
DRY XVI was only priest. For many
years it was deemed admissible to hold an
| election within ten days after the Pope S
death. At the time, however, of the death
| of Pho Mono, Leo's predecessor, the long
| standing custom was changed, and it was
provided that an election should be held at
any time and even outside of Rome and
without Enclosure. This step was taken be-
cause of the threatening attitude of the Ro-
man government which has not yet relaxed.
AS a still further safeguard it was decreed
| that any attempt on the part of the royal
| lists to interfere with the work of the cardi-
nails would annul the election. These facts
| are mentioned because they will be in force
| when the next election takes place.
The choice of the man who Will succeed
to the ecclesiastical honors Of the aged Leo
rests entirely with the College of Car
dinals. AS now constituted 1t consists of
six cardinal bishops, who preside over the
suburbean Roman seas; fifty cardinal
parishes and congregations, and fourteen
cardinal deacons who are in charge of hos
membership Of the College, of Cardinals is
therefore seventy. The cardinals may be
laymen, although at the present time they
are all in priests orders
CEREMONY OF ELECTION.
The ceremony of election takes place in
the Sistine Chapel When the cardinals
are unanimous in their choice the election
is said to take place by reclamation. If
there is a division of choice compromise"
and scrutiny are the methods used
At the time of Leo Kills election in
1873 $50 people, including cooks and servants,
were locked in the conclave. The cardinals
each brought with them a single chaplain
and two attendants. When the doors are
securely locked mass is celebrated by all
concerned and then the bauoting proceeds
in a buSineSSlike and expeditions manner.
The ballots which are similar to ordinary
election slips, are prepared, carefully fold
ed and sealed, and them holding them over
the chalice, each voter makes oath in loud
and distinct voice that he is voting for the
one whom he believes will best fulfill the
duties of the office. Three "scrutinizers''
then take charge of the ballots and they
are opened and counted. If any one of the
candidates receives two-thiIds of all the
ballots cast he is announced as the choice
of the body.
1t might happen, however, that the Col
lege of Cardinals fail to reach a choice on
the first ballot. In such an event a recess
is taken and the ballots, together with wet
straw, are burned in order to let the laymen
on the outside know that the election is still
in the balance. Meanwhile electoneering,
lobbying or communication with the out
side world is carefully prevented.
After short lapse of time the, balloting
is again resumed, and continued until
choice is made The dean announces the
name of the chosen cardinal, and formal in
quiry is made whether he is willing to ac-
cept the office If he signifies his willing
ness the new Pope gives himself name,
and the canopieS are all lowered except his,
Signifying that while all the princes of the
church considered themselves equals up to
that moment, they now unite in acknowl-
edging the superior dignity and power of the
new ruler.
At the time of the election of the last
Pope three ballots were taken, the third
showing that out of a total of siXty-two
votes forty-four were cast in favor of the
Bishop of Perugia. The moment the result
became known Cardinal Francis. the de-
feated candidate. threw himself on his
knees before the Camerlengo, proclaiming
him Pope and beseeching his blessing. His
example was followed by the whole College
chosen by reclamation. He took the name
of Leo XIII and Immediately settled down
to the administration Of his office on the
broad, liberal and statesmanlike lines
which have dignifed his entire tenure of the
trusts of the Roman Church.
Almost within the present week confer
enceS have been held at Rome which indi-
cate that the selection of Leo's successor
is already engaging the attention OF the
chief dignitaries Of the church. Leo, still
practical and far-seeing. and fully alive to
the duties of the hour. is himself consider
ing what member of the College of Card
mails is most likely to succeed him.. 1t is
said that he favors Cardinal Rampolla his
secretary of state Leo's great admiration
for Rampolla's rare powers of craftsmanship
is well known. and it is not unlikely that
he would die content if he knew his faith
full secretary would follow him on the
throne. Cardinal Parocchi, the Pope's vicar,
is also popular with the cardinals. and is
thought to stand excellent chance of
election.
THE VATICAN MENACED.
1t has already been said that at the pres
ent time the threatening attitude of 'peliti-
cal and social Italy is one of the most dis
tressing thorns in the side of the papal
household, as we'll as the Catholic Church.
| Indeed Leo himself believes that the grow
| ing discomfort among Italians, which
showed itself this year in the bread riots,
must in the end exert effect on the
papacy. On more than one occasion the
Vatican has been menaced, and now it is
not improbable that during the life of Leo's
| successor it may be necessary for the
| Pope to withdraw from Rome and seek a
| refuge in some country where his admins
tration of church affairs may be continued
without interference interruption. The
| Island of Malta has been suggested as the
| tions in the political life of Great Britain
| that England might. in an emergency be
| counted upon to offer protecuon and an
asylum to the head of the Catholic Church
| 1t is a significant fact that many of the
| leading political lights of the Iast century
| faith. Cardinals Newman and Manning were
| among the greatest scholars of the day
| Cardinal Howard, while he did not rise to
| great eminence, was connected with the
! powerful Norfolk family. Cardinal Vaughan
/ is related to one of the most influential fam
| iliac in tho TTuitpd T[iOpdOro a nd Sl1rp IN