9. Congregation of Studies.
It was begun by Sixtus V and instituted by Leo XII. In the bull of Sixtus V the four famous universities of Paris, Oxford, Bologna and Salamanca are mentioned. Leo XIII en larged the powers of the Congregation and extended its authority over all the Catholic universities of the world.
Its power lies in the erection, constitution and administration of the Catholic universities, for which, having consulted the Pope, it lays down standards concerning the professors, methods, academical decrees, etc.; solves doubts about rights, privileges and suits or disputes arising between the different universities regard ing the degrees or privileges. By a Catholic University is meant one which confers degrees by apostolic authority. Those erected in recent years are the universities of Lille, Paris, Lyons, Angers, Fribourg, Ottawa, Laval and Wash ington.
Annexed to the Congregation of Studies is the Commission for Historical Studies.
10. Congregation for the Fabric of Saint Peter's.
The building of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome was undertaken by Julius II in 1506. It took years to complete it and a large outlay of money was required in its building and after ward in its preservation. To administer its affairs Clement VIII in 1593 erected a special Congregation for the Fabric of Saint Peter's.
The Cardinal Archpriest of the Basilica is its Prefect. The scope and office of the Con gregation, inasmuch as it is of practical moment to the Universal Church, has regard to dona tions for pious causes and to certain questions about obligations of saying masses; for ex ample, the transferring of them from one church to another or from one altar to another; the extension of time for the saying of them; their reduction in. number, etc.
11. Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesi astical Affairs, concerning itself only with those matters which are submitted by the Supreme Pontiff through the Cardinal Secretary of State and especially matters having connection with civil laws and relating to concordats.
12. Congregation of Seminaries and Univer sities, instituted in 1915.
Besides the foregoing Congregations, the Sovereign Pontiff may at any time establish others or diminish the number of those already existing. Thus in 1895 Leo XIII established a commission for the work of fostering the recon ciliation of non-Catholics with the Church.
Consult Ferraris (De crees of the Council of Trent' ; Wernz, 'Jus Decretalium) (Vol. II, Rome 1899) ; Baart, 'The Roman Court' (Fr. Pustet, New York); Humphrey, 'Urbs et Orbis, or the Pope as Bishop and as Pontiff' (London 1899).