The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-02-26

cast, son Of poor parents, who lived by
herd1ng sheep on the hills Of IS0mbArdy,
for many yeazs followed tho same voestion,
fcontriviDg, however, to acquire know
ledge of Latin grammar from some friars
whom he often met. The latter took great
interest In the poor shepherd. boy, ehcour-
aged him to persevere in his studies, and
finally had him received into . convent of
the Dominican order. Nicolas Bocasi, after
some years, became General of the Preach
ing Friars, and was raised to the dignity of
cardinal On the death of Boniface VIII.
he assembled the Papal throne as Benedict
the Eleventh, in 1903. His pontificate was
| short one, for he died nine months after
his elevation. Of him it could not be said
that "h0n0rcs mutdnt mores,' for he never
| departed from the simple style of life which
he had adopted in the cloister. He enter
tanned thorough contempt for ostentation,
which some one has justly called the "lux-
ury of pride" and he disliked nothing SO
much as affectation and those foolish efforts
to which weak-minded people resort in
order to impose on their neighbors. The
following anecdote, related by Ferdinando
di Castillo in his life of Benedict XII, illus I.
trates what VIC have stated "The Pontiff,
with his court, having arrived in PerDgia
(says the historian just qnoted), some indi
vldunls sought Benedict's mother, and had
her arrayed in sumptuous Gnery, in order
that she might be duly presented to his
Holiness. Being conducted into the pres
ence, the Pope, Instead of recognizing her
at once, said, I know that my mother is
living, but / also know that she is too poor
to dress like the individual now introduced
to me- Hearing this, the poor woman re-
tired, confused and mortified. Next day,
however, after resuming her usual apparel
that which she used to wear when tend
ing sheep, she again presented herself ut
tho Papal residence, and requested audience
of her son. This was speedily granted,
and Benedict, approaching her, said, Yes,
this is my mother; dressed as she was yes
terday could not identify her. 1 am her
son honor her, and command every one
in my household to do the same.' Bzovio,
the ecclesiastical historian, states that Ben
edict's mother earned her bread as a laun-
dress.n
A somewhat similar anecdote is told of
Hadrian w., by BarOnio, in the twelfth
tome of his Annals, A. D. 1859: ga mem
orable example is that which Pope Hadrian
left to posterity. He never bestowed q
single obolxs upon his relatives Nay more,
he allowed his mother to be maintained by
aims of the church of Canterbury, as APP
pears from the following passage in q letter
from Alexander III. to st. Thomas: what
did the great lover of the Church of Can
terbury, Pope Hadrian, do for you-that
Hadrian whose mother is now suffering cold
and want" 'Cyus mater apud COS algore
torquetur, ct inetlia.' Such conduct was to
be attributed not to despicable parsimony,
but to scrupulous economy of the funds of
the Papal treasury. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Breakspeare-granredt the bull by virtue of
which Henry II. invaded Ireland. The
same Hadrian compelled Frederic Barba-
rossa to hold his stirrup when dismonnting
from his mule, and refused to crown him
Emperor till he did so. Il