The title, Visite di Calore, had been intended for this book in addition to that of Addresses to Cardinal Newman with his Replies. It is the name given in Rome to the visits a new Cardinal there receives on the three days of the ceremonies of his creation; a day being allotted to each class of visitors who come to do him honour and to welcome him. The first is given to the Cardinals; the second to the magistracy and distinguished residents; the third to people generally. The Cardinals come according to their pleasure, to make or renew personal acquaintance with their new colleague, and thus to place him and themselves on an intimate, indeed a fraternal footing. The new Prince of the Church is welcomed as a brother and fellow-counsellor of its Supreme Head, and an equal of all; and this glad feeling shows itself no less distinctly, however differently, among the others whose visits follow in due order, and thus their name has obtained in Rome of Visite di Calore, Visits of Affection.
The worth of the collection for printing entire has been questioned, some persons thinking the preservation of a few of the Replies for biographical purposes sufficient 1. Other objections have also been made; such, for instance, as the egotistical effect of a number of speeches, etc., from the same speaker, all of them on one subject relating to himself,—an objection that the Cardinal anticipated and felt greatly at the time. It was painful to him to speak so much of himself, but, to be egotistical was, he said, an unavoidable necessity of the occasion. He was glad therefore to be able sometimes to have recourse to a Sermon or Religious Instruction rather than make a formal reply. Nevertheless, in spite of objections and anything that may be defective in composition or otherwise, both Addresses and the Replies to them are given without reserve, as a memorial of a very interesting episode in the Cardinal’s life. Included with them are some papers read by him, even some notes of sermons, which took the place of Replies. They make an almost complete collection of what passed from and to public bodies in connection with his elevation. A few Replies made impromptu are from the notes of persons present. Newspaper extracts have been added to give some little knowledge of the course of events. Names have been preserved as much as possible, to show the widespread interest taken in the Holy Father’s act, and the trouble, as the Cardinal felt it, to which people put themselves, to do him honour.
Dr. Newman was created Cardinal, with the Deaconry of St. George in Velabro in the first Consistory for the creation of Cardinals held by the new Pope Leo XIII., May 12, 1879, the Cardinal’s age being seventy-eight years and three months 2.
Among those raised to the Sacred College with him were Mgr. Pecci, the Pope’s brother, Fr. Zigliara of the Order of St. Dominic, and Mgr. Hergenroether; these, with himself, as Deacons; also, as Cardinal Priest, Mgr. Alimonda, Bishop of Albenga, afterwards Archbishop of Turin, who, many years before, had done Dr. Newman great and kind service in connection with the Achilli trial. Fr. Capecelatro, of the Oratory at Naples, now Cardinal Archbishop of Capua, became at the same time one of the four Palatine Prelates. He, too, had acted as a friend towards Dr. Newman in what he had written of him.
Before, however, St. George in Velabro had been fixed upon, two other Deaconries had been named for him; first, that of St. Nicholas in Carcere, then, that of St. Adrian in Foro Romano.
The choice of St. Nicholas seemed to have been a special kindness from the Holy Father; for, besides being an ancient and a handsome church, it had recently been thoroughly repaired and decorated by Pius IX. Dr. Newman went to see it and it pleased him much. There was an appearance of life about the church; and it had the advantage of a capitular body, though small, being attached to it. He was pleased also that it was in a well-populated neighbourhood of apparently poor but industrious people. Moreover, from a remark he made to those who accompanied him, it was clear that he was turning over in his mind the use he might make of the church. For although the Holy Father had given him the extraordinary favour of permission to live in England instead of at Rome, he himself, nevertheless, contemplated residing there from time to time, and it pleased him to think that his possession of this church, and his jurisdiction therein, might give these poor people a claim on his services.
However, in one or two days, the Holy Father found, to his own disappointment, that one of the Cardinals, who had acquired the right to change his Titular Church, had determined to do so for that of St. Nicholas in Carcere, and he had the right to take it.