The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16


Offices He is the supreme director OF
discipline and his duty it is to see that
the canons of the church are carried out
to the letter.
The latest printed list available shows
that the Sacred College consists of six
ty-four cardinals, of whom thirty nine
were Italians, five Spanish. seven
French. two Austrians. two Hungarians.
two Germans, one Irish and one each
American, English, Portuguese, Aus
tralian, Belgian and Bohemian. There
were six cardinal bishops, fifty cardinal
priests and eight cardinal deacons.
Since the list was printed there have
been several deaths and some appoint
ments. A full college is composed of
seventy members. The dean of the
Sacred College is Cardinal Oreglia.
The duties of the cardinals are to as
sist the Pope in the government of the
church and at his death to protect the
church and keep all things in proper
order until a conclave for the election
of a new Pope is assembled. There are
no religious duties pertaining to the
office of cardinal.
The Sacred Congregations.
The Sacred Congregations. or as they
are more commonly called, the Sacred
College, are made up of the Congrega-
tions of the Consistory. of Propaganda
Eide, or Spreading of the Faith; OF
Sacred Rites, of the Index of Prohibited
Books, of the Fabric, of the Council, OF
the Holy ONCE. of Bishops and Regu-
lars, of Discipline, of Indulgence and
Relics, of Immunities, of Heads of
Orders and of Prelates attached TO the
CONGREGATION of the Council.
The duties of the Congregation of the
Consistory are TO prepare the business
to be brought before the consistory for
consideration and action. This bust
ness relates chiefly to the erection, re-
moval, or discontinuance Of churches
and to the preconization or translation
of bishops The ordinary meetings of
the consistory, which comprises the
whole body of cardinals, are secret and
are presided over by the Pope They
are held about once in two weeks. Pub
lie consistories are held from time TO
time and in them the resolutions which
the Pope has arrived at in secret con-
sistory are announced. Allocutions on
matters of great and pressing impor-
lance are delivered to the assembled
cardinals by the Pontiff and the ap-
pointments of new bishops are an
nounced.
The Congregation of Propaganda or
Sacred Congregation of Cardinals de
Propaganda Eide. was established by
Gregory XIV in 1922 to guard, promote,
and protect the foreign missions. The
project of the propaganda is Cardinal
G. NJ. Gotti Qtalian). Nearly all the
cardinals who are not Italians are mem
bers OF this congregation and are en-
titled to take part in the sessions when
they visit Rome. This congregation
has the special superintendent of the
countries which have entered the fold
during the last 200 or 800 years-Amer-
lea holding the first place.
The College of the Propaganda. es-
| tablished by Urban VIII, in the six
teenth century, and where men of all
nations are educated for the priesthood.
is also under the management of this
| congregation. The college building ia
complete in every particular, having
library of 10000 volumes
Process of Beatifcation.
The Congregation of Sacred Rites pro-
notes uniformity in the externals of di-
vine worship. When acting in such mat
| tiers the congregation is ordinary, and il
| assisted by counselors only. among
whom are the papal sacristan and the
master of the sacred palace. This con-
gregation consists of auditors of the
Rota. theologians. professors. etc. The
| congregation was established IN the
| sixteenth century by Sixtus V.
Beatihcation consists in declaring a
person whose virtues and power with
God have been proven to be among the
blessed. The ceremonies are somewhat
intricate and of a very interesting ma
ture.
First, the bishop Of the diocese makes
| inquiry as to the sanctity and miracuI-
GUS power of the person whose beatif-
cation is asked for. The inquiry is
never begun until about fifty years
after the death of the person. Thus
the possibly mistaken zeal of relatives
and friends is allowed to cool and as
| far as possible all error is avoided. An
inquiry into the Act of Noncultus fol-
lows. The results Of these inquiries are
sent TO Rome. where the Congregation
OF Rites passes upon them. The case is
then opened before this body by those
i