| Show elija CHIESA was almost exiled from rome to be the archbishop of bologna because he was the ot his elevation to the was de bayed until last spring also because it was thought this honoring of delia chiesa would be something gained by the ram polla faction at the vatican throughout delia calesa has been known as identified with ram polla in contrast to the policies of plus X and merry delval and now delia calesa Is pope benedict XV truly it Is the return ot in the spirit not in the flesh in a thousand ways some little and some big a revolution will be wrought at the vatican just to mention a minor matter plus X could converse in no modern tongue save italian foreigners had to talk through an interpreter on the rare occasions when they were received by his holiness besides italian benedict XV speaks fluently english french spanish and understands german like leo XIII he will make a practice of addressing every visitor in his native language it on leaving bologna benedict XV failed to buy a return ticket to hia see as plus X did when in 1903 he left venice to attend the conclave from which he emerged pontiff yet cardinal delia calesa little expected to sit a few days after ward on the throne of peter A faithful disciple of and as such little liked by the state chancellery set of cardinals and a cardinal of only a few months standing the archbishop knew that he bad against him the supporters of plus new religious and political policies the secretary of state with his powerful friends and perhaps the votes and the influence of all german and austrian cardinals it was perhaps due to these many obstacles in his way that the clergy and the civil authorities of the diocese of bologna tailed to escort the archbishop to the railroad station and wish him all success as is the custom what happened within the frescoed walls ot the chapel will not be known for some time to come one day when benedict XV will consider the time ripe the necessary permission will be given and a new cardinal mathieu will publish his diary of the conclave giving the details of the religious and diplomatic struggle that led the eacret college to vote tor cardinal delia calesa glacoma delia calesa was bom in genoa on november 21 1854 and belongs to one of the oldest families of the riviera on his mothers side hta family has already given to the church ancier pope cosimo who was innocent VII while on his fathers the new pope Is connected with nearly thirty aristocratic families of northern italy among whom are some of the most prominent society leaders of the capital like marquis durazzo prince tien curione and count sanshi of benedict boyhood days very little Is known his sister in law relates that he was a quiet obedient lad who studied and seldom indulged in his companions pastimes one day when only twelve the young marquis approached his father and told him that be wanted to become a priest ills father thought it over for a minute and then said very well but first get your diploma and then renew your request for eight years not a word more was said on the subject the young man attended the school at genoa always distinguishing himself and later on entered the law faculty of the local university his early inclination had been wholly forgotten by all when one day the young man returned home and laying on bis fathers desk the parch ment stating that be was a full fledged doctor of law said now will you give me your consent to become a the old marquis was thunderstruck there stood before him the same slim figure of eight years previous whose steady gaze betrayed a strong determination the marquis surveyed him carefully and then said of course if yon atall think so that settled it A few months later the young man entered the capranica college in home where he took his minor orders and later on the nobles academy where he graduated as D D it was while he was teaching that the then cardinal put his eyes on him in 1885 when the caroline islands questions came up and was sent to spain as special envoy delia calesa was given him as his secretary and highly distinguished the happy solution in 1887 of the caroline islands question by leo XIII opened to the gate of the vatican state chancellery and monsignor delia chresa went with him beginning at the bottom of the ladder taw yean later however he succeeded mon the new archbishop first went to bologna in 1908 lie immediately adopted energetic measures to exact the fullest observance of the strictest discipline from his rather tree and easy going cler gy and when they protested saying in tho past things were managed dif terentiy terent ly the new archbishop would reply yes but let the past alone we have the present to deal with now though tar from rich the new pope was famous for his enlightened and generous charity it Is calculated that during the eight years he was in cologna he spent some 15 francs a year of his own private income and none who bought help at his antechamber ever went away dissatisfied the see of bologna has always been occupied by a cardinal this although not a right was a tradition which had invariably been respected and the bolognese expected their archbishop to receive the purple shortly after his appointment but time passed and no intimation came from the vatican more than once petitions were sent to the holy father but they were it Is said always thwarted by the secretary of state who thought that the purple conferred upon nor delia chleada would be taken to mean a