The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-04-11
BEAUTIFUL ARE COCO THgcs

years the abode of the devoted priest.
But he was soon to be called to q different
scene oflabor. Monsignor Muir appointed
by the Holy See apostolic delegate to the re.
public of Chill, in order to restore to a canon
ical form the ecclesiastical affairs which had
suffered during the revolutionary storm that
swept over Spanish America, aud, even to this
day, has not spent its fury. Monsignor Muir
asked that the Abbate Mastai Ferrett should
accompany him, and the Pope readily consent
cd Not so the orphans at Tata Giovanni
they clustered around their father > they chung
to his cassock, and implored Kim not to for
peals.
His voyage was not without its difficulties
and trials but he at last reached Chilli and
for two years labored earnestly On the Ameri-
can soil. One day, while sailing from Valpa-
ralso to Lima in a schooner, he wax oyertaken
by q violent storm. The unskillful pilot had
nearly run the haif craft on the rocks, when a
Dark, belonging to fisherman named Bake,
put ont to save him, and brought them safely
into AFRICA The italian ecclesiastic richly re-
warded his benefaetor then, and did not deem
the debt cancelled; for, on ascending the pom
tlfical' throne, he sent to Bake the same sum
again, together with his portrait. Bat the first
gift of Plus had laid the foundation of his for
tune; he distributed the new gift in aims in
the name of Pins TX, and placed the portrait
IN o chapel which he constructed in his house.
The following incident of this period il also
related In one OF FerrettPs apostolical iour-
B fsss cosini ne met with forlorn
hut, into which he entered, and there found q
at the point of death. His wife and several
children were standing helpiessly around him.
Here indeed was suffering to be assIsaged, and
o soul to be saved. Ferretti Immediately halt
ed, and caused his tent to be pitched by the
side of the cabin. There was but little time
the sick man was near his end, and the hours
fly fast when death approaches; it appeared,
too, tina. he and his family were miserably ig-
| norant of the faith, and had never even been
baptized. Ferretti, however, spoke such living
words to him, shed oyer him such tears of
Christian charity, showing him the sign of our
| faith--Jesus nailed to the cross to redeem men
| that the dying mans heart melted within
him, and he was touched by divine grace, SO
| that he asked and received holy baptism. The
| same hour his wife aud children We're also con-
verified, and received that blessed sacrament.
| 1t must have been a beautiful and solemn sight
| to see those poor creatures bending under the
hand of the holy priest, whom God had sent in
their utmost need, to admit them to His
Church. Some hours after, the man expired in
Ferretti's arms, after receiving the last conso-
/ lations. Ferretti closed his eyes, tore up one
| of his own shirts to make o winding sheet to
bury him decently, and laid him in grave,
which he had dug with his own hands, at the
I foot of an oak. He did not leave the place till
I he had planted n rude wooden Cross over the
/ grave, and made the poor family promise that
| If it were blown away they would plant anoth-
| ton. Then after having given them his bless
| ing, with holy celebrations and aims, he went
| his way. ss.seg
| Another incident may be given of this jour
ney: AS tho >apestolic delegate and his COM
| panions aud suit We're on their way to the cap
ital, thsy had to put up at 8 miserable wayside
| inn,far remote from any other human habita
ton. In this,comfortless abode lay an English
officer, tossing and writhing on 4 bed of sick
| ness, many Thousand miles away from home
and friends. The sad cendition of this unhap-
Epy gentleman, n stranger and a hereto, became
known to the Italian ecclesiaseics, one of whom
charitably remained behind his Companions to
watch by the sick man, whom he nersed with
all the tenderness. of p mother or a sister, Non
did he leave his side till he had. the satisfac
tion of seeing him restored to health and
strength. The Italian priest who stopped
by the wayside, to minister TO the sick strati
\ ger, was Mastai Ferretti, now Plus TX. Til,
fn8me Of the British officer was Miller.
On returning to Rome, in 1875, the Abbat'
Mastai Ferretti was admitted into the prelacy
and appointed by Leo XII. president of the
!, commission directing the hospice of st. Mi
chael, vast establishment on the right bani
of the Tibcr facing Mount Aventine, founde'
by Innocent y. for toundlings, and enlarged b.
subsequent pontiffs who added buildings 70
old men, the infrm, penitent women, and girl
! exposed to danger. Such o large establishment
required able administration, and the remiss
, moss of former directors had plunged the inst
r tuition into almost inextricable difficulties, ~
: though it had profted greatly by the labesce
4 the inmates. Z.
/ rnre administrative ability. Adopting NOR
r liberal course towards the apprentices, he sac
ceeded, nevertheless, in relieving tho institU
, tion from its debts and putting it in q careC
I of usefulness and solidity. &,
: The merit of one who had never sought I
Q thrust himself forward began TO be appreoi;
n ted, and Leo XII. made him Archbishop
: Spoleto. Under Gregory XVI. he was, in 1873
y transferred from the Sec Of Spoleto, to that I
Q Amola, which had SO recently seen one of i
= incumbcnts raised to the Sec OF Peter, But
9 did not leave hts first See without shown
= some of the chAFRc teFistics which were to di
d guiah him iii the raisaDgss During, the II
y Nurrection of 1881, number of the insnrgent
n lied before the Austrians. The Afchbisho
y went cut to arrest the pursuit, promising