7. Congregation of Indulgences and Relics.
By his Constitution "in 'psis° of 6 July 1669, Clement IX instituted the Sacred Congre gation of Indulgences and Relics. He invested the Congregation with the authority to resolve all doubts and difficulties about indulgences and relics and to correct abuses, to prohibit the publication of false or apocryphal indulgences, to authenticate relics recently discovered and to oversee the granting of indulgences and the distribution of relics.
The Congregation of Indulgences is formed on similar lines to those of other congregations. It has, therefore, a Prefect, a Secretary and Consultors, etc. It does not grant any indul gences; the Pope does that. All Rescripts or general concessions of indulgences must be shown under pain of nullity to the Secretary of the Congregation. Leo XIII ordered an authentic publication of all its decrees from the year 1668 to the year 1882. The work was brought out by Fr. Pustet and Co. and has been declared authentic.
& Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (Propaganda Fidei).
The first vestige of the Propaganda is found in a Commission instituted by Gregory XIII for the purpose of keeping the Catholics of the Greek Rite in the faith and of bringing back schismatics to the unity of the Church. After being perfected by Clement VIII it was finally erected as it is now constituted by Gregory XIV on 22 June 1622. Of all the Congregations, the Propaganda for English-speaking countries is the most interesting because the dioceses of these countries at the present time are subject to it. All the business which the faithful of missionary countries, clergy and laity, may have with the Holy See is done through the Propaganda.
In these countries it has exclusive jurisdic tion and holds the place of all the other con gregations. Missionary countries, in the lan guage of the Church, are such as have no episcopal sees and whose ecclesiastical affairs are administered by delegates and vicars of the Pope. These vicars apostolic are usually bishops and are called titular bishops from the fact that they derive their title from some ancient see which no longer exists. But even after
episcopal sees and dioceses are canonically erected in these missionary lands with bishops having ordinary jurisdiction, the Propaganda frequently retains the government of them. This is the case in the United States, England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Canada, Holland and some other countries.
The power of the Propaganda is legislative, judicial and gubernative. Hence it can make laws, decide controversies and rule over the countries in which it has jurisdiction. The resolutions and general decrees impose upon its subjects the obligation of obedience and are not merely the expression of a probable opinion, as was once asserted.
The Congregation is presided over by a Cardinal who is called Prefect-General. There is also one who is called Prefect of Economy. One of the other officials is a Protonotary Apostolic whose duty it is to collect the acts of martyrs who have sacrificed their lives in mis sionary countries. Almost every week the ordi nary meeting is held, while the general assembly takes place usually once a month.
The principal work of the Propaganda is the spreading of the Catholic faith throughout the world. Consequently it has sent and'still sends out many missionaries to preach the Gospel. To prepare young men for their mis sionary labors Urban VIII instituted the 'Col lege of the Propaganda') which is attached to the Palace of the Congregation. Connected with the Congregation of the Propaganda are: a. The Congregation for the Affairs of the Oriental Rites.
b. The Congregation for the Correction of Books of the Oriental Rite.
c. The Examination of the New Constitu tions of Religious Orders depending on the Propaganda.
d. The Commission for the Examination of the Reports of the Bishops and Vicars Apostolic under the Jurisdiction of the Propaganda.
c. The Commission for the Reunion of Dis senting Churches.