The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-09-17


PoPE's HoUsEHoLD-MGR. DAY
DELIVERS DIscoURsE-BIsHoP
CARROLL PREslDEs.
The solemn investiture of the Very
Reverend Joseph G. Willging, Chan
cellor of the diocese of Helena, as
private Chamberlain to Pope Benedict
XIV, took place last Sunday morning
at the Solemn Pontifcal High Mass
celebrated by the Right Reverend John
P. Carroll D. D., Bishop of Helena, In
the Cathedral at Helena.
After the vesting of the Bishop, the
Mass was continued to the Gospel of
the day after which the "Veni Crea-
tor was intoned by the celebrant and
taken up by the choir. The new mon
signor, accompanied by his chaplain,
the Reverend Emmett }. Riley, at the
call of the Archdeacon, approached |
the middle of the altar. After the |
reading of the Papal document of ap-
pointment, Monsignor Willging made
the solemn profession of faith required |
of those elevated to positions of dig
nifty and honor in the Church. The
robes and insignia of the Office of Pri-
vate Chamberlain were blessed by the
officiating prelate and placed upon the
| shoulders of the new prelate, after
| which the choir took up the "Magnifi
cat"
The Right Reverend Monsignor Day,
Vicar General Of the diocese, delivered
the sermon Of the occasion In part,
he spoke as follows:
"You have just witnessed the in
Ivestiture of the Very Reverend Mon
signor Willging with the insignia OF
honorary private chamberlain to His
Holiness, Pope Benedict XIV. You
may ask yourselves what it all means
| and why Father Willging has thus
been honored. We shall briefly an
swer these questions.
"Monsignor Willging, as a priest, is
of the same degree as Father Will
ging. In other words, as far as the
sacrament of Holy Orders is concern
ed, he is not any nearer to the episco-
| pacy than he was before. -.
Though raised to the purple, the
new monsignor has exactly the same
jurisdiction, the same Office which he
held before in the diocese Of Helena.
"The new dignity of Monsignor
Willging entities him to wear the pur-
pie cassock and over it purple man.
tie reaching to the feet. This mantle
is called the mantellone, and because
of it the chamberlain to His Holiness
is called prelate di mantellone. Whilst
Pope Benedict lives, this dignity raises
Monsignor Willging above the ranks
of the general clergy, and in all eccle-
i siastical functions it gives him prece-
dence over those not of prelatial rank.
1t carries with it the title of MOnsi-
gnor which literally means, My Lord
! Among ecclesiastics, the title of Mon
signor implies simply a distinction be-
slowed by the highest ecclesiastical
authority either. in conjunction with an
office or merely titular. In either
case, it bears with it certain pre-
scribed dress, The Pope does not be-
stow the title of Monsignor, but a dis
tinction of some sort to which this title
is attached. In the spiritual order,
Monsignor corresponds to the word
officer, in the military. The highest
general and the youngest lieutenant
are equally officers, just as the most
venerable patriarch bears the title OF
Monsigncr as we'll as the simplest
honorary chaplain to His Holiness.
. Monsignors, generally speaking, be-
long, as it were, to the family and the
retinue of the Holy Father. They are
!, entitled to be present in the capella
pontificia when the Pope celebrates
Solemn Mass, and to participate in
all public celebrations purely religious
!, or ecclesiastical in character at which
the Pope, the Cardinals, and the Pa
pal retinue assist.
: "Pope Benedict XIV bestowed upon
: Monsignor Willging this dignity. But
+ who told the Holy Father on the Vat
+ lean Hill about Father Willging here
9 among the far-off Rocky Mountains
f The head of the diocese, our Right
y Reverend Bishop. What reason did
r Bishop Carroll give our Holy Father
+ in his request for the comforting OF
: this honor upon Father Willging? 1t
n has not been granted to any of us to
: see the formal application for the GOV,
eted honor, but we may infer the
grounds advanced in the application
: from public utterance made by our
Right Reverend Bishop upon the pub
lie announcement of the bestoWal OF
the distinction, namely, for the splen
D did service in behalf Of the Church In
the state of Montana. In this man
T. ner, our Right Reverend Bishop stamp
ed the priestly career of Father Will
ging in the diocese Of Helena in gen
4 eral and his work in the Cathedral, st
e Aloysius Institute, Mount st. Charlie:
- College, and the chancery of the dio
cese of which he may be said to b.
% the founder, with the official seal o
le his highest episcopal approval"
The music on the occasion of the in
Il vestiture was rendered by a choir o
4 specially selected voices whose rendi
ton of the Mass of the Immaculate
- Virgin, by Flynn, was a feature to thu
y music lovers who were in attendanc
le at the function. The choir was unde
" the direction of Mrs. F. j. Lang
- with Miss MacGuinness at the organ
III A most pleasing feature of the must