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ROMAN 'CURIA'

E publish this month the Apostolic Constitution by which His Holiness, Pope Pius X, has modified and reconstructed the Roman Congregations. This epoch-making charter will have deep and far-reaching effects in the principal English-speaking countries. It affects the whole world in many respects; but to us it brings the greatest changes. Indeed it is not too much to say that the whole machinery of Church government at its source has been profoundly modified, rearranged and renewed. By this one act Pope Pius X has left an indelible mark on the constitution of the ruling bodies whose province it is to assist him in the government of the Universal Church. For a full account both of the changes and of the causes to which they are to be attributed I must refer the readers of I. E. RECORD to the document itself. Here I will merely mention the changes that directly affect ourselves.

THE PROPAGANDA

Great Britain, Ireland, Holland, the Diocese of Luxemburg, the United States, Canada and Newfoundland are now permanently withdrawn from the jurisdiction of Propaganda and take their place under the common law, transacting their various business with the Congregation to which it belongs. And thus ends, as far as we are concerned, a connexion that goes back to the foundation

FOURTH SERIES, VOL. XXIV.-SEPTEMBER, 1908.

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of Propaganda by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. During that long and eventful period the Congregation of Propaganda has watched over our religious interests with unflagging zeal and with a kindly and sympathetic interest which can never be forgotten. During dark and evil days, when heretics were rampant and cruel, the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda never failed to extend its protecting arm over our countrymen and to comfort and console them in the midst of their afflictions. Hence when the day of separation has come, the augury perhaps of a better future for Catholic Ireland, we can not allow the occasion to pass without paying our feeble tribute to the illustrious Congregation to which we owe so many favours, to whose wise and enlightened administration the Church of St. Patrick is so deeply indebted. The great and noble Cardinal who presides over that wonderful institution will be relieved of weighty responsibilities in order to leave him free to devote his time and zeal to lands more in need of his vigilance than ours. In him we greet the Congregation of Propaganda which has had so great a place in our history. From him and his officials we part with regret. In turning elsewhere for the transaction of official business we are not likely to forget the long years of our connexion. But Pius X has left us no option. His words are explicit :

Itaque a jurisdictione Congregationis de Propaganda Fide exemptas et ad jus commune deductas decernimus-in Europa -ecclesiasticas provincias Angliae, Scotiae, Hiberniae, et Hollandiae, ac dioecesim Luxemburgensem :-in Americaprovincias ecclesiasticas dominii Canadensis, Terrae Novae et Foederatarum Civitatum, seu Statuum Unitorum. Negotia proinde quae ad haec loca referuntur tractanda in posterum non erunt penes Congregationem de Propaganda Fide, sed, pro varia eorumdem natura, penes Congregationes ceteras.

If these important countries, however, are withdrawn. from Propaganda others are given to it, viz., those Apostolic Missions and Vicariates which have hitherto been administered by the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs.

THE CONGREGATION OF THE CONSISTORY

The Congregation of the Consistory assumes new and great importance. To it is entrusted the election of bishops and their auxiliaries, and the regulations according to which in the different countries such selections are to be made. It is laid down, however, that in the case of dioceses outside of Italy all documents relating to the appointment of bishops, or the erection of a new diocese, or the division or rearrangement of old ones, should be sent to the department of the Cardinal Secretary of State, where the appointment or regulation will be made to be afterwards submitted to the Congregation of the Consistory. It is to this Congregation also the Relatio Status is to be sent by bishops for their diocese. It will have, moreover, the high judicial power of deciding which Congregation is competent to deal with individual cases whether contentious or otherwise.

THE CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY OFFICE

The Congregation of the Holy Office will continue its high function as the guardian of faith and morals. It will continue to judge of heresy and all that appertains to heresy. Several of its former functions are transferred, however, to the Consistorial Congregation, the Congregation of the Council and to the Congregation of Religious Societies. And, even though there is a new Congregation of the Sacraments instituted, all that relates to the dogmatic side of the sacraments and to the exercise of the Pauline Privilege are reserved to the Holy Office.

THE CONGREGATION OF THE SACRAMENTS

All legislation regarding the discipline of the sacraments is referred to this new Congregation with the exception of the special classes of cases referred to the Holy Office and to the Congregation of Rites. Thus in future all matrimonial dispensations, sanationes in radice, separa

tion of parties, making offspring legitimate, dispensations regarding age of ordination and soforth must be addressed to this Congregation. Contentious cases in which judicial procedure has to be observed will be sent to the Rota.

THE CONGREGATION OF THE COUNCIL

The other Congregation which chiefly concerns us is the Congregation of the Council, which will regulate everything concerning the discipline of the secular clergy and of the Christian people in general. It will see to the observance of the Precepts of the Church, decide as to the rights and privileges of parish priests, canons, pious sodalities, and will regulate stipends for Masses and other Church contributions. It will also control the holding of councils, synods, conferences and ecclesiastical or Church assemblies of all kinds.

OTHER CONGREGATIONS

The Congregation of Religious Affairs will have the management and supervision of religious orders, congregations and communities, whether of solemn or simple vows, and will take cognizance of all that concerns the religious life, statutes of religious orders, authorization of new ones, etc., etc. The Congregation of Rites will continue with some slight modifications to discharge its former functions, as will also the Congregation of the Index whose powers and duties are somewhat extended. A natural system of communication and consultation is also established between this Congregation and the Holy Office.'

THE TRIBUNALS

The greatest change, perhaps, introduced by the new Constitution is that which establishes the two great courts of the Rota and the Signatura for contentious cases. The Sacred Penitentiary will continue to deal with the forum internum, but the Rota will judge all contentious cases

which are non majores in the first instance. The court of Appeal and the court for cases of special importance will be the Signatura.

In order to make things clear I think it better to confine myself to these explanations for the present. I will print in a subsequent number of the I. E. RECORD the special laws applicable to these tribunals.

These changes will take effect after the Autumn holidays -that is to say, from the 3rd of November, 1908. It is needless to add that greater care than ever should now be taken as to the form of applications, language, paper, etc., as applications not in due form are sure to give rise to trouble.

J. F. HOGAN, D.D.