The evening times., 1899-04-25
AMERICAN CHURCH
and THE VATICAN
United States May Be Repre-.
sented at Rome.
Martinelli Mentioned for the NuneiO
at Paris.
Several Cardinals Soon to He Named.
Archbishop Keane's Work for
the Catholic University.

New York, April 25.-Private advices
from Rome indicate the probability o,
changes in the official relations of the
Catholic Church here with the Vatican. A
Cardinal in Curia to represent the United
States may be appointed.
The Cardinals in Curia are prelates who
form the immediate encourage Of the Pope s
administration. They are invested with
such authority as enables them TO be heard
directly on the affairs of the nations they
represent
These cardinals always reside in Rome.
They are important functionaries in the
diplomatic intercourse of the Vatican. Eu-
ropean powers are very jealous and eager
about their selection. or course. as the
United States has no official political con-
nection with the Vatican similar relations
could not be established for the American
representative, but il is said that - the
authorities in Washington have been indi-
rectly approached in the matter. Church
men who will talk about the subject hint
that when Archbishop Ireland and Arch
bishop Keane return here something more
definite will be available on this point.
Archbishop Keane returns TO take up the
work of collecting endowments for the
Catholic University at Washington, OF
which he was the first rector. He had
special success in this direction. and since
he has been in Rome the university has felt
the need of this aid TO its financial re-
sources.
His name. OF course. is mentioned in
connection with the nomination OF the
Cardinal in Curia. His great popularity
in Rome among the Vatican officials would
make his elevation acceptable. What op-
might no rpnfe fnis side Of the
Atlantic will have to be developed later.
If his personal wishes were consulted the
Archbishop, his intimate friends say,
would rather stay on this side OF the
ocean, but he is SO valuable an adjunct to
the Papal Court that while the present
Pope lives he will probably be kept
abroad. To several Of the cardinals who
are mentioned as likely to succeed Leo
XIII he is even more acceptable, and
added honors are sure to follow the eleva-
tion of any one of them to the Papal
throne.
There is another American prelate resi-
dent in Rome. Archbishop Otto Zardetti.
who has attained distinction as diplomat.
He was formerly bishop of st. Cloud.
Mimi. from which see he was transferred
to Bucharest. Roumania, and raised to the
archiepiscopal dignity in 1894. He is now
numbered among the valuable officials at
the Vatican.
The nomination of the Cardinal in Curia
may also be hastened by change in the
Apostolic Delegation at Washington. The
recent death of the nurcio TO Paris leaves
o vacancy at that important post. 1t is cur
rent gossip that Mgr. Martinelli may be
transferred from Washington to Paris as
nuncio. thus receiving a reward for his
work here and prefacing his early eleva-
tion to the sacred college in which his
brother the late Thomas Martinelli. was
long one of the Pope's most active and
helpful friends. Such a change would
nscessitate a readjustment of the official
machinery of the church all along the line.
That the coming consstory will have an
important bearing on the whole subject is
confidently expected. and the restoration Of
the Pope's health to the certainty that will
enable him to call it to meet is axiously
awaited.
The bishops of South America and Mex
leo are fastening to Rome in obedience to
the Pope's summons to hold a plenary
council there on the affairs Of the church
in the Latin republics. 1t will begin on
May 2S. and ten archbishops and fifty nine
bishops will participate in its deliberations.
1t is the first time in the history of the
church that such a council has been held.
In Rome it is believed that it will sure
ly be followed by the elevation to the car
dinalate one of the South American pre-
lates. probably one OF the two archbishops
from Brazil. Cardinal Gotti who is re-
Sarded by so many as the coming Pope
made his great ecclesiastical success as
the delegate to Brazil to adjust the affairs
of the church there when Dom Pedro's en-
pire crumbled away. The red hat was his
reward.
The cardinalate is usually the reward
for every successful administration of this
high ofiice. and for this reason it is now
openly admitted that should a new cardinal
be created in the United States in the near
future the honor would probably go to
Archbishop Chapelle, of New Orleans. VINO
is now charged with the Office of Delegate
Apostolic to Porto Rico and Cuba. and is
administering 1t with happy results.
In such a selection Rome would not only
follow precedent. but would automatically
dispose Of the difficult problem of the rival
claims Of the other influential prelates who
are recognized as the leaders Of the diverg-
ing policies of the church in the United
States.