The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-12
.WE|GA7'Y REFORMS
BY P0PE's DECREE
Marked Changes Made iii the Adj
ministrativc Machinery Of the
Catholic Church.
lest MEN IN PLACES
Legislative and Disciplinary
Functions Are Separated from
the Judicial.

IullSt!ollS 1hlc soSl )sAldtSu AloA1i
the Judicial.
Especial Gable 70 Tho Times; 4 Dispatch.l
ONE, July 1.-THE ropes decree
issued last Monday makes
the most sweeping reform OF
modern times In the admin
istration machinery OF the
Roman Catholic Church. Much OF the
complicated and obsolete bureaucracy
which has grown up in the past two
or three centuries Is slmplifled or
swept away.
The first part OF the decree provides
for redistribution of work, especially
by assigning to Offices those most COM
petent to deal with duties which have
been allowed to accumulate elsewhere.
To this end tho decree particularly
separates the Legislative and discip-
linary functions from the judicial.
which. In future, Will BIO relegated to
tho proper tribunals.
The second part OF the decree lays
down the procedure OF these tribunals
which will comprehend in the tribunal
OF the Rota courts OF first instance and
appeal. ana In tho tribunal OF the
apostolic signature a court OF ccssa-
ton. It also provides for the pros
lection OF poor suitors.
The third part establishes rules for
the appointment. promotion and sala-
ries OF all officials. secretaries and
others In tho employment OF the HOLY
See
Enacting as II does serious reforms
in the government OF the church, the
document may be regarded as an Inn
portnnt prologue to the new codes OF
this canon law.
Whnt the Change Means.
TO understand more fully these
changes, 1t must DO remembered that
the actual government OF the church
ever since the sixteenth century has
bctn delegates by the Pope to the con-
grcgations OF cardinals.
These correspond. more or less, to
the ministries OF modern States. an
important difference being that the
congregations possess also legislative
and judicial functions. There existed
also certain tribunals. such as the
penitentiary, the Rota and tho apos-
tolic signature and offices for the dis
patch OF business. such as the chanccry
dataria, the cbamberlains and that OF
the secretary OF state. In the course
OF time this has led sometimes to
usurpation and sometimes to an inter-
change OF duties, with corresponding
confusion in regard to the work. This
was particularly the case In the judi
cIal questions assigned to the tribunals
of the Rota and the apostolic sigma
ture, with tho result that case might
often pass through the courts OF tlrst
Instance, appeal and cassatlon, and IND
the same judges in each. IN future All
contentious cases will BIO removed from
the congregations and VIII DO oeais
with by tho tribunals.
work OF Congregations.
The work OF the congregations
themselves has also been redistributed
In some respects. The congregation OF
the holy Office will only be concerned
with the protection OF the ooctrlne
and tho Judgment OF hercsies. Cues
ton. OF discipline, sacramentai or
other. arc removed from Its jurisdlc-
ton, with the exception Of the ques-
lions OF marriage between Catholics
and non.Catholics.
The consistorial congregation Is
given wider power In the creation OF
hishops and the control OF seminaries
az we'll as dioceses. OF this con Erega-
ton and that OF the holy office OF
pope stlll remains the project.
a new congregation OF the sacra-
ments Is created to deal with all ques-
tions connected with the seven sacra-
ments. especially all matrimonial ques-
lions, divorces, separations. and others.
save mixed marriages, which Will re-
main in the hands OF the congregation
OF the holy Office.
The congregation OF the Propaganda
loses Its jurisdiction over England.
Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Luxembourg,
Canada, the United States and New
Foundland. which countries now enter
into the common law Of the church.
The congregation OF the council, In
addition to its present duties. will be
entrusted with the discipline Of the
secular clergy and laity. chapters par
ishcs, pious works and confrattrnitles.
Received With Approval.
The announcement OF the Pope's de-
approval. The reforms are regarded
as radical and complete. The Corrlere
d'Italia expresses the general entiment
of local Ca tholics when It says:
"Plus Y. enters at once into the
ranks OF reforming Popos. He has
proved. how keen is his vision for the
needs OF tho church. how uncrring HIS
Judgment in the detection Of weak
ness in It's organization, and how irm
his resolution in applying q remedy.
IN his reforms he has invariably cho-
suit that he has succeeded in carrying
out to universal satisfaction task OF
vast magnitude, where more timid res
formers would only have complicated
tile numberless issues It involved.
WEEK IN LONDON SOCIETY
aIuslc Good for Feeble Minded Eater.
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