New-York tribune., 1906-06-03
JESUIT ORDER GENERAL.
Choice of Ne1o Black Pope" To Be
Made an September.

Early in September the Jesuits will send 20 Rome
representatives from nearly every country in thu
world TO sit in the general congregation which
will elect general TO succeed the late Father Mar
tin The election Of head for the great Jesuit
body is of the most serious acts IN the JesuIr
life Among them 1t is ae serious matter as the
election of a pope TO the church at large
The traditional Influence Of a Jesuit general at
the Vatican is not exaggerated in the term Black
Pope. which has been applied TO heads OF the or
der for many years Some of the ablest and most
influential prelates in the world have been heard
TO say that the Jesuit general Is always the second
person on the Papal throne. meaning that that
official was closer to the head Of the Catholic
Church than even the Cardinal Secretary OF stat.
In the last century the influence OF Jesuit gen.
erals at the Vatican was remarkable.
IN the Jesuit body proper the general has almost
supreme power in matters Of government Though
pound TO consult with his assistants who might be
S ClGa , MS cabinet he is not obliged by the rules
OF lhe order 10 follow their advice even when h
ment OF the Society of Jesus the corDorsts nsn
VI ms oody' though frequently spoken OF as auro-
ferred to il as the rEI y gG@I statesmen have re-
The general is elected by a general conzra1s,io-
and holds office for life He may be dep6sed ~
scrbed by the constitution though the first Iesi-
i Sgieti , ms yer 70 be put our OF ON The body
gIegatlon, IS composed Of the actin L-.sraI who
hoIds ONCE after the death Of the ge x. unffl he
congregation is summoned; the I'VE 3jsta1Ts 0T
ca abInet the provncials OF every pro, Z throlIrE
,fc Inese deputies are elected at los1l consrega-
uoIs, neId 4t the head house of the dffferenr
provinces For example. here in New York a.
p FRANCIS Nav!er's College IN West 18Th street
the New Maryland Province will meet net
month 70 elect TWO deputies to 20 10 Rome vrifb
Father Hanseinann, the provincial The ge1-
eTa fegatlon meets every six years 10 discuss
aHalrS OF the order 1t alone has the power IInds-
ILe constitution TO dissolve a college or MO-
Iessed house or nOvittate once established T5a
general mas power 70 dispense with some rro-
VISIONS or the constitution. but he cannot alter
AL Al other officials in the order hold Office for a
nnIted period usually three years. The assistants
who compose the generals cabinet are also sIer+s5
py the general congregation
Immediately after general IS elected he writes
on slip of paper the name Of the person -
Wlshes 10 De actss general after his death This
SIP or paper IS placed in an envelope the en-
Velope placed IN a vault and IL is not opened rntI
several days after the generals death '
Inc present acting general is Father Ru1oa-o
tTsddL Although no living person can sav wbo
will be elected. Father Rudolph Myers an Arns-t
can. who was one Of the late generals asssfarts
an9 is sun a member OF the general cOngregation
IS frequently spoken of as the next general Fafhar
Myers was rector Of ST. Louis UNIVERSITY az o.
uIne; ana has held other Offices IN the order T5a
mas been IN Rome for sixteen years He vas Nso-n
IN this country sixty-fOur years ago