The Washington herald., 1911-11-05
THE TREND OF THINGS.
A CoNsIsToRY NOV. 81 TO w..
CREATE NEW CARDINALS.
TWO AMERICANS ONLY

Not three American cardinals. as the
cables from Rome have Just announced,
nut two will be created at the consistory
now set for November q. The two are
Archbishop Farley, Of New York, and
Archbishop o'Connell, of Boston. Arch
bishop Falconio, apostolic delegate and
resident in Washington, is an Ameri-
can nGturalized citizen. but he is Ita-
Han born and his elevation to the
Sacred College, as exclusively an
nounced in The Washington Herald's
church news September % last, means
his return to Rome and service in the
Curia, or administrative body of the
church, and the appointment OF a new
apostolic delegate.
Reports from Archbishop ireland, Of
st. Paul, his tactless friends and his
alleged modernism are, 1t can be said on
the highest authority, quite groundless
IN so far as they affect his promotion
by the Pope to the Sacred College, the
governing senate of the church. While
some Of these incidents have produced
irritation at Rome, 1t is known that the
Catholic leader Of the Northwest is not
suspected in the Vatican of modernism
nor is he injured in reputation by his
friends. His great abilities, his great
achievements for his church, are known
to be very highly regarded by Pope
Plus x.
Reason for the elevation of the New
York and Boston prelates differ. The
New York selection is due to the great
center of Catholic population and in
f1uence, one of the greatest in the
world, Rome, Paris, and Vienna not ex-
cepted. 1t far outclasses London, Mad
rid. and Berlin. Recognition of this
strength brings the elevation of Arch
bishop Farley, along, of course, with
his administrative abilities. Archbishop
OConnell secured, through long resi-
dence in Rome, a host of friends who
have pressed his name upon the Vatt-
can. The great Catholic strength of
Boston and New England also helped.
When next an American is chosen, and
Americas quota in the Sacred College
increased, Archbishop Quigley, of Chi
cago, or Archbishop Glennon, of st.
Louis, will be honored. 1t is said. The
reason is recognition of Catholic Church
strength. Archbishop Ireland has created
much in the Northwest, but strategic
centers of America, the largest ones, for
all cannot be honored, are being recog-
died by the Vatican.
1t had been the intention of the Pope
to hold consistory in January, date not
set, and not to hold one during the Ita-
liam jubilee year. The decision to call
one this month was made suddenly, and
owing wholly to the lack of members Of
the Curia. Many members of the Curia
are advanced in years, and some are in
poor health. The Italian strength of the
Sacred College is relatively small, and
the serious illness of Cardinal Capace-
latro, whose death may be announced
any day, since he is nearly Lightweight
years of age, also pressed for an early
date for a consistory and led the Pope
to change his DECISION. The present
number of cardinals is but forty-slx, or
with the passing of the Archbishop OF
Capua forty-fve.
OF the new cardinals, seven are Italian, |
and the entire seven will be available |
for the work of the Curia. They will |
increase the Italian strength in the COL |
lege to thirty-eight. and the entire |!
strength Of the college to sixty-three, or
sixty-two If the aged Archbishop Of
Capua does not survive. There will still |
lack the two-thirds italian majority, |
showing that Pope Plus is not concerned
lest a conclave elect his successor from
a foreign country. Of that contingent
there is said to be really no danger, and
an Italian majority is less important
than Curia members to perform the
heavy administrative work of the church.
The English-speaking cardinals among
the new ones to be named are three
Westminster, New York, and Boston; the
French, three; the German, two, and
the Austrian and Spanish one each. The
orders get two representatives, included
in the italian seven, there being at the
moment only one cardinal Gotti, of the
Barefoot CarmeIites, in the college as
Of orders-a very unusual |
Some politics enters into |
the new selections, and failure to select, |
Austria and Portugal, in which |
countries differences have broken out be- |
tween governments and the Vatican. |
The advance publication of prospective |
names is unusual, showing that the Vati- |
can or somebody in II is adopting new |
publicity methods. 1t is not unlikely |
that additional nauscs may be added to |
the list before November q, especially |
an additional number of prelates for |
the Curia, where 1t is said that at least |
thirty cardinals are needed. Counting |
only the prelates physically slow to per-
form the work, and including the seven
new cardinals, the rumber, as now an
is fifteen. 1t is also to be
that consistory dates are
often postponed.