The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10
POPE Plus TO CURTAlL
THE PRIVATE AUDIENCE
PRIVILEGE At VATICAN
Has Been Too Democratic, and in
Consequence Has Been Over
worked.
NEW RULES PROPOSED
Foreigners Desiring to See the
Pontiff Must Have Letters
from Their Bishop.
AN IMPORTANT REFORM
That VIII Radically Affect the
Taking of Vows of Members
OF Religious Orders.
AN IMPORTANT REFORM
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
ROME. April 9.-Ever since Plus as
cended the throne, it has been easy for
people to approach him. even to secure
a private audience. This ease of access
is now TO be greatly curtailed: not because
of any fear of personal danger to the
Pontif, as some have said, but principally
because the great number of audiences
granted by the Pope have taken up too
much of his valuable time. The demo-
cratic ways of the Pope, his affability
and his longing to do away with the iso-
lation of the head of the church. led him
at first TO break down the barriers be-
tween himself and the people and to direct
at the very outset of his pontificate that
no one asking for an audience should be
refused, reserving to himself personally
the passing upon all such requests In
consequence OF his liberallty the Vatican
mas Deen almost constantly besieged by an
immense number of people who want to
obtain private audience, many of them
having no real business to submit to the
hedu ol the church and seeking the privi-
lese merely because OF their curiosity.
Al the solicitation of Cardinal del Val
ana Mgr. BiSleti, the ma jor-domo Plus Y
has now consented to limit the number
OF private audiences to those who have
business or Importance, and the same for
+ malltles that existed under the present
rope 3 immediate two predecessors have
been restored, so that those who apply for
admission TO a public mi-public au-
dlence, II they are foreigners must hence
forth be provided with a letter of presen-
tatlon from the bishop of the diocese from
which they come, or from cardinal or
prominent prelate of the curia. Such let
tiers must be submitted at the office of
the Maestro oil Camera, who, with the ma
Jor-dOmo, decides whether the desired au-
dience shall be granted. 1t is no secret
here that while the primary cause of the
ha ma
ter has been FASTENED by the rumors that
several South American Anarchists were to
come and seek audience with the Pope
with the intention of doing him bodily
harm. One of the cardinals received priv
ate information of the plot and immedi-
ately notified the secretary of state who
at once issued orders for the enforcement
| OF the new rules.
AS matter of fact, the Pope is always
closely guarded, no matter how invisible
| to him are his custodians. Besides the
| Swiss Guards. stationed at all the APP
proaches to the Vatican. there are the
members of the volunteer Palatine Guard
| sixty of whom are always on duty in the
| passages and corridors. the PontificaI Cen
darmes who have the police supervision
OF the apostolic palace and who patrol all
the entrances and the gardens. The Noble
| Guard, however. is especially detailed to
protect the person of the Pope and its
members keep close watch in the ante
chambers day and night. Plus KS dislike
| for an armed escort has modified some
what the custom prevailing under the
| Guard accompany the Pontiff wherever he
went, but even when the Pope thinks him
self alone In the chapel. the halls or the
| garden. unobtrusive but vigilant guards are
| looking out for his safety.
An important reforra has been inaugu-
rated by Plus X which will radically af-
/ feet the taking of vows by members of
| the religious orders of the church. The
| Popes attention was called to the neces-
| sity of the reform by the number of petit
| lions lately received in Rome from monks
| and nuns asking for perpetual dispensa-
ton from their perpetual vows. The recent
| necessity of secularizng many members
| of French religious orders, because of the
| French laws, brought about realization
OF the tact that many members of the or
| ders preferred secularization papers, ena-
| bling them to remain in their own coun-
/ try, rather than to be transferred to con-
vents and monasteries in foreign states.
| Such was the case among the Christian
| Brothers, whose superior general, by the
| Popes order asked the 5000 individual
| members Tor an expression of opinion In
| the matter and received answers from the
| majority favoring secularization and COM
mutation of the vows.
The effect of this has been the express
| sion of the wish of the Pape that here
| after greater care be taken before admit
| ting members of the orders to the pro-
fession of solemn vows. as such obligations
| can only be dispensed by the Pope for
| serious reasons. Hereafter, therefore. as
| soon as the novitiate is ended, all religious,
male and female. shall be allowed only to
| profess simple vows, and even those shall
| be limited TO period of years not exceed
| ing five. to be renewed If desirable, at
be admitted to the solemn profession only
| after they have been many years in their
order. while only those monks who are to
| be ordained to the higher orders are to be
| allowed to take the solemn vows.
|
4 Diuc docs NOT forget that although he
| is the head of the church. he is also the
| bishop of Rome. and he feels the response
bility of the proper administration of the
parishes and religious institutions of his
| ecclesiastical district. The cardinal vicar
general of Rome is the Popes personal rep
| resentative in the diocese, and under pre-
| ceding Popes had absolute control of the
| clergy, the head of the church seldom If
ever taking active part in the administra-
ton of local affairs. Plus X. however
| from the very outset of his pontificate
evinced great interest in the affairs of the
| Roman diocese and instructed Cardinal
| Respighi, the vicar general, to keep him
| fully informed to the affairs of the par
| ishes and religious institutions in the do
lcese. a custom which has been obsolete
| since 1924. under Pope Leo XII. The Con-
| gregation of the Visit, which was estab-
lished especially for this purpose, has
| since that time confined its opera lions to
the administration of legacies for the cele-
bration of masses, of which there have
| been large numbers here from time 1mme-
mortal. According to the new papal ordi-
nance, the congregation is TO resume the
work of conducting the periodical canon
ical visitation OF parishes, converts. mon
asteries and other institutions of the did,
cese except those that, like the titular
churches of the cardinals are exempt from
the jurisdiction of the vicariate. A full
report OF all such canonical vistations Is
| to be submitted personally to the Pope
who will decide to the suppression OF
abuses and the inauguration of reforms.
The Pope has sent word to the commit
tee in charge of the rebuilding of the
| Campanile of ST. Mark In Venice, which
collapsed year ago. that he intends to
send a large sum his personal contribu-
ton TO the rebuilding fund. which at this
time has reached $500 200. As the work o,
laying new and firmer foundations has beer
very complicated and costly, il is thought
that no less than 81 900, 900 will he required
for the completion OF the work. Plus
officiated. while patriarch of Venice at the
the laying OF the foundation stone. stand.
ing side by side with officials of the Ital.
ian government. His present offer Is but
another evidence that he does not forget
his beloved Venice, even although com
PEELED by the exigencics of his exalted DO
sition TO remain in Rome.
| OSSERVATORE.