The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-29
THE APOSTOLIC DELEGATE.
WHY MS oFETC Los ITS FIRST
POWER IND SIGNIFICANCE

N~AbHlNGTON. Jhu, SS.-ln Wow OF the bnhT
; Of public attention always given to the affair
OF the Roman Catholic Church and now espe
cially in view OF the interests OF the Church ii
matters affected by the Spanish war. II Is some
what remarkable that there should have beer
50 little mention Of the Apostolic Delegate {,
the United States in the last year or so. Scarce
" ever has his name been mentioned in con,
nection with the important negotiation affect
ing the vast interests OF his Church In Cuba
Porto Rico and the Philippines, and at The
present time he seemst TO have dropped so com
pletely out Of sight that people not Catholics
are forgetting his existence. There IL nc
denying that the office Of Apostolic Delegate
to the United States has lost it's first power and
Significance and there are good reasons fol-
this state OF affairs.
When 1t was announced that an Apostolic
Delegate was to be sent to the United States
from the Fee OF ST. Peter the Catholics OF this
country expressed satisfaction and expected
great results. To a certain degree they have
been disappointed. The first delegate proved
to be too much OF n politician for the church
men of America and the second too much OF
n recluse. When Cardinal Satolli sailed for
Rome the opinion was expressed by many Of
the leading Catholics Of this country that his
former office would lose its prestige.
I'VE have learned a lesson" they said. and
will not forget it. The next man will not re-
ceive the same adulation as his predecessor"
The prediction has been amply fulfilled.
Archbishop Sebastian Martinelli. the AMOS
tolic Delegate, lives quietly In this city. adapt
Ing his sim ple tastes to his simple surround
ings; discharginR his duties with faithfulncss
and thoroughness and awaiting his recall.
| The Office was created for two purposes.
The Catholics had become Involved in n con-
troversy which was shaking the Church to its
foundations and which even now crops out at
intervals. This was the vexed school ques-
ton. When Cardinal Satolli. then a simple
monsignor, produced his credentials and as
founded the assembled ~prelates by reading a
paper in which he. after "A brief examination
of the subject. purported to Law down the law
on this subject. and when he exhibited the au-
thority of Leo NH. to enforce his decision. he
created conservation. and it was manifest
that a resident authority was needed to CON-
pei acuuiescence. catholics said IL was a far
cry 70 Rome. and there should be. near at
hand, one who could adjust disputes between
bishops and priests. priests and priests. and
hold a species Of ecclesiastical court. An
other reason for creating the office was the
desire Of Pope Leo NH. for the promotion OF
Mgr. Satolli. A ~favorite OF the Pope. he had
been elevated SO rapidly that his prominence
was causing unfavorable comment in the
Vatican: yet there was still before him the
cardinalate. To this the office OF Apostolic
Delegate to the United States offered an easy
stepping stone. The Office was created and
Mgr. satolli became a tltular Archbishop.
He is a politician to his finger TIPS. and hav-
ing been saluted with the greatest applause
by the so-called Liberals and taken into their
confidence. before he left he conciliated the
opposing faction. His arrival was hailed as
tie beginning Of the end OF all fractional dis
,,,tn. Mt, Iarar tt, - "a ,no e,n1 b. l. ni
tation over the deposition Of Archbishop
Keane from the rectorship OF the Catholic Uni
versity. Neither party cared for him, no one
trusted him and many execrated him. In the
midst OF the storm Archbishop Martinelli ar
rived. Torn from the peaceful quiet Of his
monastery and the studious life Of q ~recluse.
against his will and In obedience to the re-
peated direction OF the Pore. he landed in
America just prior to Cardinal Satolli's de-
parture. and Just In time to receive the de-
nunciations hurled at the head OF the retir-
ing Delegate. The position was one OF ex-
treme difficulty. While not a politician like
Satolli. he'saw the necessity Of rem~aininG.out-
side of all disputes and Of avoiding the danger
OF becoming identified with either party.
This course he has steadily pursued, with the
result that while neither party can boast OF his
support both are certain that he is not an
tagonistic to them. He has been an observer
and not a participant in the struggle.
1t was disappointment over the result Of Sa- |
TOLLS course and resentment at his shifting
tactics together with the thought that per-
haps TOO much had been made OF him. which
impelled the priests to adopt a different atti-
tude toward his successor. 1t was their pol-
icy to show that the Delegate was recognized
as a delegate only and that his functions were
to be confined to his own office. While they
were ready to accept the decisions of his court
denied to him the right to interfere in
the matters OF church politics In this country.
Martinelli has accepted the situation with
good grace. especially as it conceded with his
own views and inclinations. and has, to put 1t
plainly. attended strictly TO his own business.
Thus. with the departure OF the favorite Of
Pope Leo XIII, the office has shrunk to nor
proportions. The glamour has worn of.
and 1t has become an administrative func-
ton. pure and simple.
1. may have seemed peculiar that during
the negotiations carried on between the Vati-
can and the Administrator when the Pope
hoped to secure peace between Spain and the
United States. the name of Archbishop Mar
tinelli was scarcely ever mentioned. and at
no time did he take part In che affair. which
was managed entirely by Archbishop Ire
and. This fact was due. first. to the position
of Apostolic Delegate. and. second. to the me-
,essity or avoiding any identification OF tho
with the Spanish cause. which might
result in great harm to the Church in this
country. Archbishop Ireland's Americanism
was toe strong to be questioned. The office OF
Delegate is much inferior to that Of nuncio.
A delegate is sent to represent the Vatican in
is dealings with the Church of q country. to
its spiritual power:a nuncio repre-
'ents the Vatican in dealing witt the Govern
nent as well Us he Church OF q country, and
'epIesents the temporal as well as the spir-
tual power OF the Pope. The recognition OF
he Delegate tc the United States by the Presi-
lent. which would involve the opening OF dip
omatic relations between the United States
nd tho Vatican and the sending OF an Am
'assador to Rome, Is manifestly an impossl-
,illty. So nothing could he accomplished
through the medium OF Archbishop Marti.
Ieli, and Archbishop Irelald.w was chosen for Z
he work. He is now on his way 10 Rome to {
resent his report. ]
The apostolic delegation occupies a large :
IOuble red brick house on ] street. where Car I
inal Sntolli lived. Here Mgr. MartinelH and !