The Irish standard., 1900-09-08
claiming: Look at the little American

claiming: "Look at the little American
monkey"
1t was in this village also that Mgr.
Cretin, the first bishop of st. Paul,
was born. l dined with an octogen-
arian curate in the very house in
which he lived. Here, too, Father
Ledon, for some time pastor of the
cathedral parish in st. Paul, was born.
There are three churches in Montluel
st. Etienne, st. Barthelemy and
Notre Dame-all very ancient. In
st. Etienne l stood on a flagstone
marking the tomb of Sc. u. Evrard,
deceased A. ID. 1G2S." st. Rarthelemy
crowns the summit of the hill back of
the village, and over the door read
the following Latin inscription: Gin
the year of our Lord 1889 this church
was founded by Lord Humbert, lord
of Montluel, and Lady louise de Ii
Tour, his wife, in honor of the blessed
apostle Bartholomew"
Here the lords of Montluel with
their court of knights and ladies and
many brave retainers lived and
reigned for three hundred years. Nor
did they fail to make an honorable
family record. Humbert Nv was the
first to grant numerous immunities
and privileges to his subjects, his ex-
ample being quickly followed by all
the other great lords of the neighbor-
ing provinces. Here Lord Iumbert
de la Tour accidentally dropped his
infant son from one of the high cas-
tie windows, and in his despair retired
from the world, entered a Dominican
monastery, and ultimately became
archbishop of Reines. Godfrey, n
son of Lord John of Montluel, entered
the church and OH the death of Greg
DRY IX was elected pope under the
title of Celestin Nv, on Oct. q, 1911.
To the west of the very highest
point of the hill stands beautiful
statue of our lady, erected in 1869,
just before we left France.
The church of Notre Dame is the
finest Of the three churches, and there
is nothing in st. Paul or Minneapolis,
l am sure, to compare with it. On
Sunday at the high mass the choir
stalls were occupied by a number Of
priests, Christian brothers, laymen,
choir boys and several army officers
in full uniform. The chanting was
remarkably well executed and one OF
the villagers accompanied it with con.
siderable skill on the large pipe organ.
At the offertory some twenty-five of
the village maidens gathered round
reed organ and sang hymn in three
part harmony.
The public professions of Corpus
Christi and St. Marks are a beautiful
MEDIEVAL custom still in vogue in
Montluel in fulfillment of a vow made
in 1922. The village band is followed
10y all the religious societies in the
town with banners and regalia. Then
comes the magistrate in state, fol-
lowed by little child about four
years old dressed in sheepskins and
leading a white lamb to represent st.
John the Baptist. He is followed by
another child scarcely three years old
dressed in a red tunic with a rope
around his waist, a crown of thorns
on his head and a little wooden cross
on his shoulder. A bevy of little
girls dressed in white with large pa
per wings attached to their shoulders
to represent troop Of angels are fol-
lowed by flower girls and censor bear
ers. Then the clergy in their robes,
the eucharist under a handsome dais,
surrounded by the "Pompiers' or fire
brigade with rifles and the general
population conclude the procession.
Last year Archbishop Ireland as
preacher and Bishop O'Gorman as
celebrant left a profound impression
on the community of Montluel.
About six miles east Of Montluel, at
the Petit Seminaire of Meximieux, l
was shown Latin grammars with the
names of "John Ireland and "Thos.
O'Gorman" inscribed upon them; for
it was here that the world-renowned
Archbishop Ireland of st. Paul and
Bishop O'Gorman of Sioux Falls made
their classical studies. Here also
lived the well-known Father Cotton
OF Little Canada, near st. Paul, called
''the priest with the wooden legs" be-
fore he went to Minnesota as mis-
sionary nearly fifty years ago. l
also met Rev. Gems Of Minneapolis
here paying visit to his native town.
Surely the Catholic church in Mime
sofa owes much to these ancient
French villages.