The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-10-28


He, too, could proudly point to the
great progress made i'll the Holy Name
parish, when contrasting it with what
it was fifty years earlier. Then they had
only scattered few to worship before
its shrine, Now they had over 1000
families and fully 10000 worshippers
within the fold. (Great applause.)
Many OF those who had aided in build
ing tip the parish had gone to their
reward--had crossed the great divide
to enjoy, as they all hoped, immortal
bliss. He could not refrain from men
tioning the revered name OF the noble
DR.. MacMullen, whom they all knew
and loved (applause), and the genial,
ever kindly Vicar Gen. Conway, whose
pleasant countenancc and sunbright
smile revealed a tender heart, brimiul
OF atfection-a very fountain OF pastoral
love and manly friendship (grcat ap-
plause) and OF the numerous lay1nen.
his own old friends, who had followed
their beloved spiritual guides OH that
journey to the eternal shorc-hc could
only say, for they were too many to
speak OF individually, that, although
they had passed from earthly scenes,
they were not, therefore, forgotten by
those who knew and loved them here
below. Their faces still seemed to beam
upon their friends, and their voices, in
fancy, still sounded in the ears OF the
bcrcavcd who iondly hoped to rejoin
them in the regions OF happy immor-
tality.
The growth OF the Catholic Church
more than kept pace with the growth
Of the republic. 1t had by far the larg
est membership OF any individual de-
nomination. In American public affairs
it had been a patriot, not a political,
church.
1t had not advocated conversion OF
The heather by force OF arms, neither
did it convert the cross OF Christ, which
was its symbol, into the hlt OF a con-
queror's sword. (Great applause)
1t preferred to rule by moral suasion
and had charity Tor all mankind--no
matter what the color OF their sliin--rlo
matter at what altar they knclt. Cap
plause.) From the days OF Bishop Car
roll and Bishop England to those OF
Archbishop Hughes-thc chosen friend
and ambassador Of Abraham Lincoln
and from his day to the present time OF
Bishop John Lancaster Spading-it had
ever been found on the side OF Amer
lean independence, national unity and
the liberty OF mankind. prolonged ap-
rlausc.)
In the days of the revolution and
1872, it was true to the cause OF the
patriots, and the rights OF American
citizens On the high seas. From this
State OF Illinois, during the war with
Mexico, it sent forth that Catholic and
Irish hero, James Shields, at the head
OF an Illinois brigade to do good battle
for America at Cerro Gordo and Cha
pultcpec. (Applausc) When disrup-
exclusively Catholic and Irish regiment,
under the brave James Mulisan,
marched forth to defend the flag, and
the gallant leader lost his life through
chiva1rous fidelity to his trust. Gap
plause.> Still another regiment. the
Minctictll, composed OF Catholics,
,a;scd by Catholic clergyman and
headed by an Irisi, colonel, supplement-
ed the noble Twenty third, and Colonel
O'Mara fell, also, en- the bloody heights
Of Chattanooga, in defense OF his great
adopted country. (App1ause.) In the
late Spanish war, one fine Irish regi-
mcnt volunteered and was accepted for
service. Several others were ready to
follow it to the field, but their services
were not required. Thus, by practical
example, the Catholics Of Illinois and
Chicago, like those of the rest of the
republic, rciutcd the cowardly ISLANDERS
levelcd against their loyalty to America
ty narrow bigots who were disgrace
to the American name. (Applause)
He claimed for the old apostolic race
OF Ireland the premier place in the his
tory OF Catholicity in America, while
gladly admitting the great services per-
formed by the French Catholics, whose
country had been called the eldest
daughter OF the Church." the Spanish,
the Bclgians and the Germans, who had
been Christianized, in great measure,
Ey Irish lnissionaries-the worthy Sue
cessors OF St. Patrick-and who had
done much that was vigorously aggres-
sive in advancing the cause OF the old
faith iii the United States. (Applause.)
And Of newer elements in the life OF
the Catholic Church in America, he
might mention the Italians-those heirs
OF the conquerors OF the ancient world
whose radiant gifts would, after a
brief experience OF liberty, give to
America that genius which had made
Italy illustrious in arms, in art, in lit
erature-in all that tended to cnnoble
the human race. Nor could he forget
to pay tribute to the gallant kindred O
Kosciusko and Pulaski-Catholic cham
pions of American independence-the
devoted Poles, whose ancestors bea
hack from, the threatened plains of I'M