The Washington herald., 1912-07-14
Mgr. Bonzano Wore Queue and Liped
Like Vatipe When a Missionary
Popular Young Papal Delegate to the United
States Has Had Varied Experiences Is
Spare, Scholarly Man, and High Author
ify on Church in This Country.
BY JAMES 3. MoRRow.

dDltBdlc, OI chNog. me PADNS c~A~S~N
were then being discussed by Catholic
laymen and ecclesiastics, and the
church in America wanted to know the
mind of the Pope on the subject.
Later Mgr. Satolli was elevated to
the dignity of apostolic delegate. When
he was appointed cardinal, in 1895, and
went back to Rome, the Pope chose
Mgr Sebastian Martinelli to be his
successor. Mgr. Diomede Falconio.
once chief of the Franciscan friars,
those barefooted men. pledged to chas-
tity, poverty, obedience. and ministry,
succeeded Mgr. Martinelli. who like
Mgr. Sstolli. had been advanced to the
cardinalate.
Mgr. Falconio. an Italian by birth.
frst came to the United States at the
age Of twenty-five as a missionary,
and was admitted to the priesthood by
Bishop Timon. of Buffalo. He taught
philosophy and theology at several
seminaries of the church. and, loving
liberty and free institutions. as he once
told me, eagerly took the oath of alle-
glance at the earliest opportunity ana
became a citizen of this country. After
a long and distinguished service In
Canada and Rome. he returned to the
United States as apostolic delegate.
I interviewed him at the time he
look MS ONCE anu Iouuu " oc -
modest and agreeable man. He was
slender. fair complexioned. and had
gray eyes After that, frequently met
him walking in the quarter of the city
where each of us often went for physi-
cal exercise. He was nearly always
alone, and, though he was seemingly
lost in reflection. he never failed to see
and greet an acquaintance or a friend.
He was an American and proud OF his
citizenship and flag. / write OF MIN
in the past tense because he. too. is
now a cardinal and lives in Italy. All
of the apostolic delegates TO the United
States, therefore, since the coming OF
Mgr. Satolli, are members of the Sacred
College-princes o. the church. they
are called-and wear the scarlet hat,
the color of which reminds them that
they must shed their blood when nee
essary as martyrs to their faith.
The Duties of the Delegate.
So it happens that new delegate
has come to Washington from the Vati-
can. He is Giovanni Bonzano. Titular
Archbishop of Melitene-a spare, refined
man, with brown hair and eyes, and an
animated and handsome face. He may
be forty years old. but whatever his
age, he is a seasoned missionary and
priest and learned in the laws of his
church. No doubt ne will be a cardinal
some time. Even the papacy may De
within the possibilities of his career. Leo
XIII and Plus X have shown great wis
dom in sending their agents to the United
States. They have selected travelled men
of the world, and men who spoke the
language OF the people.
The apostolic delegate stationed here
has no diplomatic standing. He is not.
as is supposed by persons unacquainted
with the facts, an ambassador from the
palace of the Pope to the government
of Washington. Indeed, he has no Off
cial relations with this country. His
Functions are entirely ecclesiastical. The
Pope is thousands of miles away from
the church In America. Disputes may
arise beteen bishops or between priests
and their bishops. Laws emanating from
the Vatican may be misunderstood. Mails
are fast these days, but, even so, church
matters requiring decisions from the
highest authority would drag were it
necessary to submit certain questions
and differences directly to Rome. To
prevent delay and promote harmony,
the Pope dispatches his own represent
ative to this country. as he does to Ger
many. France, England. Canada. and
other nations.
As a man of business, an apostolic
delegate outranks a cardinal. A cardi-
nails Jurisdiction ends at the boundary
line Of his ecclesiastical province Car
dinal Gibbons is supreme in the province
OF Baltimore. Cardinal O'Connell in the
province of Boston. and Cardinal Farley
In the province of New York. They are
princes within defined principalities.
When the Pope dies, all of the cardinals,
seventy in number, meet at the Vatican.
and from among themselves elect his
successor There are three cardinals in
the United States. not including Dio-
mede Falconio. who resides in Italy.
Also, there are ninety-three dioceses.
each with a bishop. The dioceses in
turn constitute fourteen ecclesiastical
provinces, over which there are an equal
number of archbishops.
why the Pope Sent Him.
The apostolic delegate in Washington.
sitting as a judge. II might be said, hears
all the cases that would be sent to the
Pope were the Pope without a deputy
in the United States Archbishop Bon
zano, consequently. is the highest Cath
olic authority in this country. Plus X
designated him because of his talents,
learning. piety, and achievements. He
has specialized in missions, having
served six years in China, but he is a
great preacher, an accomplished writer,
and has taught theology in Italian COL
leges. Likewise, the Pope has sent him
on delicate and difficult commissions to
various parts Of the world.
I talked with Archbishop Bonzano in
the reception room of his fine residence
on one Of the best streets in this city
The mahogany chairs are upholstered
In lemon-colored silk. Beautiful oil
portraits of Leo XIII and Plus Y are
against the tinted walls. The archbishop
wore the long, tight1ftting cassock Of a
priest, low shoes, with buckles, a large
ring OF Oriental amethyst. set in small
diamonds, and a heavy chain and cross
of gold. We conversed in English, he
making many graceful gestures with his
hands, smiling often in a most friendly
way. and answering all questions without
reluctance. He had heard Of that unique
parsonage known as the American inter
viewer, and, / fancied, was curious to
study one Of them at first hand. He
told me that he was born In Northern
Italy, the region of the Alps, where,
though he did not say so, the people. in
dustrious farmers. stay at home, in
stead Of emigrating to America.
My family the archbishop said,
were plain and honest people-demo-
crats,I suppose you would term them.
went TO school. like any other boy, and
then to college, taking a classical course,
as one would say in the United States.
While still young boy. was attracted
to the church The influence that drew
within and not from the outside" the
archbishop continued. tapping the breast
pf his cassock with the tips of his fin-
gers MY mother often told me that