The Irish standard., 1917-07-14
POPE PR0MUlGATES
new CANON Law
FOR CHURCH
New Congregation Of Sacred Rites
Provided For and Many I'm
portant Changes Are An
nounced in the Code.

Rome, July l4-The feast of st. Pc
ter was celebrated with the custom
airy solemnity this year, an enormous
concourse of the faithful being pres
ent as usual, especially at the evening
services. On the eve of the feast
Pope Benedict paid, also as usual, a
special visit to the great basilica to
venerate the Tomb of the Apostle.
This year, however, the eve of the
feast had a special significance; the
solemn PRONUNCIATION by His Holiness
OF the new Code of Canon Law, work
on which has been going on since the
publication of the "Motu Proprio" of
Pope Plus X, "Arduum Sane Munus,"
appointing the codification commission
in 1904
The ceremony of promulgation took
place in the Consistorial Hall of the
Vatican. there being present twenty
commission, and other Bishops and
monsignori
The New Code.
Cardinal Gasparri, president of the
commission, placed in the Pope's
hands a copy of the new Code, on ac-
cepting which His Holiness delivered
an address, saying that joys and sor-
rows alternate in the life of the Cath
olic Church, and this occasion was
one Of great joy amid the sorrows that
are overshadowing the present Pontifi-
cate. He warmly thanked the men,
bers of the commission, particularly
the Cardinals, from among whom he
selected Cardinal Gasparri as having
merited much praise for his zeal and
his untiring energy. He paid gen.
erous tribute to his predecessor, Pope
Plus X, the originator of the monu-
mental work of codifying the Canon
Law, regretting that that illustrious
Pontiff had not lived to see it's COM
pletiOn
The official Bull of PRONUNCIATION,
entitled "Providcntissima Mater Eccle-
sia," dated Pcntecost, 1917, orders that
the new Code will go into operation on
Pcntecost, 1918.
A cursory glance over this volume
of 521 pages discloses the establish
ment of the new Sacred Congregation
of Oriental Rites and the enumeration
of feasts of prcccpt, two Of which are
rcstored-that of Corpus Christi and
that of ST. Joseph.
The students of the American Col
lege have just left Rome for their
summer villa, Castelgandolfo. Arch
bishop Kennedy, the rector, felt we'll
enough to accompany them 1t is
hoped that he will further regain his
health and strength by the aid of the
fresh air of the Alban Hills.
Most Rev. DR.. Szeptyski, Greek Ru-
thenian Catholic Archbishop of Lem
berg, who has been released from i'm
prisonment by the Russian govern
ment as the result of an appeal of
Pope Benedict, has been advised to
pay visit to the Holy Father after
he has made short sojourn in his
diocese.
The GerIach Case.
The "Osservatore Romano" officially
denies the report that the Sacred
Congregation of the Holy Office is
considering the case of Monsignor
Gerlach with the view of inflicting &C.
clesiastical penalties upon him. It is
generally thought that deprivation of
prelatical dignity must follow the re-
cent revelations Of his conduct while
an official in the Vatican. This, how
ever, is matter for the individual
judgment and action Of the Pope him
self. The Sacred Congregation of the
Holy Office concerns itself solely with
questions relating to faith and morals,