The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-07-10
PoNrIFIciAL DOCUMENT
United States Not Considered Mis-
sionary Country by Catholic Church

slcnary Country by Catholic Church
Rome, July 6.--An important ponti-
hcal document reforming the organl-
cation and working of the Roman
congregations was made public today.
1t removes Great Britain Holland,
Canada and the United States from
the jurisdiction OF the propaganda,
those countries thus ceasing to be con.
sidered missionary lands.
Besides reform in the propaganda
the pontifical decree introduces re-
lmarkable notifications in the other
congregations. The document con
sists of three parts, the first being an
apostolic constitution recognizing the
congregations through a more suitable
division of subjects and eliminating
the duplication Of authority and the
second is a special law for the regu-
lation OF labors of the ancient Rota
AID Segnatura tribunals.
The most important part of the re-
form Is that both civil and criminal
litigations are removed from the jur-
isdiction of the congregations and en-
trusted to the tribunals of the Rota
and of the Segpatura, the congrega-
tons only retaining disciplinary pow
ers. A new congregation regulating
discipline and sacrament Is created,
its duties including also questions re-
garding marriages, while the dogmat-
ic side of the sacraments remains I'M
der the jurisdiction of the congrega-
lion of the holy Office which includes
mixed marriages. namely, when either
husband or wife Is not Catholic.
The pope remains project OF the holy
office
The importance Of the congregation
of the consistory, of which the pope
also is the project, is augmented by
II undertaking the creation of bishops
and the surveillance and direction of
the rules of dioceses and seminaries
and also deciding questions of com
petence between the congregations.
The tribunal of the penitentiary re-
mains only as an internal court for
questions of science all other ques-
tons going to the Rota in the first
instance and then to the Segnatura as
Il supreme court.
The Rcta works in sections OF three
five and seven judges or as a whole
body of judges. Its sentences must
be justified in detail under pain OF
nullity. The Rota works also as a
court of appeal both for sentences pro
nounced by other courts or senten
ces handed down by the Rota itself
in which case the appeal is judged 10y
different judges.
The Sesnatura works as a court OF
cessation in four cases, the first as
an appeal court against an entire sen
tence of the Rota; second, alleged
nullity; third. suspicion against a 10
ia judge and fourth. to hear suits fol
damages against Rota judges.
Any one can appeal against the de
cisions OF these courts with or with
out the assistance of lawyers and q
special body OF lawyers has been form
ed, the members pledging themselves
TO assist the poor gratuitously. The
poor are also exempted from paying
fees to the court.
The decree will be followed by {
new code comprising all OF the canon
law on which Cardinal Gasparri ha!
been working for four years.
In addition to those already men
tiOhNu WV ENbSl dilllthl Wv lolONS lt
moved from the jurisdiction of the
propaganda include Newfoundland, Gil
braltar and Luxenburg. The reforms
viii become imperative next Novem
Der. The Rota will be an Internal
iOnal court with 10 judges and besides
the Italian, French. Austrian, Spanish
and Portuguese judges il will nov
have one English speaking Judge Thu
Segnatura will be entirely composed
of cardinals to what number, howeve
is as yet uncertain. The practica
result of the new conditions is tha
the countries removed from The juris
diction of the propaganda instead o
applying to the propaganda for al
questions to be decided they must ap
4 ply tn a suitable congregation. Tn,
4 creation of new diocese and the az
pointnent of new bishops will b.
4 dealt with by the secretaryship o
state after which they will be sent II
A trust 10 carry out the decision.