The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-01-09

had in her; patriotic service such
intrepid champions as the late DR.. Ma
CHM, Bishop Of Derry, he who APPLY got
the designation Of ''Star Of the North
from O'Connell - and the fearless
Archbishop McHale--.. Lion. of the fold
of Judah. & IL. ..
Today among those who stand in the
front rank of their country's ablest de-
tenders we have such powerful prelates
as Archbishops Cfoke and Walsh, and
the keen-sighted and patriotic young
bishop of Raphoe. With such ecclesias-
tical leaders as these willingly giving
their great services to the welfare and
regeneration of the mOtherland, the
cause of Home Rule need never despair.
OF course age and long service wear out
the energies of the most active and
Jealous, but that will not leave Ireland
without pronounced political leader
among the episcopate, for as soon as
his Grace of Cashel drops the sceptre
the rising young bishop of Tyrconnell''s
blood will be ready to take it up.
If we turn from the more public aspect
of Mgr. O'Donnells career and
look at his movements in the bosom OF
his debted priests and people of his
diocese, we see him labor with hercu-
lean strength to build up and perpetu-
ate the traditions and examples left by
his worthy predecessors, and to extend
and strengthen the faith of st. Patrick
and st. Columbkille; we see him nur-
turing his fine seminary in Letterken-
ny, the seat Of his episcopal residence,
and again we behold him far excelling
any of his predecessors in his ardent
desire to build up a cathedral that will
be worthy of the venerable diocese that
has given such staunch support to the
Church at home,sand sent so many of
her gifted sons across the Atlantic to
spread the. faith of st. Patrick in the
new world.
7 The subject of this all too short
sketch, Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell,
I'd. D., Bishop of Raphoe, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Daniel O'Donnell was born in the
parish of Glenties, County Donegal, in
the year 1856. After receiving the sa-
cred lessons of virtue which truly re-
ligious and moral parents can impart
at home, his earlier scholastic studies
began in the schools Of his native par
ish, and were continued at the diocesan
seminary in Letterkenny, where he
made study of classics. His rapidly
expanding. intellectual powers. soon
called for higher halls of learning, and
he proceeded to the Catholic Univer-
sity of Dublin, wherein he proved him
self a student of pre-eminent ability.
His intellectual achievem ents eoutran
his years, and being yet under the can
onical age for ordination, he took out
his degrees before he entered Maynooth
College 1t was, I think, in IA he en-
tered this latter famous ecclesiastical
seat of learning, and in quick succession
he was appointed professor of moral
theology after DR.. Logue was made
bishop of Raphoe.
The future prelate was ordained a
priest. in 1879, and for the eight years
following, his ripe scholarship and brill
liant faculties were devoted to- the inter-
ests Of Maynooth, that venerable college
whose reputation and fame are world
wide. 1t was in May 1887, that the bur-
den of the episcopate fell upon the young
shoulders of Mgr. O'Donnell, who, at
the date of his conservation, enjoyed
the UNIQUE distinction of being the
youngest Catholic bishop in the world.
The episcopal chair which the youthful
prelate was called upon to fill had been
left vacant by the translation OF the
reverend DR.. Logue-now Cardinal-to
the Primatial See of Armagh. And is it
not something to the credit of old Don
egal county that she can legitimately
boast of three such native sons as the
prelate Immediately under review, the
Most Rev. DR.. O'Doherty, Bishop OF
Derry, and his Eminence Cardinal Lo-
que; besides the long line OF native
prelates who so worthily filled the
throne of this ancient See. AS briefly
mentioned above, Bishop O'Donnell
comes of the good old stock that claims
legitimate descent from the noble Earl
of Tyrconnell. He has brother who
is physician in Dublin, and either one
or two Of his sisters are nuns at Rath-
farnam, near Dublin.
In his own personality ne sheds adj
ditional lustre ON the ancient race, for
although he has now only turned forty
he has been nine years in the episcopate
and has achieved a status in the Irish
Celtic hierarchy that is far above the
ordinary, and with such a record in
middle life what noble deeds may not
be expected Of him in ripper years il
Providence grants length OF years to
the distinguished prelate.