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Show COfySSSTGRY HELD I By POPE BENEDICT Vacant Sees to Be Filled; Reform in Roman Congregations Con-gregations Announced. ROME, via Paris, March 22. 10:43 p. m. Addressing a private consistory today, Pope Benedict said he wished to hold a eunsistory in order to keep up the tradition of the church and fill the vacant sees. He also desired to announce an-nounce a reform which he thought it opportune to introduce. He recalled the reform effected by Pius X in 190S, adding add-ing that Pope Pius intended to ntake a further . change when the opportunity occurred. This reform related to the Koman congregations. The present circumstances, said Pope Benedict, permitted of the change contemplated con-templated by Pope Pius, which consisted consist-ed in the abolition of the congregation of the Index as a separate congregation and its amalgamation with the congregation congre-gation of the Holv Office, the purposes ana aims or wincu wciu HiCtuu.. the same reason and to lessen the work of the Holv Office the pontiff had decided de-cided to transfer the section of it concerned con-cerned with indulgences to the apostolic penitentiary tribunal. For the first time since the world nar began the pope made no reference to international in-ternational affairs. Cardinal Bourne, archbishop of Westminster, who left lor France immediately after the consistory, said to a correspondent of the Associated Asso-ciated Press: . "The Vatican continues its policy 01 absolute impartiality toward all belligerents belliger-ents but I must frankly confess that 1 have seen no signs of lack of interest on the part of the pope for the allies. He has always displayed the greatest desire to lessen the horrors of war and ameliorate amelio-rate the conditions of prisoners as well as to obtain favorable treatment for Bel-I Bel-I glum. . "The pope conducted negotiations for the provisioning of Belgium, obtaining German guarantees not to torpedo steamers steam-ers taking supplies there, as England required. re-quired. He obtained the internment in Switzerland of those who had been prisoners pris-oners for eighteen months and parents of at least three children. He obtained the exchange of prisoners between England and Fiance and Turkey. Last reports caused the Vatican to hope that its insistence in-sistence against Belgian deportations will be accepted by Germany and all Belgians will return to their homes. The Vatican is arranging to supply Syria and Lebanon, where the population is dying of starvation, with provisions conveyed in neutral steamers, mostly Spanish. "The pope has taken a great interest, in the flags of the allies which are being sent to the famous shrine of the Sacred Heart at Parav-le-Monial in France on Sunday. I myself am taking the British flag. We go to pray for our victory, bearing the holy father's blessing and his prayers for a speedy, just and stable peace, which is his constant wish. The pontiff must remain impartial, thus rendering ren-dering it easier for him, if the circum stances arise, to act as mediator between be-tween the nations. "The Russian revolution was greeted with satisfaction at the Vatican, as Catholicism was among the greatest suffers suf-fers from lack of liberty in the Muscovite empire. Cardinal Consalvl. the great papal secretary of state in Napoleonic times, said that no change was possible for the Catholic church in Russia as long as the czar was there." |