Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-31

pLeSSeQ a WISH 10 DC uOHoI GU Wy ia SASvo7
ton to the sacred college.
The pope would be gratihed II President
Roosevelt would express similar wish IN
favor of any American prelate, and would
grant 1t instantly. The President happens
to be aware of that fact, and, when invited
to make suggestion in this direction, ex-
planned that the Constitution of the United
States did not permit an official utterance,
and his personal wishes ought not to have
weight in so serious a matter affecting the
interest of a church to which he did not
belong. Nevertheless, l happen to know
also that Plus x comprehends American
politics to sufficient degree to understand
that Archbishop Ireland Is an active MEM
Der of the republican party and an enthusi-
astic supporter of President Roosevelt,
which may make some difference in the Sc
lection of a new cardinal in the United
States.
There was considerable surprise at the re-
cent consistory on the 9th of November be-
cause the new American cardinals were not
named but only Merry del Val, the new
secretary of state. and Mgr. Callegar. the
pope's successor in the diocese of Venice,
were proposed.
There is some reason to believe that the
holy father in his recent remark may have
referred to contemplated change of great
Importance in the policy of the holy see to-
ward the Notwithstanding nations, which
was frankly disclosed to his eminence, Car
dinal Moran Of Australia, at farewell in
tervfew the day before the latters depar-
ture for Sydney a few weeks ago. The pope
presented him with a beautiful souvenir in
the form OF silver statue of the Holy Vir-
gin and Child exquisitely chased and bear
ing an appropriate inscription. and in vari-
GUS other ways manifested his affection for
the venerable Australian. But more graft
lying than all personal attentions was the
frank and open manner in which the pope
expressed his intentions concerning the
Catholic church in Australia and the United
States.
Cardinal Moran's Explanation.
In his apartments at the Irish College,
where he has been a guest for several
months, Cardinal Moran was good enough
to explain to me the nature and the signifi-
canoe of the information. He said that for
many years the tendency of the church had
been toward Capitalization, and that all
authority and Jurisdiction had gradually
peen concentrated In the various depart
ments at Rome until the cardinals in Aus
tralla and the United States had become
rather more ornamental than useful The
bishops and archbishops have been report-
ing ana receiving their instructions directly
from Rome without the Intervention of
thelr superior ecclesiastics in their own
countries This is true of all affairs and
an nations, and has affected educational.
l siH"?y ana charitable work as we'll as
uiscipilne ana dQctrinal matters Cardinal
MORAN told me that he received from tho
i nps VI rus y voluntary assurance that
This practice will be changed.
mas ioi6 beel Il tier of 1a;n
mar the Catholics of Australia and the
United states were not represented in the
curla at Rome. There is no American nv
australian In the entire organization of the
tinn eh IN rome. Every office, every posi-
Lon. however humble except a few hon
orary chamberlains whose duties are limit
ed TO marching in pontifical professions at
ceremonlals. has been filled by an Italian
anu ANU uhlll the appointment of Merry del
val as secretary of state the affairs Of the
church were entirely controlled bv Italian
cardinals.
The Americans and Australians are not
alohe III tne complaint of nonrepresentat ton
II has come from every other nation. but
>thelr situation has been more aegravatinp
because conditions in those two countries
and Canada also. are SO different from those
OF the Catholcs of Europe, and no Italian
mas ever been able to comprehend that fact
The Italian cardinals cannot learn the
american and Australian methods of
thought and action. They cannot unde- stand
.he anaTs OF country where the church
Is entirely separated from politics. and
where the religious liberation and freedom
OF thought and action prevail. They must
necessarily consider every proposition with
us Causes and consequences, from differ
ent point of view than that occupied by
American prelates. and hence without re-
Meeting upon their ability and wisdom it IS
impossible for them to consider American
matters ana those of the English-speaking
colonies with justice and intelligence Hence
there has been an earnest appeal for an
American cardinal in Rome and from the
churches in the English-spea king countries
for representation in the curia.
When Cardinal Moran at his farewell in
terview renewed this appeal the holy father
replied that in his opinion 1T would be very
much better for the churches of the Eng
disappearing countries to manage their own
business without interference from Rome
and explained that he hoped and intended
that this might be arranged very shortly
In other words, he proposed to grant home
rule to the Australian Catholics and said
that the same policy would be adopted in
the United States. This was. of course, a
great surprise. but the pope has been con-
stantly creating surprises, and explained his
intentions so fully and clearly as to leave
no mistake as to his meaning.
Elevation Of Cardinal Gibbons.
1 understand from those who are learned
in canonical law that Cardinal Gibbons
must be elevated to a primacy before such
plan can be carried out, but 1 know
little of such matters that l will not at
tempt to discuss them. There can be no