The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-08-01
PROPAGANDA.

Since the separation of the Catholic church in
the United States from the jurisdiction of the
propaganda letters of inquiry to the origin, AIM
etc. Of the Congregation of the Propagation of tfie
Faith have been sent to Office.
After nc divestation caused by the reformation
in the sixteenth century the church, wishing to
carry ont the mandate of her founder, go and
teach all nations Preach the gospel to every crea-
lure" wished to extend the light of faith to coun-
tries that were yet immersed in pagan darkness
To do this ofectually Pope Gregory XIV. in 1862
created special department to be known the
Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith, now
known as the Propaganda. The Pope tells its OBJ
ject. In the Pontifcal document he says: "The
prelates who will compose it will consult about,
take cognizance of and treat all and every kind of
business which pertains to the propagation of the
faith in the whole world. they shall superin-
tend all missions for the preaching of the gospel"
1t is composed of twenty-five members, all Car
dinas at present. Often there are more accredited
members. Cardinals Gibbons, Logue and Moran
are members. There are thrty-seven consultors,
besides secretaries and other officials. Cardinal
Gotti is project. The active members, residing in
Rome, meet each week to consult concerning the
to their jurisdiction namely, the creation of new
vcariates, the appointment of wears bishops and
the settlement Of difficulties pertaining to foreign
missions. The whole world is divided into Cath
Ole and missionary countries In the former,
whilst all are not members of the church, the seed
of Catholic faith has been implanted throughout
the entire land. In these countries the canon law
which regulates the relations between pastors and
their congregations priests and bishops, local
churches with the Holy See apply III full. Reli-
gous matters are submitted to the congregations
specially appointed to look after the matter sub
mitted. The various congregations may be com
pared to the various departments at Washington
which conduct civil administration
Missionary countries are those where infdelity
heresy or schism predominant. China, Japan and
until recently North America, England, 'and Ire
land were designated as missionary countries,
where all the requirements of the ordinary church
legislation could not be fully carried out These
countries were placed under the jurisdiction of the
propaganda which could enact laws suitable to
their condition.
Newly discovered countries, or pagan lands
where missionaries enter for the first time are sub
ject to the propaganda which gives them name
according to its growth it becomes a prefecture
apostolic, thereby acquiring legal existence and
prescribed territory. When the continued increase
in membership viii Justify it the propaganda will
erect 1t into Vicareate Apostolic, which bears
the same relation TO the church as compared with
4 diocese that territory bears to the national
government as compared with state To illus
trate this process of evolution we might take Utah
In 1906, long before Utah or Salt Lake were on
the United States map, two missionary fathers Sill
vestre Vele2 dc Escalante and Atanasio Domene-
gucz. journeyed from Santa Fe n NJ. to Utah.
and preached to the Indians who were camped in
Utah lake. At that early period the newly born
church was not assigned place in the catalogue
Of missions Nearly 100 years later, 1866, Father
Kelly, who belonged to the diocese of Marysville,
now Sacramento, visited Salt Lake remaining only
a short time He renewed his visit the following