A little thought will make the matter clear. The church has power, and has always exercised it, to inflict her censures and penalties on grievous offenders. Such penalties, intended to deter from evil, and to procure, if possible, the amendment of the offender, must be prudently adapted to the circumstances of time and place. Many things must be taken into consideration. Hence, it will happen that what is beneficial at one time is hurtful at another. What in one age, or in one condition of a country, would repress the evil, may in another age, or under different circumstances, be found to aggravate it.
Hence, in the body of canon law, commenced as it was eleven centuries ago, and embracing, in fact, many laws of a far more ancient date, it is not surprising to find many laws which, however wise at the time of their enactment, are no longer applicable with prudence, and which the church has centuries ago let fall into desuetude and oblivion. There are other laws concerning which this action may even now be going on. In some countries it may be more advanced than in others. To some minds it may be clearer than to others. Hence, for some time past, and especially on occasion of the council, representations have been made in Rome on the subject. The sovereign pontiff, after mature consideration, and taking advice of his counsellors, has by this bull withdrawn and repealed all the censures and ecclesiastical penalties at any time in ages past enacted by his predecessors, excepting those of which he gives a special and definite list in the bull. These he leaves as they were; all others he abrogates.
At this second congregation a ballot was taken for the members of the committee or deputation on matters of faith. Each prelate voted for twenty-four persons. There were seven hundred and twenty-one votes cast. They were sealed up as before, in the presence of the council, and were afterward counted. The result was as follows:
1. Most Rev. Emmanuel Garcia Gil, Archbishop of Saragossa, Spain.
2. Rt. Rev. Louis Francis Pié, Bishop of Poitiers, France.
3. Most Rev. Patrick Leahy, Archbishop of Cashel, Ireland.
4. Most Rev. Réné Fr. Regnier, Archbishop of Cambrai, France.
5. Most Rev. John Simor, Archbishop of Gran, Hungary.
6. Most Rev. Ignatius Andrew Schaepman, Archbishop of Utrecht, Holland.
7. Most Rev. Antonius Hassun, Armenian Patriarch.
8. Rt. Rev. Bartholomew D'Avanzo, Bishop of Calvi.
9. Most Rev. Miecislaus Ledochowski, Archbishop of Gnesen and Posen.
10. Most Rev. Francis Cugini, Archbishop of Modena, Italy.
11. Rt. Rev. S. D. Larangeira, Bishop of Rio Grande, Brazil.
12. Rt. Rev. Ignatius Senestry, Bishop of Ratisbon, Bavaria.
13. Most Rev. Victor A. Dechamps, Archbishop of Malines, Belgium.
14. Most Rev. Martin J. Spalding, Archbishop of Baltimore, United States.
15. Rt. Rev. Anthony Monescillo, Bishop of Jaen, Spain.
16. Rt. Rev. Peter J. De Preux, Bishop of Sion, Switzerland.
17. Rt. Rev. Vincent Gasser, Bishop of Brixen, Tyrol.
18. Most Rev. Raphael V. Valdivieso, Archbishop of Santiago, Chili.
19. Most Rev. Henry Edward Manning, Archbishop of Westminster, England.
20. Rt. Rev. Fred. M. Zinelli, Bishop of Treviso, Lombardy.
22. Most Rev. Walter Steins, Archbishop of Calcutta.
23. Rt. Rev. Conrad Martin, Bishop of Paderborn, Prussia.
24. Most Rev. Joseph S. Allemany, Archbishop of San Francisco, United States.
Cardinal Bilio was appointed chairman.
This is looked on as the most important committee of the council; and it is gratifying to us, and honorable to the Catholic Church of the United States, that two of our archbishops should be placed on it.
A third general congregation was held on the 21st of December, for the election in the same manner of twenty-four prelates, to constitute the deputation or committee on discipline. The number of votes given was larger than on the previous occasion. We give the names of those elected, arranging them here, as we did before, according to the number of suffrages each one received:
1. Most Rev. John McCloskey, Archbishop of New York, United States.
2. Rt. Rev. William Ullathorne, Bishop of Birmingham, England.
3. Most Rev. John McHale, Archbishop of Tuam, Ireland.
4. Most Rev. Pelagius De Lavastida, Archbishop of Mexico.
5. Rt. Rev. Pantaleon Monserrat y Navarro, Bishop of Barcelona, Spain.
6. Most Rev. Anastasius Yusto, Archbishop of Burgos, Spain.
7. Most Rev. Julius Arrigoni, Archbishop of Lucca, Italy.
8. Most Rev. Francis Baillargeon, Archbishop of Quebec, Canada.
9. Most Rev. Paul Ballerini, Patriarch of Alexandria.
10. Rt. Rev. Claudius Plantier, Bishop of Nîmes, France.
11. Rt. Rev. Theodore de Montpellier, Bishop of Liège, France.
12. Rt. Rev. Stephen Marilley, Bishop of Lausanne, Switzerland.
13. Rt. Rev. F. X. Wierzchleyski, Bishop of Lemberg, Hungary.
14. Rt. Rev. George Stahl, Bishop of Wurzburg, Germany.
15. Rt. Rev. John Ambrose Huerta, Bishop of Puno, South America.
16. Rt. Rev. Charles Fillion, Bishop of Le Mans, France.
17. Rt. Rev. John B. Zwerger, Bishop of Segovia.
18. Rt. Rev. Nicholas Sergent, Bishop of Quimper, France.
19. Rt. Rev. Michael Heiss, Bishop of La Crosse, United States.
20. Most Rev. Marianus Ricciardi, Archbishop of Reggio, Italy.
21. Rt. Rev. Leo Meurin, Bishop of Ascalon.
22. Rt. Rev. John Guttadauro di Reburdone, Bishop of Caltanisetta, Italy.
23. Rt. Rev. Marinus Marini, Bishop of Orvieto, Italy.
24. Rt. Rev. Joseph Aggarbati, Bishop of Sinigaglia, Italy.
Cardinal Caterini was afterward appointed president of this committee.
