Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-09-09
BENEDICT XIV. NEW POPE.
Archbishop of Bologna, Italy Elect
ed Supreme POntiff of the
Catholic Hierarchy,


Cardinal Giacomo della Chiesa
archbishop of Bologna, Italy, was on
Thursday elected supreme pontiff OF
the Catholic hierarchy, in succession
to the late Pope Plus X, who died
Aug. 20. He will reign under the
name of Benedict XIV. He is 60 years
old. The coronation took place Sun.
day.
Pope Benedict XIV, who was Car
dinal Giacomo della Chiesa, was
born Nov. 21, 1854, at Pegl, Italy
]yillage six miles west of Genoa
= IS of noble parentage. The vii
lageb is watering place and is ia
nous for its villas. He studied law
at the University of Genoa, but later
gave up his legal pursuits, went to
Rome and studied for the priesthood
He was ordained priest in 1873.
In 1883 he accompanied Cardinal
.aampolla to Madrid, when Rampolla
was papal nuncio. He remained there
as secretary of the nunciature until
1887. He then returned to Rome with
Cardinal Rampolla and entered the
secretariate of state as one of the
"minutand," or minor officials, until
in 1901 he was appointed substitute
of the secretariate and secretary OF
the cypher.
Gets Notable Promotion.
1t was considered a notable promo
tion when on Dec. 16, 1907, Pope
Plus appointed him archbishop OF
the important see of Bologna. After
serving somewhat less than seven
years as archbishop he was made a
cardinal by Pope Plus on May % OF
the present year. He will not be GO
years old until November.
Little is known in America of the
characteristics of the new pope. In
the prophecies made as to the prob
able election Of pope his name new
er was mentioned. A search in the
library of Loyola university reveal
ed no reference to him. His election
however. gives satisfaction, for his
age gives promise of a long period
tof usefulness.
Trained by RampoIla.
1t is also regarded as significant
that he was long under the training
of Cardinal Rampolla, who is regard
ed as one of the ablest, most states
manlike eccleslastics in the history
of the church. His most recent ad
wiser is another one of the foremost
statesmen of the church, Cardina,
Merry del Val, secretary of state
under Pope Plus X.
1t is understood that the new pope
is in sympathy with the anti-modern
ist views held by Pope Plus and will
seek to carry them out in order tC
check the tendency to break away
from the authority of the church. He
also is said to be in sympathy with
the efforts made to heal the breecf
between the quirinal, representing
the civil power of Rome, and the vati
can, representing the spiritual power
In January of this year while arch
bishop of Bologna, the new pope is
sued a pastoral letter in which he
condemned the tango and similar
dances.
The importance of the archbishop
ric of Bologna, from which the new
pope was made cardinal, is seen by
the number of parishes and churche.
over which the archbishop had juris
diotion. The archdiocese contains 9
population of 565, 5,4S9 and embraced
LIP churches and chapels located
in 389 parishes.
Bologna is famous for the number
VI us UiSilopS WuO WcTo cicNdlcu "
the papal chair. The list includes
Popes John X, Innocent VII, Mich.
olas w., julius H., Gregory XIV.
Benedict XIV. Bologna also was the
birthplace of Popes Gregory XIV.
Benedict XIV, Honorius H., Lucius
H., Alexander ", Gregory Kill, and
Innocent TX.
Won Esteem of Plus X.
Another evidence of the fitness OF
the new pope for his position as head
of world wide church is seen in his
selection in 1907, just before he
was appointed archbishop of Bolog-
ma, as papal nuncio OF Madrid. AL
though this appointment was can
celed three days after it was made
and his appointment to the see of Bo-
logna substituted, the fact that he
was considered for, the important
post indicates the esteem and con-
fidence in which he was held by
Pope Plus X.
The appointment to Bologna was
considered by those who studied the
policies of Pope Plus X. as in line
with his determination to lay as
-