Semi-weekly herald., 1914-08-20
European War Causes
Death Of Pope Plus X
Continued from Page ~

church and state.
There was evidence of miserable
conditions existing among the Italian
emigrants They had little or no In !
struction in their religion and paid no. ;
attention to 1t in this country. on the |
supposition that the Catholic religion |
did not exist here. The pope pursued
this matter to the proper outcome. He
filled up vacant sees, stirred up COM
Portable bishops, and ordered the
teaching of catechism all over the
world. He aimed chiefly at Italy. In
a word, he deserted diplomacy for the
instruction and organization Of the
people. He gave up governments to
look after the lost sheep Of the house
hold.
Disappointed diplomats then walled
about his timidity. But the wailing
had no effect on the noble-hearted.
simple man who was the head OF the
church.
Direct and Simple In Method.
It Is much easier to face the rulers
Of Europe on question than the car
dinals assembled in the Sistine chapel
but Pope Plus did not quail or show
timidity when he informed the car
dinals as to his perseverance in the
lines he drew for himself He was
firm, brief and unruffled. and made 1t
plain that he would not lean In either
direction to lend weight to favored
plans of different cardinals or fac
tions.
When the trouble between the
church and state broke out in France
and the Concordat was dropped. the
world looked to the Pope. speculating
as to what course he would take.
What he did seemed to be the only
right thing. according to the Ameri-
can idea. He ignored the nation.
Before Pope Plus had been on the
throne three years he showed that
young men who dreamed OF the career
of a courtier in Rome were going to
be disappointed TIE pope wanted
bishops for the difficult sees. and the
way for young diplomats to promotion,
1t was soon apparent. was through the
tiresome but wholesome office of gov
erning bishop.
One great reform Pope Plus accom-.
plished. and 1t promises to be ever re-
membered in history. He proved that
diplomacy In church matters is thing
Of little Importance compared with the
direct teaching and preaching OF the
gospel to the poor.
Compared with the policies OF his
predecessors OF recent times the lean
ing Of Pope Plus X. has been held to
be ultra-orthodox in purely ecclesias-
tical principles and tra-conservative
In temporal relations. An instance of
his well-known uncompromising atti-
tude against advanced tendencies was
afforded in his opposition to woman
suffrage, as voiced by the pope upon
the occasion Of his reception of dele
cation Of Italian Catholic ladies'.
Woman can never be mans equal" ."
he told his fair visitors, "and cannot.
| therefore. enjoy equal rights. Few
women would ever desire to legislate.
and those who did would be classed
as eccentrics. Scripture, and espe-
cially the three Epistles Of St Paul.
emphasizes woman's dependence on
man"
Reforms In Church Government.
His now famous Apostolic constitu-
tion was considered as embodying the
most sweeping reform ever attempted
by Roman pontiff since the cele-
brated Council of Trent. in the years
from 1916 to 1863. In that 1t dismissed
the entire congregation of the council.
q committee OF cardinals charged with
the interpretation of the Council of
Trent, and placed all affairs in the
hands OF separate tribunals and courts
Of appeal.
BY virtue of one of his documents.
known as the "sapienti Consilio." the
congregations composing the Roman
Curia Of the Catholic church have
been completely reformed and the
| American hierarchy has been accord
ed recognized voice In the govern
ment Of the church. In fact. all Cath
olics outside Italy have been granted
= new political standing by the order.
whereunder 200 bishops, $4,000 priests
and 30.000.000 Catholic laymen In the
English-speaking countries have their
| affairs examined and passed upon ac-
cording to the general law of the
church and by ten different congrega-
tions. instead of one. as heretofore.
Another reform was that effected
by the papal bull requiring the return
| OF sacred music In use by the Roman
| Catholic churches throughout the
world to its austere and suave purity.
And still another bore upon the revis-
ion of the catechism. move dear to
| the heart OF the late Leo XIII. where
by instruction In the catechism is no
| longer regarded. as In years past, az
the adjunct to basically religious
education. but is now held to replace
everything the schoolmaster.
the general mental environment
Pope Plus was In every respect q
man of peace. and the clerical trou-
bles in Spain and Portugal during the
latter years OF his life greatly affected
his health. When Spain and Portugal.
following the lead of France, broke
away from the church. he refused to
take any decisive action against thems
He held steadfastedly to the pur-
pose that governed his every move
during his tenor In office and chose
the middle course. Standing strongly
| for the rights of the church, he rc-
fused to use the doubtful diplomacy