The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-11
Retrospect of Former Gatherings.

retrospect OF Former gatherings.
Baltimore Special.
1t was the writer's privilege to attend the two
plenary councils of the Catholic Church in Amer
lea in the Cathedral in this city, where is now
assembled the largest body of prelates con
voked together in any convention excepting the
universal councils at Rome AT the first ma
tional council, held on May 9, 1852, Archbishop
Kenrick presided. He, together with Arch
bishop Purcell, of Cincinnati, had attended the
second provincial council of the church Oct. &C.
1888, under the only metropolitan of the church
then wearing the pallium, Archbishop Whit
field Recalling to mind the great men of the
church forty years ago, the observer must note
the Intellectual giants Of the episcopacy. First
came the great Hughes, of New York, whose
record as fearless defender of the rights of
his coreligionists commenced in 1910 in his
famous contest on the public school ques-
ton, resulting in his discontinue before
the Common Council but ultimately in
in his success, when he laid aside the
inter and took up the ballot, honored by Presi-
dent Polk with the offer of special mission of
peace during the war with Mexico which he de
cllned. His prestige for vigorous force was rec
ognized by the United States government twice,
once when, in 1850, the minister at Rome was in
structed to urge, unoflicially, his creation as
Cardinal, and again in 1862 after his special
mission to Europe on behalf of the United States
government, to counterfeit the influence of con-
federate agents abroad, when the official intima-
ton was conveyed to the Holy See that the
President would be pleased to see him made q
Cardinal Possibly, in comforting the fisher
mans hat on a rich bishop, McCloskey Plus TX
was not unmindful of this. Next comes
Francis Patrick Kenrick the theoiogiau who
was the silent worker, enriching the literature
OF the church by volume upon themes
of the deepest research kenrick, of st.
Louis Purcell, Of Cincinnati; Blanc, of
New Orleans, and Blanchett of Oregon were
the remaining archbishops who had abored for
years in fields far distant from commercial cen
ters Among their co-workers in the episcopacy
were Martin G.. Spalding. John McGill John
now CARDINAL McCloskey, G. S. ,Alemany and
John b. Lomy all destined to figure conspicu
ously in the history of the church.
Passing to the second national council of 1866
we find in the list of archbishops the names of
Purcell, Spalding and Odin, since called to their
reward, leaving ArchbshOps Kenrick (the censor
archbishop Of America), McCloskey Lomy and
Alemany. Among the bishops those who figured
prominently and have passed away are Bailey
and Wood, afterward archbishops of Baltimore
and Philadelphia; Lynch of Charleston; McGin
and Whelan, of Richmond. Only seven of the
thirty eight bishops survive, namely: Elder
Fechan, and Williams, now archbishops; OCon-
nell DeGoesbriand, Hennessy and Loughlin.
1t will be seen from the list that of the old
school Of bishops but few remain and most of
these, by reason of their advanced age, will not
3
orous youth of the council. OF course the CEN
ter of public attraction is the apostolic delegate
Archbishop Gibbons, but there is this difference
in the third plenary council and its predecessors;
the first and second were presided over by the
most prominent men of their day, Kenrick and
Spalding the great theologan and the great
national churchman. Spalding ranked above
his contemporaries in church and state He
was thoroughly Catholic and American. Arch
bishop Gibbons, although through circum-
stances the head of the council finds
himself in the midst of his peers
In fact, some of them are greater in the councils
of the church and greater in public opinion
Therefore, this council, composed of compare
lively young men, finds itself covered with a
vast church, built by the giants who have
passd away, and hence their work is chiefly one
of regulating its vast proportions, which are the
labors of the men OF quarter of century ago
Some incline to the opinion that at the close of
the council cardinal will be named, and the
friends Of Archbishop Gibbons predict that
honor for him. That he has ambition in that
direction has been apparent for some time, but
the writer thinks that if the hat comes to
America it will go West, to the Empire of the
Church in this country. Should the Pope give
the hat to the East your correspondent ventures
the opinion that Philadelphia or Boston will be
favored