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 PROPAGANDA

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PROPAGANDA

general of Propaganda. It was clear to Urban VIII that the impulse given to the estabUshment of ec- clesiastical seminaries by the CouncU of Trent had already produced excellent results, even in the vast province of the Propaganda, through the agency of the numerous national colleges then founded, e. g. at Rome, the German, Englisli, Greek, Maronite, Scots, and other colleges. But he also saw that it was necessary to establish a central seminary for the missions where young ecclesiastics could be educated, not only for countries which had no national college but also for such as were endowed with such institu- tions. It seemed very desirable to have, in every country, priests educated in an international college where they could acquire a larger personal acquain- tance, and estabUsh in youth relations that might be mutually helpful in after life. Thus arose the seminary of the Propaganda known as the Collegium Urbanum, from the name of its founder. Urban VIII. It was estabhshed by the Bull "ImmortaUs Dei", of 1 Aug., 1627, and placed under the immediate direction of the Congregation of Propaganda. The congregation itself developed so rapidly that it be- came eventually necessary to divide its immense domain into various secretariates and commissions. This continuous increase of its labours dates from its very earhest years. In the beginning the meetings of the congregation were held in the presence of the pope; soon, however, the pressure of business grew to be so great that the general prefect and the general secretary were authorized to transact all current busi- ness, with the obligation of placing before the pope, at stated intervals, the more important matters, which is still the custom. In extent of territory, in ex- ternal and internal organization, and in jurisdiction, the congregation has undergone modifications ac- cording to the needs of the times; but it may be said that its definite organization dates from about 1650. II. Territori.\l Jurisdiction. — As a general principle, it was understood that the territory of Propaganda was (apart from the Catholics of all the Oriental rites) conterminous with those countries that were non-Catholic in government. Naturally there were, and are, exceptions: for example, Russia depends, ecclesiastically, upon the Congregation of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, since it is neces- sary to treat all Russian affairs through governmental channels. The territorial jurisdiction of Propaganda was before the promulgation of the Constitution "Sapienti Consilio" as follows: in Europe, Great Britain and Gibraltar, Sweden and Norway, Den- mark, Germany (Saxony, Anhalt, Mecklenburg, Schaumburg, Oldenburg, Lauenburg, Hamburg, Bremen, Liibeck, Schleswig-Holstein), Holland, Lux- emburg, some places in Switzerland (Mesolcina and Calanca in the Orisons, St. Maurice in the Canton of Valais), the Balkan peninsula (Bosnia, Her- zegovina, and Greece); in the New World, the United States, Canada, Lower California, the Lesser Antilles (British and Danish), Jamaica and Honduras, some missions in Peru, Patagonia; all Oceanica ex- cept the Philippines; all Asia except the Russian possessions; all Africa. As to the Catholics of the Oriental rites, they are subject personally (that is, wherever they may be) to Propaganda. Their division by rites generally corresponds to their nationality. These rites are: the Armenian, fre- quent (besides, of course, in Armenia) in Austria, Persia, and Egypt; the pure Coptic Rite (in Egypt); the Abyssinian Coptic Rite, to which belong a few faithful in Abyssinia and in the Italian colony of Eritrea; the pure Greek Rite, including some com- munities in Southern Italy and a very few in Tur- key; the Rumanian Greek Rite, with adherents among the Rumanians of Hungary and Transylvania; the Ruthenian Greek Rite, or that of the Little Russians in Austria and Russia; the Bulgarian Greek

Rite, in Bulgaria and in Macedonia; the Melchite Greek Rite (GriEco-Syrian), which includes the Catholics of Greece, also hellenized natives of vSyria and Palestine; the unmixed Syrian Rite (Western Syrian), or that of the Syrians of the plain of Syria and Palestine; the Syro-Maronite Rite (Western Syrian) or the (Syrian) Maronites of Mount Lebanon; the Syro-Chaldean Rite (Eastern Syrian) i. e. Syria in the Persian Empire; the Malabar Rite (Eastern Syrian), i. e. the Catholics of Malabar in South- western India. Among most of these peoples there has set in a remarkable tide of emigration to the New World, especially to North America, whither the Ruthenians and Jvlaronites emigrate in large numbers.

In the Constitution "Sapienti Consilio" of Pius X (29 June, 1908), the plan was followed of entrusting to Propaganda those countries of Europe and Amer- ica where the ecclesiastical hierarchy is not established. Great Britain, Holland, Luxembm-g, Canada, and the United States were therefore removed from its jurisdiction; on the other hand, all the vicariates and prefectures .\postolic of America and the Philip- pines, which were formerly subject to the Congrega- tion of Extraor- dinary Ecclesi- astical Affairs, were placed under Propaganda. A departure from the general plan was in leaving Australia under the jurisdiction of the latter congre- gation, with the addition of St- Pierre, in Marti- nique, and Gua- deloupe. Another restriction of the powers of Propa- ganda effected by the new legislation was, that all matters apper- taining to faith, the sacraments (particularly matri- mony), rites, and religious congregations — as such, even though they were exclusively devoted to the work of the missions — were assigned to the care of the respective congregations: those of the Holy Office, the Sacraments, Rites, and Regulars.

III. External Organization. — The organiza- tion of Propaganda is developed externally by means of delegations, dioceses, vicariates, prefectures, simple missions, and colleges. The Apostolic delega- tions are established to maintain immediate repre- sentatives of the Holy See in places where they seem to be needed by reason of the growth of the Church in organization and in numbers. Their personnel is composed of an Apostohc delegate and an auditor, subject to Propaganda. They are as follows: in Europe, those of Constantinople and of Greece (Athens); in Asia, those of the East Indies (Ivandy in Ceylon), of Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, and -Armenia Minor (Mosul), of Persia (Urumiah), of Syria (Beirut) ; in Africa, that of Egypt and Arabia (.Alexandria). The dioceses as a rule consist of a bishop, who holds the title to the see and administers the local govern- ment with the aid of a cathedral chapter and a parochial clergy. A diocesan organization (Latin Rite) exists in the following Propaganda countries: in Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rumania, Bul- garia, Abyssinia, Greece; in America, Guadeloupe and St-Pierre, Martinique; in Oceania, Australia and New Zealand; in Asia, Smyrna, India, and Japan; in Africa, the Mauritius and the Seychelles. The Oriental Catholics (Uniats), except those of the Abyssinian-Co])tic, the Unmixed Greek, and the GrEBCO-Bulgarian Rites, are also organized in dio-

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