The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-01-05
q .rainx Star and Catholic Messenger.
NEW oRLEANs euSDAY, JANUARY 5 r7o.
ARCHBIsHoP MoHALE At ST JARLATHs s

In very little and very ancient town ft
the West of Ireland, where the tallest o
those sculptnrcd crosses, admired Of anti
quaFians, lifts its circied head in the cen
tral market place, lives and rules prel att
who, even if his life were not remarkabl le
in other Tespects, would be notable as the
senior archbishop of the Church of Rome
and perhaps the oldest mitred priest il
Tuam,' as DR.. MaeHale greatly loved to
sign himself in sturdy protest against the
law denying territorial titles in these
kiDgdoms to ecclesiastics of foreign crea-
tion, was at one time the contemporary
Catholic divine most prominently before
the daily mind of Eogland and now the
summer traveller or tourist angler steps oil
the route to Connemara to zee or seek an
interview with the anointed Irish champion
who was 80 popular a compound of Popery
and patriotism amongst his countrymep,
all save one or two of whose Distinguished
coeval friends or foes in stirring period
have passed away; who was Wissmau's
senior by decade who has seen ak sue
eessive pontiffs seated in the chair of the
Fisherman, and whore birth brings one
back into another century, when George
Ill. was still sane king, before the little
Corsican artillerist had pointed the cannon
at Touion, or the guillotfne was yet etain-
ed with the royal blood of Louis Capet
and Marie Antoinette.
St. Jarlath's is a eqpare bailt mansion,
with gardens at the rear opening on the
elevated cathedral grounds, and having
for it's els q els across the street, not insp-
propriately called Bishop Street, the pal
ace of the only Protestant bishop in Con-
naught, the Right Rev. DR.. Bernard,
brother to the late Earl of Bandom. Pro-
baby at the introduction of Canon Bourke,
the president of st. Jarlath's College,
which Is contiguous to the archiepscopal
residence, and under the immediate super
u;n of hfo ha xyini 10
by the archbishop. Bearing the weight of
his eighty six years, for fifty of which
he has borne the crozier with singular
alertness-nay, almost with a jaunty air,
the venerable prelate advances and gives a
dignifed greeting. The Catholic usually
kneels for q benediction aud kisses the
episcopal ring. And, indeed, no man,
whatever be his faith, need blush to kneel
for the bleesing of q pastor whose years are
patriarchal, and whose face and form are
evidences Of q life of internal nobility, and
the faithful discharge of onerous and lofty |
duties. DR.. MacHale is of middle height, |
and even now, when somewhat shrunken,
ample proof remains of the we'll knit |
frame which felt but little, in the ante-rail- |
way and ante Biapconi days in this remote |
district, the fstigues of two-days ride |
from the foot of handicapped Nephin to |
His head 10 shapely and singularly massive,
With powerful face, aquiline nose, not
cfiselled enough to be Roman, the high !
forehead of a poet, tyet not wanting IN |
breadth, all lighted up with an eagle gray |
eye, and crowned with rich growth of
eoft, straight, undivided gray hair. Placed
in any position, J ,hn MAcHAle would have !
lowered above his fellows head and shoul |
ders, would have been a king of men ; !
and it is plain that the absoluteness of the |
Catholic churchmau's rule over his flock i'll |
Ireland has been cOngenial to spirit that |
would i'll brook the interference of any |
other power, and least of all of such Rs
would be worldly, and to the historic mind
alien aud reeting on materia! force. As be |
converses freely upon the Hresent phase |
OF Irish agitation, to which he has given |
she sanction of name, to quote the classic |
compliment of Judge Ksogh, Cldrum G:
venerable, he recalls many incidents OF
O'Connells successful struggle for Catho-
lie Emancipation, and their combined |
effort for Repeal. The feaity of man |
like this, who can remember an Lrlsu Par |
lament aud the execution of Emmet, is |
touching or obstinate according To tho pre- |
judice of the observer. He is very c0mpii |
mentary to Mr.. Butt, but has little faith in |
the English appreciation of Justice 10 Ire
land )" and with touch OF ssperity re
members his Rppeals to Lord John Russell
Ard Lord PAlDerston, his conflicts with
she Times, and the sad and troublous era
of the famine closed with the iuGicrousfy
Uulike the Irish cardinal, DR.. McHale
preserved in a singular manner the conf
dence of the extreme Nationalist or Fenian
element of his flock, who never believed
that he would heartily enforce the pains
and penaIties Illuminated against them from
Rome, aud who persist in judging him
more Irish than Roman. The fact is, he is
Of the old school. He was in Mayuooth
when French priests taught from profes
sorial chairs the liberties obtained in their
strRights from the rival Popes Urban vi.
aud Clement VII, which Charles vi. en-
bodied in q royal edict, and the Council
confirm. He is old enough to remember
that the Padre Ventura was at one time
'an UltramOntaniSte enrGge" He fought
Justify in the days of his youth, and under
the device of Hierophilus, for the doctrines
of which he, was professor. he dealt the
proselytizer who would buy up souls with
soup many a treuchant blow. He was the
friend of Gregory to whom he owed his