recognition tion ot Hamp ollae services as secretary of state this systematic opposition lasted for several years till the death of Ham polla put an end to it in fact the bologna archbishop was created a cardinal in the consistory of may last benedict XV although of noble lineage Is corn ively poor and when the news reached him that be was 00 receive the red hat he was seriously embarrassed to meet the expenses A com signer who was appointed cardinal as Ram pollas substitute and this him tho op 0 acquiring under great masters leo XIII and cardinal the wide diplomatic experience which Is now his chief asset the many years spent at the state chancellery were the happiest of benedict ave life in rome as a prelate lie resided with his mother to whom he was deeply devoted in piazza S eus pahio tahio in an apartment that the marchioness bad furnished for him and which was the meeting place of artiste and literati every evening the young diplomat found himself surround ed by a number of devoted friends who were never tired of listening to his brilliant conversa alon and for whom he always had a good havana and a delicious cup of mocha politics was severely banished from the conversations one evening to a diplomat who wanted his opinion on some burning question the young monsignor said my friend why do you want to ruin your dl gestson and my appetite on another occasion having been asked cheth er the affaire of the church were proceeding on smoothly he smilingly replied ino they limp some like me with leo XIII s death and Ram pollas failure to be elected pope monsignor delia Cb fesas happy days at the state chancellery came to an end although he still retalee ret alne his position as cardi nal del val s substitute et bis influence was gone and he was gradually put agule the new elements composed of trusted friends of the new secretary of state were hostile to him chiefly for the fact that he retained tor his superior a devotion only equal to that for his mother the new secretary of state knew that it was gone delia calesa represented in the state chan cellery s tradition yet they did not dare remove him his services his advice were still regarded as precious and besides a man of delia calesa s intellectual caliber not be appoint ed to a minor position the opportunity of removing delia calesa came in 1908 when following the death of cardinal shampa the see of bologna became vacant in order to prevent criticism of all sorts pius X decided to consecrate the new archbishop personally but everybody understood that the idea wan to send away from rome one of Ram pollas devoted friends while archbishop of bologna benedict XV gained the reputation of being a strict di arian a hard worker and a man of well defined ideas ills activity was prodigious though be invariably sat up at his desk till long after mid night he was at work again in the morning at five on one occasion though seriously HI he rose from his sickbed to perform a pastoral visit to a little mountain village not wishing to disappoint the inhabitants cittee of bologna nobles was organized to present the new cardi nal with some sort of souvenir and a large bum 0 money was col lecter after a long consultation it was decided to present him with a motor car flye thousand francs remained and the opinion of the cardinal was asked as to how it should bo employed GITO it to me said the cardinal promptly tor I 1 have been obliged to run into debt owing to my nomona alon ills cardinal s robes were to him by the marchioness carega of genoa who Is one of his relatives As a rigid moralist mgr delia calesa entertained a special dislike for dances of doubtful taste more especially for the tango he was the farat bishop to condemn the tango in italy and his pastoral letter warning the bolognese Dolog nese not to indulge in the new dances preceded only a few days that issued by the vicar of rome naturally he made many victims among the dancing masters of bologna and when one of these appealed to him in order to explain to him what the dance consisted of the archbishop replied never I 1 will rather give you two thousand francs and pushing a roll of banknotes bank notes in the aston asbed professors hands be added with a show of mighty severity come for more when you need it benedict XV Is not only versed in theology and common law but possesses sound and vast knowledge of ancient and modern literature and Is a confirmed admirer of dannunzio nor does he disdain a certain form of physical exercise he loves tennis and during the summer when he repaired for a short rest to the family castle at near genoa he played teanis tor sei eral hours every day with bis many nieces and nephews although a hard worker the new pontiff Is a poor eater and likes plain and simple foods it Is related that on the eve of his periodical visits to the many parishes of his vast archdiocese he used to send a circular letter to the priests warning them against going to too much trouble on account of his visit in one instance the parish priest thought that the bishop sent this circular in order to avoid him embarrassment and prepared an elaborate dinner after the second course had been consumed the archbishop feeding feeing that a third was coming asked the priest whether there were any poor in his parish the priest expecting a donation said oh yes they are plentiful annoyed and angry the archbishop replied well one would not think so judging by the quantity of viands you have prepared give them to the poor |
