Catholic Action

The eleventh Pius became, last week, ten years a Pope.

1922, In the Sistine Chapel, in secret, solemn conclave, meets the College of Cardinals. An ugly black stove stands in one corner. Into this go used ballots, and, until a Pope is chosen, handfuls of straw. Outside, in the Piazza of St. Peter, is the mob, its eyes on a chimney. Smudgy black smoke indicates burning straw. Days pass. After 14 ballots the mob sees that the smoke is thin, white. "Habemus Pontificem!" We have a Pope! Cries the mob: "Un Papa! Viva il Papa!"

To the uttermost parts of the world goes news of the election of Achille Cardinal Ratti, Archbishop of Milan, to be Rome's 261st Pope. Facts: he is 64, stocky, a onetime mountain-climber; famed as Papal Nuncio to seething Poland; a sober, scholarly cleric; a politically-minded, potent man of action.

1932, Despite a busy life, the Holy Father is fitter at 74 than many a less active man. But his weight has dropped from 189 to 176 Ib. He used to smoke strong Italian stogies, does so no more. He has given up drinking wines (Bordeaux was his favorite), drinks boiled water, a custom he adopted in Poland. Slightly diabetic, he eats sparingly but still likes Milanese cuisine, risottos, cutlets. He has a valet named Malvestiti.* The Holy Father shaves himself, with a safety razor. Once a fortnight Simoncelli, the Papal barber, cuts his hair which is still dark. Simoncelli must be silent, for the Pope snoozes. For nasty weather, Pius XI has a pure white raincoat, with galoshes to match. If he wishes he may go motoring, for he has many automobiles. He has also famed radio Station HVJ, a telephoto service, a new elevator to replace the Vatican's old hydraulic lift. Cows used to browse in the Vatican gardens, but these along with the Vatican horses are to be sent out to Castel Gandolfo in the Alban hills. Cosy, chummy modernity is the note; but the Swiss Guards still parade in the outfits Michelangelo designed-for them.

Whether or not Pius XI lives another decade is probably a matter of little worry to him. He works hard, is much in world headlines if not in the world itself. As witness his activities last week:

Temporal Sovereign, Three years ago the Lateran Treaties officially put an end to strife between Vatican and Quirinal. Soon King Vittorio Emanuele and Queen Elena visited the Pope. But there were points of difference. Not until Italy's Duce visited the Vatican, last week, were they regarded as settled.

Benito Mussolini put on his gold embroidered frock coat, sword, trousers with gold stripes, decorations, hat like an admiral's only much gayer. It was an Italian holiday, newly named Lateran Treaty Day. Crowds thronged the Tiber's banks. Honored _ guests at the Vatican included Camilla Ratti, sister and nearest relative to the Pope, and Marchesa Maria Luisa Persichetti-Ugolini, the Pope's favorite niece, who named her daughter Maria Rio Pia in her uncle's honor. Bustling about was Monsignor Camillo Caccia-Dominioni, Master of the Papal Household, favorite secretary of Pius XI. Plump, jolly, much-loved for his virtues, Master Caccia-Dominioni arranges papal audiences, is present at all functions. Proudly he escorted Mussolini upstairs, to the Pope's private library. There Il Duce knelt solemnly, kissed not the toe but the Ring of the Fisherman. They chatted 55 minutes, which was considered something of a record.

"Ah, a magnificent audience! A beautiful audience!" cried Mussolini as he left.

"It was a very long audience," murmured Monsignor Cremonesi, Private Almoner to His Holiness.

"Yes, a long and beautiful audience!"

When he arrived at St. Peter's he spoke brave Latin. "Omne trinum est perfectum!" II Duce, meaning "Everycombination of three is perfect." It was his third visit to St. Peter's.* First was directly after the wedding of Daughter Edda. Second was for the wedding of Edda's sister-in-law, daughter of Count Costanzo Ciano.

Roman Nobles, Venerable and honorable is the association of the Papacy with Italian nobility. From five of Rome's greatest families--Borghese, Orsini, Odescalchi, Colonna, Rospigliosi--have come Popes. A prime social distinction in Rome during the late difficulties was between Blacks (papal supporters) and Whites (Quirinal adherents).

Last week's visit definitely endear this. Nevertheless, it is considered likely that the Pope's first visit in Rome will be with some such person as Prince Marco Antonio Colonna, whose family, as result of an ancient squabble, still takes turns with the Orsini at supplying a Prince Assistant to the Pontifical Throne, an honorary post which permits wearing fancy uniforms.

Last week the Borghese family, as many another noble house has done, gave to the Vatican Library its archives, comprising some 100,000 books and documents.

Spiritual Rule. On Lincoln's Birthday first Friday in Lent, U. S. Catholics fasted not, abstained not, but ate what they wished. They may also eat well on Washington's Birthday, for U. S. Ordinaries took advantage of papal permission, good for five years, to dispense U. S. flocks from fast or abstinence on civic holidays.

Pius XI learned with satisfaction last week that the 1932 Catholic Press Directory lists 21,887,606 U. S. Catholics, an increase of 2,562,397 since 1922. There are 310 U. S. Catholic periodicals with a combined circulation of 7,308,456.

On the anniversary of his coronation last week the Holy Father, wearing his triple crown, was borne into St. Peter's on his sedia gestatoria. Surrounded by Swiss Guards, Noble Guards, Palatine Guards, flabelli bearers (with ostrich fans) he begged all the world to pray God for peace. Among his 35,000 listeners in St Peter's were Signora Rachele Mussolini, and a man who ran up to the sedia gestatoria, threw a paper in the Pope's lap, crying "I want grace! I want grace!" Later Pius XI inquired about the poor fellow, learned he was unemployed, ordered that everything possible be done for him.

The Pope received a delegation of 1,500, representing more than 5,000 workmen employed by Vatican City, whose own population is 639. Pius XI said he was happy to give employment to so many, for unemployment means idleness, father of all sins.

In ten years Pius XI has given the world many and many a message. Lately he has even become loquacious. Notable among his 20 encyclicals are those dealing with Christian unity, Christian education of youth, marriage, and reconstruction of the social order. Pius XI founded and developed academies and institutes of science, archaeology, biblical studies Dnentology. He consecrated the first six Chinese bishops, the first Japanese bishop spent large sums on the Congregation for the Propagation of Faith (missions) 1 hough the Church has suffered bitter perhaps irreparable, losses in Spain and Mexico, though Russia is his enemy, it is well intrenched in Germany, Austria, Hungary, the U. S. Pius XI has more than any of his predecessors enlarged and intensified that vast program which, combining lay and church activities, is called Catholic Action. The Pope is astute. Well aware of breeches in his Church's bulwarks, he may view sadly its occasional political troubles; but, armed with the authority of centuries, he may also assume high complacency as he did last month in inviting all Christendom to re-turn to Catholicism. He may, further, agree with vigorous America which said:' "The truth seems to be that our enemies are in a panic. . . . The note of alarm is everywhere patent. The triple statements of Pope Pius XI on education, the family and economics showed the world that the Catholic Church contains a complete body of truth unassailable in logic. . ."

* Meaning: Badly dressed.

*First public visit to Vatican City was after the Lateran Treaties, to hand over a voucher worth $92.000.000 for loss of property and income during papal confinement.

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