The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-02-06


Representatives from the various
jesuit provinces meet this month to
elect successor to Rev. Father
Francis x. Wernz, who died last
August. Three representatives from
each province will meet for the cleo
tion. The delay in calling the ger
eral congregation was doubtless
caused by the widespread state Of
war that prevails in so many of the
countries where the Jesuit Provinces
are located.
Many of the provinces will doubt
less find difficulty in being represent
ed; for instance the province of Ly-
ons, France, has one hundred and
forty of its members in the army, as
members of the hospital corps or
chaplains. Its Provincial has been re-
ported as killed in action.
The Provincial of the Missouri
Province. Rev. Alexander Burrowes,
and his two companions who were
selected at meeting held in St.
Mary's. Kansas, during the holidays,
left st. Louis University lately and
are now on their way to Europe.
By the death of Father Francis
Xavier Wernz. which occurred on
August Goth, the office of superior
General of the Society of Jesus has
become vacant, and now a new gen
eral of the order is about to be elect
ed. No doubt, many will be inter-
ested to learn something about the
mode of choosing a Jesuit General,
says Father Guildner in America. The
laws and rules which must be fol-
lowed in the election are laid down
In the Institute Unstitutum S. J.),
the corpus juris of the Society of Je-
sus. The Institute" nowadays is
an open book to scholars, and may
be read and studied in any of the
large Libraries of the learned world.
The most important part of the "In-
stitute" are the Constitutions" in
the writing of which st. Ignatius
spent more than ten years. and they
have been extolled by scholars and
even by statesmen as work of sur
passing genius. The constitutions"
OF st. 1gnatius contain much of or
1ginality. for the saint was in ad-
vance of his time as regards the
government of a religious Order. The
Church has set the seal of her ap-
prevail upon the work, and many of
the later religious Orders or Con-
gregations have profited by his bold
initiative.
The Society of Jesus is monar-
chy, from the nature of the case an
elective monarchy, and it is ruled
by one supreme head called the Pro-
vost-General (Proepositus Generality,
He is the only superior holding Of
flee by election, as well as the only
one elected for life. All other su-
periors derive their authority from
him. He is not an absolute monarch.
but what we may call constitution
al monarch. His will is not law: he
is bound to rule in accordance with
the Constitutions" and he has Of
fetal advisers and an admonitor
given to him by the Society. He is
the chief executive and has vast ad-
ministrative powers. but he is not a
lawgiver. He is the one man above
all others in the Society of Jesus who
is bound to enforce the law. The
legislative power and function belong
to the Society itself as represented in
the General Congregation. The Cen
eral Congregation not only makes
laws. but also elects the Superior
General. and has even the power Of
deposing him from office.
The General, before he dies, leaves
in sealed document, the name of
distinguished Protested Father who
is to govern the Society as Vicar
General pending the election of
successor. Should he have omitted to
do so. the Protested Fathers in the
neighborhood of where he has died
meet. and by a majority of votes elect
the Vicar.
The Vicar gives official notice to
the Society of the death of the Fa-
ther General and calls a General Con-
gregation for the election of a new
head of the Order, naming the time
and place of the meeting. The place,
usually, but not necessarily, is Rome,
and the time five or six months after
the notice has been sent out. The
time. II necessary, may be extended.
During this period Provincials and
Rectors Of Colleges are not removed
from Office. The notice is sent to
the Provincials of the various prov
inces and by them promulgated. AS
soon as this notice has been promul-
gated all members are strictly for
hidden to seek votes for themselves
or others, and no member of the So