Evening star., 1918-02-04

ible.
! First Important Position.
As Mgr. Della Chiesa his first impor-
tant position was that Of secretary to
the papal embassy at Madrid under
Cardinal Rampolla. who for many years
| was the close personal friend Of Pope
Leo XIII, and for a considerable time
was his papal secretary of state
Then Mgr. Della Chiesa became under
secretary of state, and remained thus
until he was made Archbishop OF Bo-
logna, in 1907, in the latter Office gain
ing valuable experience in the minis
try and the management of the see.
Notably he is what Frenchmen call
'-un homme du bureau" for he loves
working at hts desk. In other words.
by taste he is an executive principally.
The fact that by nature he is seden-
tary has made him feel far less than
did his predecessor the strain of his
confinement as 1.-The prisoner of the
Vatican" So devoted is he to his work
that IT Is with difficulty that he can De
induced to give an hour or two TO driS-
ing in the Vatican gardens. his lovely
prison yard.
How He Spends Day.
His whole day is spent between the
library (where he received mel. ana
his private apartments, just above. the
Vatican is a huge building. of which he
occupies one small corner. He rises at
dawn in the summer and at in the
winter The first two hours Of every
day he spends at his religious duties
At, o'clock he takes roll and conee.
Then, till 9. he works with his secre-
taries at his correspondence, after
cardinal SeCTe-
tary of state, who submits to him such
matters of large import as have arisen.
Then begin his private audiences with
the cardinal heads of congregations.
who, in a civil government. would pc
called chiefs of departments. At this
time. too, upon occasion. ne sees olpio-
mats and other important persons with
whom he may have business. THESE
audiences occupy his time till after 1
o'clock, when he has lunch.
In accordance with an old custom
among Popes, he eats, this alone. al
though his predecessor "a dai,y dh hao vi.h ms
him. After lunch he rests for Few
moments and then works INCREASINGLY
till, at. 4 o'clock, he receives again.
now and then in fine weather nnding
drive His light supper and bedtime
come early.
Such is the papal day. Such. in gen.
eral way, is the life of the solitary. fig
ure who heads the greatest of the
worlds religious Organisations. who.
with no actual power OF government
save that as individuals volunteered to
him by those he governs. he Is reared
or loved, assailed or courted. by every
nation head. There is mystery and
power in the mere simplicity of it. It
Is uncanny.
Mgr. Cerretti.
Mgr. Cerretti, who did me the honor
of presenting me to the holy. father. is
papal assistant secretary of. state and
is of especial interest to English
speaking Catholics. particularly Amer
leans. He is one of the most energetic
and practical Italians I have met in
Rome. Only recently he has returned
from Australia, and his experience at
the antipodes was preceded by long
residence in Washington. where he
delegation there under Cardinal Fall
comic, whose death last year so keenly
grieved hundreds of Americans.
Mgr Cerrettf remained in Wash
ington eight years and became a great
admirer Of America, the friend Of null
titudes of Americans and a careful stu
dent Of the American government aud
our general institutions. OF course, his
English Is perfect and he likes to say
that he is almost American" It would
Of Mgr, Cerretti-in the church in
these days, when. in spite Of many di-
'vergent preoccupatione on both sides
the relations between America and the
holy see remain Of the most cordial
character. His presence. at the Vatican
insures sympathetic and Intelligent
treatment to all Americans having af-
fairs there.
Cardinal Gasparri.
This article would be incomplete with
out some mention of his eminence. Car
dinal Gasparri. the present papal secre-
tary of state. In the vatfcs this office
the same title in the United States. and
corresponds to the cabinet position OF
to that of minister OF foreign affairs
in most European governments. He is
sixty-hve years old. he is one of the
great powers in the Vatican at present
and is sure to be of vast Importance
before the war ends. For many years
he was the professor Of church law at
the Catholic University of Paris, and
during this period he wrote number
of books upon this subject which al
ready are regarded as classics. The