Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 1.djvu/479

Rh AMERICAN 425 AMERICAN initiative in establishing the college, its field of action has by no means been confined to their two dioccstM. The co-operation of all the dioceses of tiie United States has been rciiuestcd, and several ecclesiastical provinces situated in British-American territory have taken part in the work. These include the Archdio- cese of Victoria, H. C, with tlic siitTragan see of New Westminster, and tlio .Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad, with the sutTragan see of Roseau. Among the American bishops who enjoy s|)ecial rights in con- nection with the college arc tlio.se who have donated to its fund the sum of SI, 000, becoming thereby Patrons of the Cnllcge. To them the constitutions approved by the Holy See in ISO.'j accord precedence in the matter of sending students to the college, as also in the adoption of its graduates for their dio- ceses. In the event of the college being closed, they woild have certain claims upon its property. The patronal dioceses are at present seventeen in numtx^r: Detroit, Louisville, Natchez, Oregon City, Baltimore, Nesqually, Victoria, B. C, Hartford, Buffalo, Port of Spain, New Orleans, Richmond, Newark, Leaven- worth, Helena, Belleville, and Tucson. It would be difficult to set a valuation upon the property held at present by the college. It may, however, be safely stated that since its foundation SUO.OOO hiis been expended in the purchase of ground and in the erertion of buildings which provide ample accom- modation for 150 students. As it was found im- practicable for the bishops patrons to e.xert per- manent and effectual control of the college by their collective action, the Third Plenarj' Council of Balti- more resolved to appoint a committee of three bishops duly qualified to rejiresent the American hierarchy in the management of the college. The members of the committee are at present the Right Rev. C. P. Maes (Covington), Cliairman; Most Rev. P. W. Riordan (San Kranci.sco); Right Rev. J. L. Spalding (Peoria). The rector of the college is also subject, as regards both spiritual and temporal administration, to the Congregation of Propaganda. This Congregation appoints the rector on the recom- mendation of the committee of l>isho|>s and after consultation with the college faculty; and gives him ample authority in the matter of ordaining students. His annual report on the condition of the college must be sent to Propaganda as well as to the com- mittee of bishops. s to the courses followed by the students, that of advanced theology has Ijcen taken, from the first, by students sulficiently well trained to try for the degrees given at Louvain. Of the.se, Bi.shop Riorilun and Bishop Spalding were made licentiates of theology in 1S65 and 18(50. Most of the students, however, take the elementary course of theology which, until 1877, was given, partly at the Catholic University and partly at the college, by professors appointed by the rector. The course having been abolished at the university in 1877, the -students were allowed to follow the lectures given by the Jesuit Fathers on such subjects as were not treated in the college, namely, moral theology (in part), and Holy Scripture. In 1898 the Belgian hierarchy, at the request of the committee of .merican bishops, established a full course of elementary theology at the university, which is now followed by the students of the Ameri- can College, and by tlio.se of various other seminaries and religious communities. Certain branches, how- ever, such as piLstoral theology, liturgy, sacred elo- quence, and modern languages, are taught at the college by profes,sors l)clonging to the institution. From its foundation to the present day, the college has given four archbishoiw to the hierarchy of the Church: Charles John Segliers (Oregon City), il. ISXIi; Francis Jan-ssens (New Orleans), d. 1S97; P. W. Riordan (San Francisco); B. Orth (Victoria, B. C.); and eleven bishops, namely: A. Junger (Nesqually), d. 1895; J. Lemmens (Vancouver Island), d. 1897; J. B. Brondel (Helena), d. 1903; A. J. Glorieux (Boise); C. P. Maes (Covington); J. L. Spalding (Peoria); A. Van de Vyver (Richmond); T. Meer- schaert (Oklahoma); J. J. O'Connor (Newark); Vm. Stang (Fall River); Joseph J. Fo.x (fireen Bay). It has sent GGl priests to America, 506 of whom are living and who are distributed as follows in the various provinces: Baltimore, 25; Boston, 35; Chi- cago, 69; Cincinnati, 122; Dubuque, 19; Milwaukee, 31; New Orleans, 05; New York, 01; Oregon City, 68; Philadelphia, 25; St. Ix)uis, 74; St. Paul, 20; San Francisco, 4; Santa F6, 23; Victoria, B. C, 16; Port of .Spain, 4. There were 72 students entered on the rolls of the college in 1906; 62 in advanced or elementary theology, and 10 in philosophy. The college has had four rectors since its inception, namely: the Very Rev. P. Kindekens, 1857-60; the Right Rev. Mon.signor J. De Neve, 1860-91; the Right Rev. Monsignor Willemsen, who held the office from 1891 to 189S, when the present incumbent, the Very Rev. J. De Becker, xssumed the charge. During the ill health of Monsignor De Neve the Right Rev. Mon.signor Dumont acted as pro-rector from 1871 to 1S73, and the Rev. J. Pulsers from 1873 to 1881. Moreover, since the approval of the constitution of the college by the Holy See in 1895, and the exact definition of the duties of a vice-rector, this office has been held, first, by the Very Rev. Wm. Slang, D.D. (1895-99), now Bishop of Fall River, and by the Rev. P. Masson, who is also [irofessor of pastoral theology, liturgy, and sacred eloquence. Tnere are 21 pro- fessors who give, at the University and at the College, the lectures attended by all, or some of the students. Am. Eccl. Rev.. March, 1897; Oraiion /unibrc de Mir: Jean de Neve (l.ouvain, IS98); LEglise auzEtaUUnu (I.0U- vaiii, 1901); I.e College Amrricain el sun actum au point de iu« Icontimique (Mons. 1905. three pamphlets by J. De Bkcker); Ammcun Coll^ae HulUlin (Ixjuvain, 1903-07); Anntuiire de lUuivtrsili CaOului<ie 0900). J. A. M. DE Becker. American College, The South, in Rome flegal title. CoLLEGio Pio-L.tino-Americano Pontificio). — The Rev. Ignatius Victor Eyzaguirre, after hav- ing spent many years in Chile, his native countr)-, in different works for the salvation of souls, went South .Xmeripan College. Home to Rome, in 18.i7, and proposed to the Pope the erection of a college for students, from "Latin" American countries, i. e. where the Spanish and Portuguese languages are spoken. Pius IX, who had been .postolic Delegate in Chile, grantcne<l the college on 21 November, 1858. In December, 18.")9, Pius IX helped to purchase a larger house, belonging