On several occasions it has been the announced intention of the Vatican to recognize the increasing importance of America in the Catholic world by the creation of more American cardinals.
Never have there been more than four American cardinals. In fact, there have been only six American cardinals in history.
On Dec. 23 the Pope will hold a public consistory for the creation of cardinals. It is firmly believed that he will confer the red hat upon at least one and probably two American prelates. The most likely recipients are Archbishops Hanna of San Francisco, Mundelein of Chicago, Hayes of New York.
At present there are only two American cardinals — Archbishops O'Connell of Boston and Dougherty of Philadelphia. The first American cardinal was John McCloskey of New York. The greatest was James Gibbons of Baltimore. The other two were Archbishop Farley of New York, predecessor of Archbishop Hayes— and Mgr. Falconio, Apostolic delegate to Washington, a naturalized American.
The college of cardinals — the Princes of the Church—is limited to 70. At present there are only 60, of whom 28 are Italian, six Spanish, six French, five German; two each are from England, Australia, the United States, Poland; one each from Ireland, Brazil, Portugal, Holland, Hungary, Canada, Belgium.
The Pope has sole power to create a cardinal. At a meeting of the college of cardinals he announces his selections and asks: "Quid vobis videtur?" The cardinals bow their heads in consent. The newly elected cardinal appears at a public consistory (the Pope, the college of cardinals, princes and ambassadors to the Papal Court) and receives the red hat, which the Pope places on his head. Immediately afterwards a secret consistory is held during which he is given the cardinal ring and the appelation "Eminence."
If Archbishop Hanna of San Francisco is made a Prince of the Church, it will be an election of wide popularity in California, as Mgr. Hanna has made himself one of the most admired citizens of the State, and has served in many civil capacities. He was, for example, appointed Commissioner of Immigration. Born in Rochester, N, Y., he was educated abroad at Cambridge, Munich and Rome. When he was first nominated for Coadjutor Bishop of San Francisco, Pope Pius X refused to confirm the appointment, suspecting Hanna of "modernism," but finally, in 1915, Hanna was consecrated Archbishop of San Francisco.
Patrick Joseph Hayes, Archbishop of New York since 1919, is distinguished for his work as Catholic chaplain bishop for the U. S. Army and Navy during the War. He it is who now sits in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral when a great parade sweeps up Fifth Avenue. Mgr. Hayes has been in, and of New York, all his life.
The Archbishop of Chicago— George Mundelein—was also associated with New York from the time of his birth. He served many years as Bishop of Brooklyn. Although the Archbishop's red-brick residence is a landmark in Chicago, Mgr. Mundelein has confined himself almost exclusively to matters purely ecclesiastical and intellectual.