The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-26

en- up as lost by the doctors. number of
the maids friends called at the house upon
the afternoon of the day upon which the
consultation was held. They asked her to
baptize the infant secretly, as 1t was about
TO die Then for the first time she told
them of my baptism. She said that her
former experience had a bad result-that
is, that when she baptized me, she expect
ed that would die, and she wanted me to
die in the Christian faith. Further than
that she had no desire, and did not wish
to be censured by the laws of the state
she could not be persuaded to baptiZe
my little brother, and in a few days he
died. The news of my baptism and recov-
cry soon spread, and in a very short time
reached the Eternal City. At that time
Pope Plus TX was head of the Roman
states as well as pontiff of the Catholic
church. When l learned that / was
Catholic, strange impulse came over me-
and | could no longer remain in my pa
rents household as l had a great desire
to receive Catholic education. My pa
rents were strict Jews, and would not lis
ten to my entreaties.
AT that time 1 was only seven years
old, and according to the strict laws of the
Roman states. / was compelled to obey
the mandate of my parents. The news of
my unique case, and my parents stern
opposition soon reached the pope. He ask
position, and urged that as / was baptized
in the Catholic faith, he had to look after
my Catholic education. At that time the
pope's power was paramount, and my pa
rents acquiesced. | went to Rome willing
ly, and not as some people said at the time
under compulsion
My parents followed me q short time
afterward and endeavored to bring me
back. A friend of the family who was
present at our meeting said to me: 'Ac-
cording to the Fourth commandment you
must obey your father and mother l
said to him: There are three others
which have reference to God
My parents found that persuasion was
useless and went home to Bologna, and I
was brought up in the Catholic college in
Rome, under the protection and especial
care of the supreme pontiff, Pope Plus TX.
l always loved my parents and prayed for
their conversion. l communicated with
them at regular intervals, but l did not
see them until 1870 when my father died
MY mother died in 1878.
I'm 1870, when the pope's temporal piw-
err was overthrow, the Italian govern
ment obliged me to go back to my parents
and had not applied for protection to the
governor general, whom / had personally
known, / would have been subjected to
persecution. To save further trouble.
left Italy and went to Austria, where /
completed my theological studies. / have
always had the greatest regard for family
ties
When asked by the reporter about the
object Of his visit TO this country, Father
Mortara said that he was sent here from
Rome to establish missions for the Ita1-
ians in the Greater New York. When he
arrived he called ON Archbishop Corrigan.
He viii see Bishop Mcdonnell soon In
reference to his work. He is at present
staying IN South Second street, with
Mr.. and Mrs. Schwartz members Of Faith
er Malone's church. who have a son study
ing in the Augustine college at Rome and
who will be ordained a priest on Christ
mas day.