The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-14
vfsis - the Pope.
rus ARcueIsuoP's DESCRIPTION OF HIS VISIT
TO TEE HOLY FATHER.

Archbishop Gibbons, during high mass az
,ha .sa,hdral sunday, preached sermon IN
wh,sh he referred. ~ was anticipated, 10 his
v,sIt IN Europe. and gave an account oil ms
audience with Pope Leo XIII. He said
{. nropose this morning 10 make rev re-
aec,Ions on the subject Of my visit TO Eu.
rome. and sneak to you In conversafionai
vay az the impressions made by IL upon
NV mind. Having such IN abundance OF
tonics n seems difficult to know Just when
one 10 select. might speak OF the PASSION
NAV. which once In every ten years draws
Tens az thousands 10 the Tyrolese mountains,
and which once seen can never be forgot'
ten--an exhibition which no pen can ue-
s,.rihe and which must be seen 10 De APP
nrec,a,cd. Or, might speak OF the magnlf..
cent mopumcnts OF Christian art scattered
Ali over the face OF Europe, particularly OF
:, Peters at Rome--a church which SIN
stands. as Il has for ages. the greatest among
temples OF Christian worship; or, OF tne
Cathedral at Rome, which, In my luug-
ment. is In many respects more strlkibg
Than ST. Peters. This church-hve bun-
ared fees lonr, with two spires, each ascend
ing five hundred feet TO the sky, twice the
height OF Washirg'on's monument-was
began three hundred years before the re
formation, and only completed on Inc
14tb of August last six hundred aud hity
Years in building. How suggestive Is THIS
Jennie OF the perpetuhy OF the Catnolic
Churchl The Catholic Church, during
these six hundred and fifty years, has seen
dynas,ies and Kingdoms rise and fall mon
arches change to republics, and republics
change TO empires. From one dynasty 10
snotner II has watched one king follow an
other TO the grave, and generation alter
generation succeed each other. VI 1er
we can truly say, sAll these earthly monu-
ments shall perish, and thou alone snalI re-
main: thou art the same Cburcn OF Cou,
and years shall never change tbee.. Mucn
as I was charmed with the architectural
structures OF Rome. much more was i I'M
pressed with the living head OF the Cburcn.
bad the satisfaction OF listening TO grand
and glorious Christian services IN this grand
and glorious Cathedral at Rome, aud AFTER
one service saw second great congrega-
ton succeed The one which had Just de-
parted. | was charmed to witness success
lion of immense multitudes OF people sing
ing the praises OF GOD 10 congregatiohn
sfyie in the noble language OF their father
land. or this might speak at length. or OF
the various systems OF governments l met
d..
| might draw comparisons between the
Governments OF Europe and that OF our
own country; and / may say without fat
tery that would rather live under the Stars
and Stripes than under any system OF gov
ernment have yet encountered.
AUDIENCE WITH THE POPE.
81 might speak OF dear old Ireland. OF
ITS happy prospects OF prosperity for the
coming year, but there is one subject that l
am aware you wish should enlarge on, and
shall for few moments speak OF my visit
TO Rome and my audience with the Holy
Father. And as my visit was particularly
TO Law at his feet the substantial testimony
of YOUR love and venera,ion, 1t is proper
that should do so. On The 18th OF May L
bad private audience with the Holy
Father. the living head OF the Church.
While awaiting in the ante.ro0m was not
without some feelings "f excitement. had
known him as q Cardinal, but ii is not every
day that an archbishop has the privilege OF
an audience with the Holy Father. No
man can approach him without feeling the
awe of his presence, for in the pre-.
seDce of the man who Is the living
of the Almighty, the lineal
successor OF 81. Peter, who occupies the
throne filed by a long list OF distinguished
M edece,sors, he feels that he is standing in
the presence of the man who has been most
potent in shaping the destinics Of Europe
for the past two thousand years; and though
to day he is stripped OF his temporal power,
what are the potentates OF Europe In CON-
parison to him who holds in his hands the
destinies OF 200,0O0,000 souls? As | en-
tered the door he, from his throne at the
other end OF the room, affectionatey threw
open his arms, and, welcoming me most
kindly, babe me sit beside him, and made
me perfectly at home. All OF the portraits
have seen Of him fail to do him justice,
and some OF them are mere caricatures.
His face is perfectly white, pale, and enact
ated, and his cheeks colOrless. His connte-
nance displays high order OF in
telect, profound meditation, and a
happy combination Of genius and force
of character combined. / had arranged
the subjects upon which L wished to
with him, but he disarranged all
my plans by taking the lead in the CONVEX
saliOn himself. He referred to The late
Archbishop spaldng, and said that he bad
met him. He spoke Of him kindly and
pleasantly. When he preferred TO bis ency-
clcal letter upon the subject OF marriages
al d divorces | told him how grateful we
were-to him for it and how heartily we CO.
opcrated with bin in endeavoring to carry
out IFS instructions. | urged him TO write
an encyclical letter upon the proper observ-
arce of Sunday. / told him how Ameri-
cans were scandalized by its non-observance
in parts OF Europe, when they knew the in
babitants were nominaly Catholics. told
him if he would write such letter the
Christian world would take heart and
part with him. He then asked me in
regard TO the diocese OF Baltimore
the number OF churches, the style OF
architecture-and particularly IN regard TO
this Cathedral. | gave him full particulars
OF its inception, building. and dedication,
and told him what had been added to the
building during my own administration.
He expressed great pleasure ut my re-
marks. In answer to his inquiries In re-
gard to the Iaiety, told him that you were
emincutly loyal to your God and your coun-
try, rendering unto Caesar the things that
are Casar's, and unto God the things that
are God's.' He continued asking me in re-
gard to the secular clergy, and was glad
10 tell him how devoted TO their duties were
the clergy of this diocese. After some gen.
eral remarks begged his acceptance OF the
offering which rendered him, and which
he accepted with great gratitude, and he
begged me to tender to you his apostolic
benediction." The Archbishop closed with
an exhortation to the congregation to
I" Love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart"