Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-19
REFORMS FOR PRIESTS
New Pope Intends to Make Stricter
Rules For American CIerqy

A New York World Cabl sgram
| of the most important reforms inaug-
| urated by Plus X as soon as he was
| elected pope was that abolishing GER
tain abuses, existing among the clergy.
| especially in Rome, the principal of
which was the fact that while some
priests in charge of parishes or proyid-
ed with a canonicate enjoyed an in
come sufficient to live in luxury,
many more out of the great number of
priests fiocking to Rome from all parts
of the world were actually starving for
want of means. no matte how anxious
~ they engaged in parochial or other
work
1t is the intention of Plus X to equal
ize as much as possible the income of
the several priests engaged in the same
kind of church work and to employ all
those without special offices in paro-
chial work. as until now, out of 5000
priests to be found in Rome, only about
100 did any work in the parishes.
These reforms have now been ex-
tended to every diocese in Italy, and
1T is the popes firm intention to in
troduce them all over the world. Car
dinal Martineili, former apostolic dele
gate to the United States, has sug-
gested to the pope that the most urgent
reform for that country would be that
OF compelling all priests to wear the
same costume In the states as the
priests of the continent, and also the
tonsure as a mark of the sacred orders
received. For many years such re-
forms for the clergy in the United
States have been urged in Rome by
members of the religious orders. like
Cardinal Martinelli, but have met with
the strongest kind of opposition from
the secular clergy and most Of the
bishops. As matter Of compromise
it was agreed under the late apostle
delegate that all priests should wear
the cassock at all times of the day
while in their place of residence, as
had never been in case DIN America.
1t IS firmly believed in Rome that an
innovation in the matter of street dress,
as the one recently proposed by the
Augustinian cardinal. wall meet with
the most strenuous resistance on the
part OF the secular priests, and II
adopted by the authorities will be en-
ltirely diSregarded. A prominent New
York priest, at present in Rome. has
been very active among the authorities
of the vatican in opposing the proposed
plan of reform on behalf OF his breth-
rem in America and has pointed out
how both in England and in this coun-
try the wearing of the cassock and
three-cornered hat by the secular cler-
gy would only expose them to the rid
icule of unbelievers, while the tonsure
TO- - l>d,.
whenever the priests might be pres
ent at society or public entertain-
nents.
A reproduction of modern Jerusalem
Is to be a feature of the st. Louis
fair.
Mental science cures: Witnesses for
the defense in the trial of Mrs. Helen
w. Post, mental science healer. tasti-
fed to cures of pneumonia, dysentery,
liver complaint, Brights disease, asth-
ma, stomach troubles, fever. catarrh,
and deafness. One man said that after
curing him of Bmght's disease she
caused hair to grow on his bald head.
Women and the church: The ex-
ecutive board of the National Council
of Women has adopted the following
resolutions: THAT the church unfver-
sad be asked to place women on alb
solute equality with men dn the pew,
the pulpit In council and In debate,
and that the church elect from one to
one-ha1f its officers and members of
committees from the women MEM
bers.'
The veto abolished: Pope Plus X has
shown his energy by deciding upon a