On December 28th, another general congregation was held, at which the following twenty-four prelates were elected, to constitute the committee on all questions relating to the religious orders:
1. Most Rev. Francis Felix y Solans, Archbishop of Tarragona, Spain.
2. Rt. Rev. Andrew Raess, Bishop of Strasbourg, Alsace.
3. Most Rev. Godfrey St. Marc, Archbishop of Rennes, France.
4. Rt. Rev Ferdinand Blanco, Bishop of Avila, Spain.
5. Rt. Rev. John Derry, Bishop of Clonfert, Ireland.
6. Most Rev. Joseph B. Dusmet, Archbishop of Catania, Sicily.
7. Rt. Rev. Felix Cantimorri, Bishop of Parma, Italy.
8. Most Rev. Joseph J. Checa, Archbishop of Quito, South America.
9. Most Rev. Frederic de Fürstenberg, Archbishop of Olmütz.
10. Most Rev. Charles Pooten, Archbishop of Antivari and Scutari, in Dalmatia.
11. Rt. Rev. Paul Micaleff, Bishop of Città di Castello, Italy.
12. Rt. Rev. Stephen V. Ryan, Bishop of Buffalo, United States.
13. Rt. Rev. Simon Spilotros, Bishop of Tricarico, Greece.
14. Most Rev. Alexander Angeloni, Archbishop of Urbino, Italy.
15. Rt. Rev. Ignatius M. Cardoso, Bishop of Faro.
16. Rt. Rev. Francis de Leonrod, Bishop of Eichstadt, Bavaria.
17. Rt. Rev. William I. Clifford, Bishop of Clifton, England.
18. Rt. Rev. Thomas M. Salzano, Bishop of Tanes.
19. Rt. Rev. John I. Fayet, Bishop of Bruges, Belgium.
20. Rt. Rev. M. Ephrem Garrelon, Bishop of Nemesi.
21. Most Rev. Aloysius Nazari di Calabiano, Archbishop of Milan.
22. Most Rev. George Ebedjesu Kayatt, Chaldean Archbishop of Amida.
23. Rt. Rev. Caspar Willi, Bishop of Antipatros, Greece.
24. Rt. Rev. John Thomas Ghilardi, Bishop of Mondovi, Italy.
Cardinal Bizzarri was appointed president of this deputation.
This fourth congregation was one of importance and special interest, for at this meeting the discussion of the schema, or draught, on certain matters regarding faith, given to the bishops on December 10th, was to commence. Originally, and to the great mortification of the architect, the noble hall prepared for the council was found to be unsuited for speaking. Its size, the loftiness of the roof, and its communication aloft with the nave and the dome, seemed to render even strong voices inaudible. When the secretaries made announcements, they were forced to repeat the same words two or three times from different positions, that all might hear. To hold discussions there seemed impossible. Various halls in the Vatican Palace were measured. Several churches were examined; and at one time it was almost decided to try a hall in the distant Quirinal Palace. But, before doing so, the architect tried other plans in the council hall itself, and has finally succeeded in remedying the evils complained of in a very simple manner, and to the satisfaction of all. The hall itself is, as we have said, the north wing of the transept, divided from the rest of the church by a partition wall, rising about one third of the way to the vaulted ceiling above. Its dimensions are about two hundred feet in length by almost one hundred in breadth, and the ceiling is over one hundred and fifty feet high. Its southern end, toward the church, is square. The other end is the semi-circular apse of the transept. This apse is occupied by an elevated platform, on which, in the middle, is the throne of the sovereign pontiff. The cardinals are seated in lines on either side of him, and before them are seated the patriarchs. All this occupies nearly one third of the hall. For the other two thirds, lines of seats stretch down on either side, from the platform to the partition wall, giving ample room for all the bishops. In the middle, between these rows of seats, stretches an ample space down to the broad door. Toward the platform there are here and there in it tables and seats for the secretaries, notaries, and other officials. Nearer the door stands the altar, and near by the movable pulpit. The alteration consists in this: a second partition wall, of light materials, is thrown across the hall, about one third of the way from the door, cutting off the altar and one half of the seats on either side. The prelates who occupied these seats are now placed in other temporary seats in the middle space and on the platform. As the Holy Father does not preside in the congregations, his throne is removed, and thus room is obtained in the apse for another altar, at which the mass is celebrated. At its conclusion, the presiding cardinals come forward and take their places in seats in front of the altar. The pulpit stands opposite, against the middle of the new partition; and the loss of voice by its passage aloft into the church is prevented by an awning overhead, stretching entirely across the hall, and extending from the partition some twenty-five feet forward.