The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-01-09
FIGHTING FOR IRE cHUR:.
What Young Priest Would do
in the latter of the Faith
on any Occasion.
BETTER ATHLETE THAN SULLIVAN
q Catholic Priest Can be Every
thing to fleet the
Occasion,
BETTER ATHLETE THAN SULLIVAN

Occasion,
Before dealing with the personality
and status OF DR. O'Donnell, mention
should rightly be made of some Of the
distinguished prelates who preceded
him in the ancient See, says VIM. Eli
son in the Union and Times" This,
however, cannot be sufficiently done in
the space of mere newspaper sketch.
But it may be we'll to say that he was
called at an unusually early age to fill
the episcopal chair left vacant by the
translation of the present venerable Car
tlinaI I.ugue to the Primatial See of Ar
magh Before his Eminence there sat
III the episcopal chair the late lamented
venerable and beloved Most Rev. DR..
Daniel McGettigan, afterwards Arch
bishop of Armagh and Primate Of Ire
land, and Immediately before his Grace
the throne Of Rarhoe was filled for a
long stretch of years by another vener
able Bishop McGettigan, a man of very
forceful character, who enjoyed the dis
tnction of being the oldest bishop of his
time, and who was besides "a genuine
Irish wit Nor did he fear even in the
days Of his episcopal glory to tell how
his good mother spun the hank Of yarn
to pay for his schooling, or how he
learned his lessons while herding the
cattle in the pasture fields.
He lived in times when faction fights
were common and when intemperance
made havoc in social virtue and moral
ity. The strong minded prelate
sternly set his face and episcopal au-
thority against these vile abuses, and
he did more to abate the nuisance than
a regiment Of soldiers could have done.
But l will stop the retrospect here
and come at once to a review of the
able and patriotic young prelate who
now fills the throne of the venerable
See Anyone who can claim kindred
ship, by lineal descent, with the illus
trious race of the earls of Tyrconnell,
is sure to occupy a warm place in the
hearts of the Catholic Celtic race the
world over Mgr. O'Donnell is direct
descendant Of the famous stock, and he
inherits their gifts of body and mind,
for he is described as having the phys
ical form and force Of a grenadier, and
his, voice has the force and clearness
of a bugle call. Then his scholastic
and theological record places him high
up among the gifted theologians and
churchmeD of the Catholic hierarchy
In the church his advance has been re-
markable, having attained to the purple
at an age when even noted clergymen
have scarcely begun to manifest their
inherent abilities Although his natur-
al talents had brought him fame long
ago, his connection with the now histor-
ic Irish Race convention in Dublin, az
forded wider scope for the display of his
ripe intellectual powers.
He thereat filled the chair with an
ease, masterfulness and dignity that in
creased the fame and worth of the great
assemblage. He handled the vast meet
ing With the prudence, tact, and firm
ness of Speaker of the House of Com
mons. And all who listened to his pow
erful opening address were charmed by
the wise and statesmanlike words that
flowed from his eloquent tongue. And
his audience embraced picked statesmen
and pulpit orators from various coun-
tries of the globe.
Although the prominent part played
by Mr.. O'Donnell at the convention may
be called his most important political
service to Ireland. 1t is by no means
his first because during the past five
years at least he has taken very ac-
tive and decided-if unseen--part in
Home Rule politics. And his far-see-
ing views and opinions have had salu-
tary influence and weight In the coun-
ellis of the Irish Parliamentary party.
Ireland, even in her thralldom and
( political dislocation, has been fortunate
in having had self-sacrificing states
men and prelates to speak powerful
/ words in her behalf in every succeeding
II generation since the day when her con-
3 quest and affliction began down to the
present, hour. In the earlier periods Of
Il her liation and persecution she had
sll,srs Isl. 11oole and the other
j,l \ l'l' "A III 81