The Washington herald., 1909-07-25
CARDINK-S IN AMERICA
Demand Among Catholics that This Country Get Larger
Representation

| or the Pope. any cardinal. even though
ne be only a deacon takes precedence
| OF ali bishops and archblshops who are
not cardinals. Pope Eugene ". already
/ mentioned. gives the reason for this
PRECEDENCE: "Ohice and dignity take
precedence Of orders. Just as in the canon
law the archdeacOn, by reason Of his
Jurisdiction. although he may not be a
priest, takes precedence Of the arch
priest. who is higher in orders; and even
a vicar general. although only q simple
cleric, precedes all others in the choir.
ne distinction between orders and iuris-
dlction makes the illustration easily un-
oerstood. A cleric who is not even a sub
deacon. and who consequently csnnor
even say mass may have. and frequently
mas had. jurisdiction over priests, bish-
ops, and archbishops- In the first coun-
Gil or Lyons, A. D. 1245. the cardinals al
sat IN higher row OF seats than the
archbishops, and in the second council Of
Lyons the cardinals outranked the patri-
archs Of Constantinople and Antioch.
The cardinals residing in Rome are
usually the heads Of the different depart
ments or congregations Of church admin
istration, each having under him a corps
of trained theologians. philosophers. Htur-
gists, or other experts or specialists as
the case may require Sometimes several
cardinals are IN the service OF the same
department They are busy and harcs
worked men. Their special dress is 4 red
cossack. a RED skull cap or hat. and the
red mantle so familiar 10 US IN paintings
or in special portraits. However. cardi-
mails chosen from some OF the religious
orders franciscan. Dominican, &C. wear
the dress and the color OF their order in
steaG Of the usual red cassOck
The Pope alone can create a cardinal
and the Pope alone can degrade one.
Sometimes he does degrade a cardinal
from his dignity. During the Middle Ages
particularly some Of the men chosen as
cardinals did not come I'D 20 the ideal.
either IN conduct or ability; yet. consid-
ering everything. Il would be difficult 10
find body Of men so distinguished for
great scholarship, for executive capacity,
and for virtue as the Roman cardinals
were and are This is especially true
since the council of Trent. IN the six
teenth century. undertook the task Of re-
forming those abuses in the church. some
Of which were the pretext for Luther's
revolt According TO the council OF Trent.
the candidates for the cardinalate should
be inustrious for their learning. virtue.
and prudence. 'lectissimos et praecel-
lentes OpOrtere.
A noted authority and writer on Catho-
lie subjects. IN a recent article discussing
the reasons why the representation OF
this country IN the Sacred College should
be increased, said: Latin preponderance
in the government OF the church IS nos
divinely prescribed. yet It has come about
in the nature Of things We would not
see IL rudely assailed IN a spirit either OF
schism or nauonalism. But with all re-
spect for things as at present constituted.
we DO not overlook the facts Of human
nature.
1T might be felt as a guarantee OF
wiser policies II the welfare OF the church
were not so Overwhelmingly in the keep
ing Of Latin prelates. II the counseIs OF
the rest OF the Catholic world were req
sonabiy valued and more adequately
sought. so that the senate Of the church
should resemble In its fairness and full
ness Of representation great council OF
the church. And why not?
"A legislative or administrative body.
composed almost wholly Of men similar
in race and environment. trained ana
~N--tNe-NNA AA4NANl A4AE lDANtal. SOCIAL. ana
economic conditions Of the Latin coun-
tries. must. humanity speaking. have a
different outlook from that q a body OF
men composed Of Lstins, Germans, Eng
hsh, and Americans. And II the affairs
70 be discussed and settled are world az
fairs rather than Italian affairs. the body
that Is cosmopolitan in its formation Is
apI 10 be wiser and safer
The cardinals are not merely called
upon az long intervals TO elect a new
Pope; they are the advisers OF the reign
inE pontim. The cardinalate dignity is.
therefore. not merely a decorative one: it
mas meaning for the nations and peo-
pies honored with q fair allotment OF
representatives IN the college Their in
terests. their zeal. their spirit OF catho-
hcity. their ideals OF religion, their mis-
sionary purposes. have a weight and IN
nuence proportiOnate 10 the adequacy OF
their representation Humanity speaking,
the administration OF the church would
gain In wisdom and power by being as
vel balanced and representative as pos
sible "