Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-13
TO ELECT THE "BLAcK POPE"
American Delegates Chosen 60 At
tend Convention which Chooses
General of the JesniSa.


The two Jesuit provinces in this country
have Just named the delegates who are to
take part in the election OF a new generai
for the order. which Is to be held T. w.
TENDER. The two provincials Very
Joseph r. Hanselmann OF the New YoIA
Maryland province, and Very Rev. Henry
Moeller Of the Missouri province will take
part in the election by rights accorded TO
their positions. The provincial OF every
Jesuit province IN the world has vote In
the election of the general and each prov.
ince is entitled to two additional votes.
The other American delegates are: From
the New York-Maryiand province, Rev.
william O'Brien Pardow and Rev Thomas
j. Cannon. and from the Missouri province.
Rev Joseph Grimmeisman and Rev w. n
Rogers.
The meeting Of the Jesuit congregation
TO elect a general ranks in Importance In
the Roman Catholic church next to the
conclave which elects a pope, for the
Jesuit general is elected for life and en-
joys a position second In importance only
TO that of the pontiff, He usually Is un-
derstood to WELD much influence with the
pope, and for years II has been customary
to speak of the general of this great order
as the black pope" the first word re-
ferring to the sombre garb which he wears,
as distinguished from the white garments
of the pope, and the second to his great
power and influence in the church.
1t is generally believed that the congre-
cation of next month will be held in or near
Rome, but the place of meeting IL a secret
which is said not TO be known. as yet, even
to the delegates. 1t has always been the
custom to keep the meeting place secret.
and 1t lie said that sometimes the place IL
not publicly known until after the selection
has taken place. The late general OF the
order, Father Martin, who died In April,
was elected in 1892, at a congregation held
at Loyola, Spain. It 10 understood that
the delegates to the coming congregation
have been ordered to proceed to Rome, but
that IL held to be no sure indications that
the congregation will be held in that city.
as the members Of the order may be there
instructed to go somewhere else, even out
side Of Italy.
Besides the provincial and the two dell
egates from each province, those. having
a vote In the election OF the new general
are the FIVE assistants" of the late gem
eral, and the vicar general OF the order.
Father Roger Freddi, who was appointed
by the late general to administer Its af-
fairs until the congregation shall be held.
In Catholic circles, both In this country
and in Rome. It is held to be possible
that an American may be chosen general.
and the name of Father Rudolph Meyer
has been mentioned in this connection.
Father Meyer is prominent in the order,
and has been resident in Rome for many
years, connected with the German college
there.
About 100 will attend the congregation
and the election OF the general requires
majority of two-thirds. It is believed by
those familiar with Jesuit AFFAIRS that there
is little or no likelihood that the new gen.
eral will be of Italian birth, for the reason
that the interests of the order are much
greater outside Of Italy than in It, The
last six sesrals were not italian The late
Father Martin was a Spaniard. 1t Is be-
cause the interests of the order have so
greatly increased in this country In the
last decade that knowing ones look TOT
the election OF an American.-Boston
Transcript.