The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-25


how he had celebrated the event he an
swered, BY an act of thanksgiving dur
ing my mass and by an act OF contri-
tion.'
I'm the same spirit your eminence
would gladly have allowed the twenty
fifth anniversary Of your episcopal con-
secration to pass unnoticed by men, and
marked only by silent communion with
the supreme giver Of every good. But
the affection of a very devoted flock
gratitude to God and their holy JOY on
so notable an anniversary; and they
urged that If your modesty alone were
consulted they might seem not to appre-
ciate the ties that bind them TO their
chief pastor, nor to honor, as they ought,
so memorable an epoch in his life.
With your accustomed gentleness and
your desire to contribute always to the
happiness OF others, sacrificing your
own wishes to theirs, you have. yielded
70 their pious Importantly, stipulating
only, when you did me the great honor
to invite me to say a few words on this
occasion, that the address should be
brief and TO assume the character Of
panegyric.
Venerable Fathers, Reverend Breth-
rem of the Clergy, Dear Brethren of the
Laity-If we analyze the joyous feelings
which pervade our souls today / think
we may trace them back to two leading
thoughts, namely, the dignity OF the epis-
copal Office and the shining merits of
him whose jubilee we celebrate. OF the
latter point, although it is foremost in
our minds, l may not speak, and yet,
dear brethren what need of words when
all that one would wish TO say is al
ready engraved on your faithful memory
and recorded on the tablets of the heart?
What need of feeble words when a most
eloquent eulogy is silently spoken not
only by the presence Of the venerated
representative of the holy father but
also by the attendance of so many other
bishops and archbshops that their num-
Der calls to mind the last plenary coun-
ell over which your chief pastor presided
with so much grace, with SO much tact
and wisdom? What need Of words when
his fruitful labors have been already
crowned by the seal of eminent approval,
the sovereign pontiff having made him
member of senate to which the Roman
senator of old was insignificant in COM
parison?
According to the gracious purpose Of
our Lord, the bishop is indeed a true
shepherd. AS such first Of all, he must
love his flock The love of a bishop for
those fntrusted to his care ought not
merely to rival the solicitude of parent
for the spiritual welfare Of his offspring,
but great, strong, enduring as is pater-
nal affection the love of the episcopal
heart ought to be still purer and stronger
because it is derived from higher
source.
''2 The bishop must feed his flock by
word, by work, by example, being made
their pattern from the heart. Minds
that grope in the darkness and in err
TOR must be fed with the truth OF Christ.
Hearts that yearn for love and that ma
no secure resting place in things created
must be inflamed with the love of Christ.
The Christians whole life needs to be
shaped and fashioned after some tran
| scendant model to which all his actions
| may be conformed.
"3 The bishop must protect his hock.
| The good shepherd has compassion on
| the multitude lest they fall by the way
| side and perish; the good shepherd takes
| the wounded sheep on his shoulders and
carries it tenderlySto a place of shelter
where its bruises may be healed; the
good shepherd leads his flock to good
pastures. safe from ravening wolves ana
| secure from open or concealed danger to
| poor human nature; but in return how
| consoling is the gratitude of those for
| whose sake the burden is cheerfully
borne.
"St. Paul who felt all the solicitude of
| his office, also testifies of his disciples
that they received him as an angel of
| God. even as Christ Jesus and he adds,
| 4 bear you witness that it could be done
you would have plucked out your own
| eyes and would have given them to me-
so deeply did they value the scrifice made
| for their souls.
According to the sacred scriptures,
such. although in merest outline, are the
| duties. dear brethren, of the good shep-
/ herd What in turn are the duties of
| the flock? First of all the duty of obedi-
| ence.
"'My sheep hear my voice That is,
| they obey it. This duty, l am sure, the
| faithful of this diocese. trained in tradi-
| tons of piety from their youth, most
| mill oo1t dfc0hprOa Nnxt lie the dirty of
| prayer. earnest, fervent and persevering,
| that the life of the pastor, so precious to
| the flock. may abound with every bless
| ing and be spared as long as possible.
| Such is the mind of the church in order
| ing that the anniversary of episcopal
| conservation be kept year by year. The
duties of the office grow more familiar.
1t is true. with practice, but they also
| loom up in larger proportions as time
| goes on and are found to be more far
| reaching than at first appeared, just as
| one sailing on the ocean sees the horizon
] continually broaden on his view as he
| speeds day by day over the vast ex-
| panse of waters. But the haven of rest
| will heave in sight at last. Until that
hour the words of the gospel today will
keep resounding on the ear What I say
to you. 1 say to all, watch
'Vigilate.' And while the faithful
| shepherd watches lovingly over your
| safety. dear brethren, bear in mind the
prayer uttered on an occasion like this
| by the great doctor of the church, st.
| Augustine: Finally, I beseech you all
| to commend to the Almighty my care
| and solicitude for your souls and in re-
| turn for it I beg this requital that the
| Lord will overlook In His mercy and not
| scan with severity whatever shortcom-
| ings there may have been in the past.
| And as to the time yet remaining, dur
| ing which this burden Of the good shep-
| herd is to be borne. may He so rule my
| course as to make it pleasing to His eyes
| and conducive to your good, so that the
| last day you may not be for me a cause
of dread and punishment, but my joy
| and my crown.
At then end of the mass the papal
| benediction was dispensed. The recess
| sion from the church was in the same
| order as the entry. Cardinal Gibbons
| was assisted in the mass by the fol-
lowing: The Very Rev. A. L. Magniene
| S. S.. president of ST. Mary's seminary
| assistant priests, the Rev. ]. Walter and
L. Lee, both of Washington; deacon
| of honor, the Rev. George Devine of
Baltimore. The Rev. j. A McCallen of
| Montreal was master of ceremonies.
Pope Leo's Letter.
Following is the congratulary letter of
the holy father to the cardinal. 1t was
read by Father Rocker:
Leo XIII, pope: To our beloved son,
! James Cardinal Gibbons, archbishop of