The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
ELECTING THE BLACK POPE
Father pardow Tells How General of
Jesuits Is Chosen.
Five Countries Represented, but Is
sue Was Between Italy and Ger
many-Later Won.

/ In the course Of a lecture In the Theater
of St. Francis Xavier's College, in New
York, Father William O'Brien Pardow
gave an account Of his experiences when
he went to Rome to take part IN the cleo
ton Of a general of the Jesuits. He said:
Now, about the election of the Black
Pope. or the General. as he is called by
the Jesuits. There were five countries
represented at the election in Rome; they
We're Italy. Germany. Spain, France, and
England-America and Canada being in
cluded with England as English-speaking
countries.
only the States have the right 20 vote,
and only the provinces may send dele
gates. so there We're seventy-one cleo
tors in all present at Rome to represent
the $3.50 Jesuits in the countries named
There are 1895 IN Germany. 3.44 in Spain.
2.75i IN the United States, and 1872 in
Italy
Il was amazed at their methods Of cleo
ton. They could give us some points for
New York elections.
At the door of the building where the
election was to be held there was Portu-
suese. or a Maltese don't mean a cat
VINO, after demanding my name. told me
the number Of the room that had been
assigned to me, the floor it was on. the
time OF each mass, and the altar at
which / was to say mass
We were given four days 90 get to-
gether and study each other. I soon
found. 10 my surprise. that many of the
Belgians and Poles spoke English, and
il made a deep impression upon me that
by knocking at my neighbours door and
asking for information about Africa. at
another for news about Ceylon, and so
on, I could ger il all from these wonder
fully well informed comrades vino had
Travelled all through the world. and IL
made me thank the Lord. for in one and
half hours we We're all knit together
as if we were of the same mother
After the four days they locked us UP
in room. We were 10 have nothing 10
eat until the man was elected.
eve looked at each other and seemed 20
agree that this was going To be quick
work. This scheme would work well In
New York if they could cut out the
drink as well. and the right man would
be elected too.
1t turned out that the issue was be-
tween italy and Germany. and the latter
won. for We elected Father Nerntz. No
American and no Enslishman was wanted
but one who understood and was in
close touch with the Pope at Rome and
with the German Jesuits.
The newspapers had the news of the
election Of the black pope all wrong As
a matter OF fact. the election only lasted
one and q half hours. Then father
made speech in which he said: we
are going to elect man who is to be
handed the cross Of Christ 10 bear. He
VIII wear a crown Of tBorus which we
We shall put upon his head
our last interview with the Pope was
touching. As America was the Youngest.
she was placed at one side Of his throne.
ana Italy AT the other. The rest formed
semicirclc around him. Then the good
old Pope took out his spectacIes and.
wiping them carefully. began to read
his speech TO us
one thing I ask the Jesuits to do
ne said. and that is u educate the
youth. Teach them all secular knowl-
edge. They have immortal souls to
save. If the church is prosecuted. it is
because it is defending the faith.