The Detroit times., 1914-08-20

90 this time priests who were called
upon 10 administer TO dying child
under the former first communion age.
heard confessions. but did not give the
communion.
An encyclicai commanding frequent
communions also marked the late
pope's administration. this custom dat
ing back TO the days or the early
Christians. when the daily Eucharist
was partaken OF In the Catacombs The
daily Eucharist was popuiarized again
by Pope Plus. not only as pureer
OF sin. but as a safeguard against flu
ture ain.
These. with the bull against modern
ism and higher criticism. the command
that all engagements to marry must
be announced TO the parish priest at
once. and the codiication or canon
law, characterize the administration OF
the late pope Under his regime. too.
cred a mission country governed by
the propaganda. came under the direct
Jurisdiction OF Rome.
Pre-eminent among his Characters
tics Were his democracy, his utter de-
1ance OF convention and his disregard
OF precedent. OF peasant parentage.
he was peculiarly the pope OF the poor.
Peasants mere as n welcome Zee 70 the ya y,
| blessing alike, without favor. His
charities were proverbial. His pres
ence pervaded the vatican with new
atmosphere.
With quiet decision he did away
with many forms of etiquet which had
| endured for centuries. Early he aboi-
ished the custom requiring visitors 10
genufiect three times In coming into
the presence OF the pope, to kiss the
/ cross upon his right slipper. and to re-
main kneeling while In his presence.
greeted his visitors without formanty.
| chatted in good old-fashion and usu-
ally accompanied them TO the door
when they retired.
independence of custom. and to the
jpope they brought a quiet amusement.
| For instance, he abolished the GEN.
fury old custom of requiring everyone
the vatican when the pope walked
therein. His first ride through the
grounds was In an open carriage which
he insisted upon having, even though
another precedent was shattered.
He abolished the custom OF COM
municants' kissing his ring when re-
ceiving communion from his hands,
holding IL to be source OF distrac-
ton for the communicate. Instead or
being carried into ST. Peters or the
Sistine chapel on the sedia gestatoria,
with the six palafreniere (white os-
trich fans used to fan the pope). ne
with the prohibition against receiving
any Of the civil authorities of Rome
or representatives OF the Italian gov
| eminent, and his warm friendship for
King Emmanuel, dating from the pc
riod when he was patriarch OF Venice.
did much toward alleviating the strain
ed relations between the church ana
| state, and may be the means of paw
ing the way to an ultimate reconcilia-
ton.
Perhaps. though, his most drastic
defiance OF precedent was the bring
ing of women TO his table. In the per-
sons OF his sisters. Since the founda-
tion OF the Catholic church there were
only two instances OF women having
eaten I'm the pope's apartments. One
was when Queen Christine of Sweden
sat at a separate table. and lower
down than the pope. at light lunch :
con. the other when the grand Ouch.
ess OF Tuscany, after communion at
the hands OF Leo XIII. was served
some light refreshments In his apart
ments Plus X frequently mad his sis
tiers, together with members OF his
official family. at his own table.