New Orleans Republican., 1875-10-03
The American College at Rome.


The Italian correspondent of the London
Times writing from Rome on the eleventh
ultimO, says:
Cardinal McClekey is living at the
American College, situated in the Via DELI
Umilta, at the foot OF the rise leading to
the Quirinal. 1t is only within the last six
teen years that the Catholics of the United
States have had a college in Rome. They
are indebted for it to the munifcence of
Piux TX. In the year 1854 the Arch bishops
of New York. Baltimore and New Orleans,
together with the Bishop of Pittsburg, had
an audience of the Pope and petitioned
him to establish a college at Rome for the
education of young ecclesiastics of United
States birth or naturaliz alton. His holiness
listened approvingly to their PRAYER, and
the property where the college is estab-
lished being available, he purchased it at
the expense of SO,O 900 scudi-about 100000
francs-had it put in order and conferred
it urOn the United States episcOpate. The
place was furnished and endowed
with money raised in the United
States; and chi the seventh day Of
December, 1859, the o,ening ceremony was
performed, Cardinal Ba rnabo, prefect OF
the Propaganda Eide, pres,> >tng on tne oc-
casion, and Mr.. Stockton, the C.nted states
minister, and other distinguished A, ,nericans
oO"k pAOcohus = oA tuc CACCbiOn VI VIZ
rector three names were sent in to the CD.1
gregatiOn of the Propaganda, and that of
Rev. William McClOskey-who, I believe,
is not related to the Cardiual-was chosen.
Until his arrival in Rome, Rev. DR.. Smith,
of the Propaganda, acted as prO-rector. DR..
Smith is SO widely known that it may not
be uninteresting if mention that, in addi-
tion to his professOrship in the Propaganda
and bis office in the Congregation of the In-
dex, he has recently been made cOnsultor
OF the Holy Office. Early in 1868 the rector
was preconized Bishop of Louisville, re-
celvlng conservation from the hands of Car
dinal Reisach on the twenty fourth Of May,
and was succeeded by the present rector,
Rev. DR.. Chattard, who then filed the office
OF vice rector. Although the college has
been SO recently established, it has already
turned out some distinguished men; DR..
C0rrigan, Bishop of Newark, in New Jer-
sey, and Rev. Charles O'COnnor, rector of
the seminary at Philadelphia, having COM
pleted their studies within it's walls.
Although in the busiest portion of the
city, the college is, like many other ecelesi.
astical establishments, situated in crowded
parts of Rome, quiet, secluded spot when
once you have passed the portal. An en-
trance hall--a restibatiua, in faet-leads
into a charming atriun, surrounded by it's
portico, and having in the centre foun.
tain into which four Jets play from the out
side. From the middle of the basin rises
column, with water-plants at it's base, and
bearing q statue of the Immaculate Con.
ception. In the area on each eide of the
fountain is large lemon tree, a number of
plsnts being arranged along the further
side. Above the porticO on three sides
rise the buildings Of the college, and over
the fourth extends pergola--that is to say,
. vine 90 trained as to spread over Fat
trelliswork raised about ten feet above the
n0Of. FORMING n Oulnlafa RnOf nf win
branches, from which the bunches of grapes
hang above ones head. The place was
originally built in the year 1903, ct the
expense Of Donna Francesca Baglioni
Orsini, for the 6alesian nuns of the
Dominican Order. to which she herself
belonged. II afterwArd passed into the pos
session Of the nuns Of the Visitation, who