The Irish standard., 1892-07-30

mitre and governing wisely the district
committed to his care. At the present
time Right Rev. James @. Macdonald Is
bishop of Charlottetown, and from 1881
to 1859 that diocese was presided over by
another Bishop Macdonald. Right Rev
Ronald Macdonald has charge Ct the
diocese of Harbor Grace, and there are
not less than twenty-five priests OF the
name at work in the missions OF Nova
Scotia, Prince Edwards Island and
Alexandria. One of the most heroic tig-
ures in the Catholic history of Canada
bore a name much akin to that OF tke
new metropolitan of Edinburgh, and ne
doubtless hailed from portion OF the
diocese in the Highlands, which DIR.
Macdonald now leaves for the archiepis-
copal city. That was Right Rev. Alex
ander Macdonnell, who, in March 1903,
obtained from the British crown grant
of land for every member of the Glen
garry Highlanders, regiment which had
rendered the government good service,
and of which he was the chaplain, whom
he might induce to emigrate to Canada.
Coming over to Canada thatyear Father
Macdonnell was appointed to the mission
of St. Raphael, Upper Canada. The
manner Of his landing at Quebec, where
there were then no wharves, was often
described by Dr. Macdonnell, who said
that while the ship lay in the stream and
he was wondering how he could get
ashore, "a fine, strapping young fellow
waded out, took me in his arms as if [
had been baby and carried me to land"
The Highlanders whom Father Macdon-
nell brought to Upper Canada then were
among the pioneers of the Scotch Catho
lies that form so numerous body there
now. Having, after SO little delay,
secured land for his countrymen, Father
Macdonnell acted as their pastor until
1919, when Upper Canada being made
separate bishopric, in consequence OF the
promotion of Quebec to metropolitan
rank, he was consecrated it's first prelate
and took up his residence at Kingston.
1t was huge territory that the new
preIate had to oversee; his vicariate-for,
owing to the opposition Of the British
government, DR.. Macdonnell was not
allowed to take the title of a bishop
was over 700 miles in extent, and he had
but two priests to help him in the per-
formance of his duties. In 1926 he took
the title of bishop of Kingston, which is
said to have been the first Catholic see
recognized in its colonies by Great Bri-
tain since the days of the reformation"
and he died in 1910, lamented by Protest
ants as we'll as by Catholics,
When this venerable prelate was able
to do so, it was his greatest delight to
spend his time among the Highlanders
Of Glengarry and Stormont counties, the
places where he obtained lands for them
from the British crown. A little over two
years ago, Leo XIII. raised those two
Canadian counties to diocese, and ap-
pointed as the first prelate a namesake
of the illustrious Scotch bishop who first
ruled the Kingston see. This diocese
is peopled almost wholly by the descend
ants of the Catholic Highlanders who
followed Father Macdo4nell to Canada in
1903 Within it's limits is the old mis-
sion, st. Raphaels, which was the first
Canadian charge, and many of the par
ishes bear the names OF. Scotch places,
while the churches have Scotch saints
for patrons. Many of the original High
landers went eastward from Glengarry
and Stormont to Nova Scotia and P. E.
Islands, and in the localities where they
settled we find now parishes with such
Highland names as Loch-
aber, Arisaig, Keppoch, Glencoe, Iona,
Kinkora, st. Andrews, St. Margaret's
and many more. To these people, who
like the Irish-Americans, cherish fond
affections for the land OF their forefathers,
even though their eyes never rested on
the glens and mountains of the High
lands, the promotion of Bishop Macdon-
aid from the see of Argyll and the Isles
to the metropolitan throne lately occu-
pied by Archbishop Smith, is an item of
especial interest, as it also is to the many
of their kin who have found homes in
this country. The duties which will de-
volye on DR.. Macdonald in his new posi-
tion will be necessarily weightier than
those he has so faithfully discharged
during the past fifteen years, for the
archdiocese of which he is now the me-
tropolitan has three times the number Of
priests as the bishopric he leaves, and
the churches are correspond,ngly more
numerous; while, as the head OF the
Scotch hierarchy, he will have other OBJ
legations to fulfill.
Little Brother: "Mr. Posyboy, won't
you go and stand before the Window
l. II