Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-11-25
All That Is Required Is Will Of
Sovereign Sufficiently
Expressed.
No Certain Form or Special
Ceremoy Essential to
Dignity.
THEIR PRIVILEGES ARE MANY

For the creation OF a Cardlnal ali
that is required is the will of the
Sovereign Pontiff sufficiently ex-
pressed. Neither a certain form
nor any special ceremony is
essential, because the whole sub
stance of the Cardinalate consists in
the power of jurisdiction, and its
consequent prerogatives, which de-
pends simply on the will Of the
superior. The Cardinalate is not,
like the priesthood, a sacrament,
imprinting a character and requiring
ssacramental matter and form d.
vinely instituted; and hence the
unanimous teaching is that the form
of promoting a Cardinal depends en-
tirely on the will and word of the
Supreme Pontiff.
The form and ceremonies for cre-
ating a Cardinal in the usual manner
may be thus summarized: The
Roman Pontiff calls secret con-
sistory, and the other business hav-
ing been transacted, he addresses
the Cardinals who are present In
these or similar words: "You have
brethren" Then he mentions the
names of those whom he has de-
termined to promote to the Car
dinalate, and asks: "What do you
think?" As a sign of assent the
Cardinals uncover and reverently
incline their heads. Then the decree
concerning the promotion of the
new Cardinals is drawn up and at
once published out of consistory. If
the newly appointed Cardinals are
in Rome they proceed in their usual
dress and without any attendants to
the Apostolic palace, where one of
the old Cardinals presents them the
red cap or biretum. And from that
time to the public consistory in
which they receive the insignia they
are not allowed to make or receive
any public visits, neither may other
Cardinals call on them without the
previous permission of the Holy
Father. II a newly appointed Car
dinal is absent from Rome, one Of
the attendants of the Sovereign
Pontiff is at once dispatched to carry
him the red biretum, in receiving
which the new Cardinal must prom
Use on oath, under pain of depriva-
tion of the Cardinalate, that within
year he will proceed to Rome to
visit the Holy Father. 1t is GUS
tomary for a Cardinal who receives
the biretum in this way to give the
one who brings 1t certain favors or
offerings to be divided among the
private chamberlains of the Pope.
A public consistory is then called
for the purpose of giving the in
sigma to the new Cardinals. All
the Cardinals being assembled In the
Apostolic palace, the Sovereign Pom
tiff, wearing his precious mitre,
orders the new Cardinals to come
forward. They bowling profoundly
are placed with uncovered heads in
the sight of the Pontiff below the
last Cardinal priest. The Pontiff
makes short address on the office
and greatness of the Cardinalate.
Then the new Cardinals approach
and kneeling, kiss the feet and then
the hand, and lastly the mouth of
the Sovereign Pontiff. After this
they 20 to receive from the other
Cardinals the kiss Of peace. This
being done, the Poptiff confers the
red hat on them ami says: For the
praise of Almighty God and the or
nament of the Holy See receive the
red hat, an emblem of the singular
dignity Of the Cardinalate, by which
Is signified that even to death and
the shedding of blood inclusively for
the exaltation of our holy faith, for
the peace and quiet of Christian
people, for the increase and preser-
walton of the Holy Roman Church,
You are to show yourself intrepid;
-. 4. - h. UokA ~ -
Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen"
Tho privileges of Cardinals are
many, but chief among them is the
precedence all of them have over
Bishops. Archbishops. Primates and
Patriarchs. They also have the ex-
elusive right to the title EN-
inence." and are considered equal in
rank to kings. Everywhere they
rank with princes of the royal
blood. Hence as princes of the
be church they take personal
recedence over Apostolic Delegates
IN church ceremonies and social
yfafherings. Moreover. the word of
a Cardinal is to be believed when he
RDcrts that something was done In
jresence OF the Holy Father; also
when he says that some mandate
Was given him verbally by the Pope;
hlso when he asserts that he is a
I-eeafe. for then the ordinary power
of q Lesate Is TO be acknowledged In
him even without his showing any
letters OF delegation.
According to the mind OF the
Duncll OF Trent the Cardinals. as
Cd as can be. should be selected
m all the nations Of Christianity.
We A Sood reason for this desire
&k~for the business trans
tbe Cardinals. and par
heI election OF the