The Irish standard., 1909-01-16
An American Woman Tells of Arrangements Be Made
For Gaining Admission to the Presence of
The Holy Father.
ALL VISITORS MUST HAVE PROPER CREDENTIALS
Private Audience is Not an Easy Matter to Obtain and
is Granted Only to Persons Of Note in
Church State.

It is not an easy matter to obtain
private audience with the Pope, writes
a lady who is described as "promi-
! nent New York woman" in the New
York World. These are rarely grant
ed except to visitors Of great distinc-
ton or for the discussion of questions
Of unusual Importance, and those who
4 would meet the Pope are required to
conform strictly to the rules.
Twice day, for the hours from
! 1880 A. M. to 1880 P. M. and from
6 p. M. to P. NJ, Monsignor Bisleti,
the Papal major domo, is in attend
Y ance at the Vatican with a staff of
secretaries to pass upon applications
for audience.
Perhaps for the reason that there IS
q larger proportion of non Catholics
among American visitors to Rome than
other nationalities, it is said that re-
A quests from Americans are considered
with much more elaboration than 9th
~ II intinated that the reason
Tor Tor this is disregard by tfoughtless
or -mannereds persons Of the Waltz
can requirements governing attire and
4 conduct while in the Pope's presence.
Be this as it may, it is said to be a
/, fact that many Americans have to
wait for days, sometimes for weeks,
!. before, they receive the desired per-
I mission.
Audiences for visitors from the
United States are arranged by Mon
signor Kennedy, the rector of the
American College at Rome. An ap-
plicant must first provide himself
with letter of introduction from the
"a Catholic priest, in whose parish he re-
sides, or, preferably, one from the
Bishop Of his diocese. In this let
ter the number Of persons travelling
with the bearer must be stated, ana
\ the nom Catholics, if any, must be set
down clearly.
In room Just off the garden Of
the college Monsignor Kennedy or,
the vice-rector, Father OsEearn, a
New Yorker, meet Americans who
wish to see the Pope. If the creden-
J tials be satisfactory, the bearer re-
ceives a letter addressed to Monsig-
nor Bisleti containing formal re-
quest for an audience and giving the
applicants address in Rome, in order
that notice Of the granting of the re-
quest may be m--i.ied to him, should
it be found inexpcdient to extend tho
/. permission at once. -
Having obtained the letter, 1t is well
Il to lose no time in getting to the Vat
I lean, for while the visitor will have
no reason to complain of lack Of cour-
q 5tesy, he must bear in mind that the
officials there have many, many mat
ters other than receptions to attend
u to, and that system and punctua1ity
are adhered to quite as closely in &C.
clesiastical as in commercial affairs.
The visitor Is not apt to be reas-
4 sured by the manner of the soldier
\ of the Swiss Guards, who, with bay
Y onetted rifle on shoulder, p.sses In
his short patrol at the entrance to
the Papal Ialace to demand Of him
Il sternly whittier he is going.
& The letter to Monsignor Bisleti ex-
hibited, the bearer is directed to the
Il right up broad and extremely long
; flight Of steps,. which, although he
i finds the ascent easy, causes him to
wonder If there is an elevator in the
1 vast building. At the top he finds him.
IL self in rather plainly furnished
room. with a dozen or so chairs ranged
around the sides and a table or two
in the centre. Here a young man In
evening dress bids him remove his
& hat and overcoat and be seated.
mi Il is just s o'clock. yet two callers
are ahead Of him. They are women,
well dressed and evidently Germans.
Five minutes more and the room holds
4 fully . score more visitors, : major