OCR Text |
Show NO INDIVIDUAL CAN HE KESPON-S11JLE. KESPON-S11JLE. (From the English Catholic Times.) It may be of interest to point out the manner in which the Holy See conducts negotiations with the Spanish Government during the present crisis, as it does in all important affairs of State. In its relations with foreign countries coun-tries the Holy See has the Secretaries "of State and the Sacred Congregation of Ecclesiastical Affairs to conduct its business. Matters of greater moment are confined to the latter body, which may be called the Pope's Council in political difficulties. Unlike the other Congregations, it has no Prefect, and the Papal Secretary of State has no precedence over the other members nearly all of whom are prelates who have already spent years as diplomatic diplo-matic representatives at the courts of Europe. At the hour the Congregation has as members Cardinals Oreglia. Serafino, Vannutelli. Agiardi, Vincenzo Vannutelli. Iiampolla, Di Pietro, Gotti. Ferrata. Martinelli. Merry del Val. Rinaldini, Gasparri, Segna, Vives y Tuto, and De Lai. The work of these Cardinals is distributed over several commissions that are occupied with affairs concerning nations which for the time being call for the special-attention of the Holy See. As soon as a fresh question arises the subordinates of the Secretary draw up a statement technically known as the "ponenza," In which the various aspects of the matter mat-ter are fully explained. Ten days before be-fore the Congregation meets a copy of the "ponenza" is distributed to the Cardinals of the various commissions. At the meeting.of the Congregation the Senior Cardinal presides, and the last place is occupied by the Papal Secretary Secre-tary of State. After an exposition of the affair in hand has been read by the secretary their Eminences enter into discussion, each Cardinal being interrogated in order and his opinion noted down. As soon as the discussion is ended it is the duty of the Secretary to lay before the Pope the result of the meeting and receive such orders as his Holiness Holi-ness may choose to give on the point in question, mis is tne oruinaiy piu-cedure piu-cedure of the Congregation of Extraordinary Extra-ordinary Affairs, by means of which every possibility of personal initiative initia-tive is excluded so completely that no single xrelate can be said to be responsible re-sponsible for any decision arrived at. |