The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-13

orator Of orators, preacher OF preachers,
a thinker OF thinkers, al once combining
all the essentials OF a great man and a
great churchman.
An archbishop is a prince of the Roman
Catholic Church. Therefore he is usually
addressed as his Grace. This custom of
addressing q prelate is religiousiy adhered
to in old Catholic countries, rich in the
splendor OF Catholic tradition, but in the
American church it has come to be re-
garded as proper and dignified to salute a
dignitary of the hierarchy simply by his
title of Archbishop or Bishop, as the occa-
sion may require.
Archbishop Riordan is not the man to
quarrel with YOU over mere titles. While
he is a man of marked dignity, as becomes
his great office, he soon makes the inter-
viewer or visitor at home by his kind
words and gentle assurances. His respon
sibilities are stupendous. He is a hard
worker, aad, with an efficient and able
staff OF priests, he struggles along day
after day building churches, temples of
learning and homes for the orphans the
which the Archbishop is now building at
Menlo Park, and which will be opened
very shortly, will be unsurpassed by any
other institution of learning in the West.
Archbishop Riordan passed his youth in
a seminary at Chicago. Then he went to
Rome and entered the American College.
This was in 1859. There he spent year
in study and another year in Paris. Then
he entered the far-famed University of
Louvain, in Belgium. While abroad the
young student acquired thorough knowl-
edge of French, Italian, German and
Flemish. In all these languages the Arch
bishop can converse quite freely. His
career as student was brilliant. He was
ordained in the cathedral at Malines. Bel
GUM, in 1865. Later he took the degree OF
licentia tie of theology.
On returning to America In 1865 the
young priest was made professor OF dog
matte theology and holy scripture in St.
Mary's Seminary. Chicago. In 1868 he
was appointed rector of st. Mary's Church,
Woodstock, and later of ST. Mary's Church,
Joliet. In 1871 he was appointed to the
important pastorate of ST. James Church,
Chicago. Here he remained until appoint
ed coadiutor to the late Arch bishop
Alemany with the right of succession.
The Archbishop's life in San Francisco
has been distinguished by the same bril-
liant achievement that marked his career
as a student abroad and priest at home.
The new cathedral on Van Ness avenue is
an exemplitication of his energy and Chris
tian zeal His labors have extended out
into many worthy channels. lie builds
hospitals for the sick, homes for the poor
and asylums foi the orphans.
The Arch bishops sermon yesterday was
from the gospel of the day, Luxe ii 1852,
as follows:
And when twelve years old they went up to
Jerusalem, according to the custom OF the
feast; and having fulfilled the days when they
returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusa-
lem, and his parents knew it not. And think
ing he was In the company they came day S
Journey, and sought him among their kinsfoIk
and acduainfances. And not finding him
they returned unto Jerusalem, seeking him.
And it came to pass that after three days they
the doctors hearing them and asking them
questions. And all that heard him were as
tonished at his wisdom and his answers. And
seeing him they wondered. And his mother
said 10 him: Son, why hast thou done so TO us?
Behold, thy father and have sought thee sor-
rowing. And he said to them: How is It that
YOU sought me? Did you not know that must
be about my fathers business? And they un-
dergtood not the word he spoke unto them.