The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-10-30
important Change
In Catholicism

fSOME, Oct. 3O.-Next IuCSJdy
will be one of the most important in
the history OF the American hierarchy
Of the Catholic church, since it Is then
that the recent papal document Sapi-
emit Cansilio will go into effect. The
document is considered by churchmen
the most important that has been is
sued for the government of the Cath
Ollie church in many centuries. and is
of special interest to American and
all English speaking Catholics.
BY stroke of the pen Plus x has
recognized the Catholics outside of
Italy and has ordered. that nearly two
hundred bishops, twenty-five thousand
priests and thirty millions of the
Catholic laity in English speaking
countries shall have their affairs ex-
amined and decided according to the
general law of the church and by ten
different congregations instead of one.
Briefly, the document is divided
into three parts, and defines the au-
thority of the various congrega-
tions and tribunals. 1t elevates to an
important position in the church two
bodies that seemed to be about to die
of inanitiOn, the consistorial congrega-
ton and the famous tribunal known as
the sacred Roman rota. 1t is to these
bodies that American prelates prob
ably will be nominated. They will be
the most important of the Curia when
the reform becomes operative. The
consistorial congregation will be, in
fact, the head of ALL and according to
the document, the reigning pontiff will
be the project. That congregation will
be charged with the election of nearly
all the Latin bishops throughout the
world, the founding and dividing of
lioceses, the examination Of diocesan
reports as we'll as the supervision of
| the work of all bishops.
The sacred Roman rota is a famous
tribunal that was held in high esteem
| in former times. For more than a
| hundred years it has been of little
value. Controversies carried to Rome
for settlement were invariably decided
in the congregations in a manner UNI
satisfactory to all concerned. Numer-
Gus prelates have candidly admitted
that there was hardly semblance of
judicial form, and that If case were
appealed it came before the very judg-
es who had already given a verdict.
Under the new constitution that
state of affairs will be at an end. The
rOta will be made up Of ten prelates
taken from as many countries. The
bench will consist of three, five or
seven judges. Any priest will be per-
mitted to plead his own case before
this tribunal. The supreme court of
appeal in the Catholic church, under
the new system. will be the Apostolic
segnaturea. That body had been prac-
tically abolished. Its reconstruction
will give, disputants. and there are
thousands of them an opportunity to
carry their grievance to a tribunal be-
yond the rota. It's decisions are to
be final. fce
Another Office that has received at
tention from the pope is that Of the
"spedizioneri." OF recent years Rome
has been Overrun with the "spedizio-
neri." Some bishops have said that
lit was nothing short of an imposition
for those agents to collect fee from
them for conveying decisions in which
they CHANGED to be interested Hereto
forep arish priests having some dis
pute in congregations had to hire an
agent to get news concerning the stat
US of adjudication Neither bishops nor
priests will need hereafter to employ
the "spedizioneri". or agents of any
kind. ArchbiShOps and other prelates
who have freOuent huSinesc with tho
curia will continue however, to have
their official representatives at Rome,
but the parish priest will be the ben
eficiary by the abolition of the agent