Red Hats?

It was June of 1552, so the story goes. Membership in the Sacred College of Cardinals had fallen to 14, and all the Roman Catholic world momentarily expected Pope Julius III to call a consistory to replenish the College. When the cardinals and papal courtiers had decided that the time was at hand, a messenger was sent to ask His Holiness the customary question: "Beatissime pater, eras erit consistorium?" (Most blessed father, will there be a consistory tomorrow?) But the Pope, who had built his summer villa in the cool valley that is still called "the vineyard of Pope Julius," answered: "Cras erit vinea" (Tomorrow it will _be the vineyard). Pope Julius stayed in his vineyard, and the consistory was not held until December.

Vacancies & Rumors. Vatican customs have by no means changed; Pius XII makes known no more of his plans for consistories and red hats than did Julius III. But this week, as the 73-year-old Pope began a three-week rest period, there were rumors aplenty that a new batch of cardinals would be created before year's end. Reasons: 1) papal tradition designates December (during Advent) as the most appropriate time for creating new cardinals; 2) the Pope will probably be calling a consistory in December anyway, in connection with the ceremonies inaugurating the Holy Year 1950; 3) there are now 15 vacancies in the College of Cardinals.*

Best Vatican guesses were that the Pope would name no more than eight or ten new cardinals. U.S. names most often mentioned: Archbishop John Joseph Mitty (65) of San Francisco, who is highly rated for his work on social problems; Archbishop John Timothy McNicholas (71) of Cincinnati, and Archbishop Francis P. Keough (58) of Baltimore, both leaders in the National Catholic Welfare Conference. In Canada, rumors centered on Archbishop Maurice Roy of Quebec (the oldest Roman Catholic see in North America), Archbishop Alexander Vachon of Ottawa, and Archbishop Joseph Charbonneau of Montreal.

Congo Cardinal? The two traditional seats vacant within the Russian sphere of influence--Prague and Warsaw--may not be filled. Said one Vatican spokesman: "It would be humiliating for the Holy See if those governments delayed or refused exit permits, as they did to Mindszenty, even though it is not absolutely necessary for a newly created cardinal to be present at the consistory." In the particular case of Prague's Archbishop Beran, some Catholic authorities fear that the Communist government would consider his elevation a provocative act, and retaliate by attacking him.

Among the other countries whose Catholics have made claims for a cardinal is the Belgian Congo, with more than 4,000,000 Catholics and 28 apostolic dioceses. Said the Congo's Apostolic Delegate to a friend recently: "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if a Negro bishop made his appearance to get his red hat at the next consistory."

* The full complement of cardinals is 70, a figure set in 1586 by Pope Sixtus V to correspond with the 70 elders of Moses.

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