The evening times., 1900-02-27

The Catholics of this city and the Broth
ers of the Christian Schools especially, are
looking forward with eager interest to May
"a next. when Pope Leo XIII will proclaim
TO the Christian world the canonization of
Jean Baptiste de la Sale.
The Blessed de la Salle,'' said prom
inent member of the Christian Brothers in
this city today, should have lived in the
present time. As it is he was more than
two centuries ahead of his age, and Iii
founding our order he showed himself so
emphatically devoted to the most advanced
ideas in education. that great as was the
mission he performed we think there is
still need of such man.
The canonization ceremony, which viii
be conducted by the Pope in person, should
his health enable him TO do so, Will take
place at st. Peters in Rome. and will be
the elimination of the honors already con-
ferred on de la Sale. who was declared
Venerable upon May 8. 1910, by Pope Greg
ory NVI and received the degree of Blessed
February 10, 1883. The last named decla
ration is usually precedent 10 canonzation.
The same proof of eminent virtue and the
working of miracles is demanded in one
case as in the other, the only different be-
ing that the cultus of a canonized saint be
longs to the universal church instead OF
particular order community, and
affairs may be erected in his or her honor
throughout Christendom.
The elevating of Jean Baptiste de la
Sale through the successive stages of
Venerable and Blessed TO the dignity of a
canonized saint has been going on in
France, his native country, and in Rome,
the centre Of such process for the greater
Fart of this century The enquiry institut-
ed for declaring him Venerable was con-
Quoted simultaneously at Rheims his
birthplace. Rouen. and Paris. The chief
requisite for the degrees Of Blessed ana
Saint are the proofs of miracles wrought
by the Venerable person who is nominated
for those honors. There, it is said, have
been forthcoming in the case of Blessed
John Baptiste de la Sale and hence there
are now no obstacles to his enrolment in
the catalogue of saints.
AS stated. the ceremony of canoniZation
will take place in ST. Peters in Rome. The
postulator or advocate of the cause Of the
proposed saint, who will be a person OF
high rank and distinction in the country
or order To which the saint belonged, VIII,
after various preliminary ceremonies ASK
twice that the name of the servant OF God
whose cause he pleads may be enrolled
in the catalogue OF the saints. The Pope
replies each time that ii is best to explore
the will of God still further by prayer;
the grand choir and organ then burst forth
in the Veni Creator; litanies are chanted,
and at the third request the Pope de-
Clares and ordains. in honor OF the Holy
Trinity. for the glory OF the Catholic faith
and the progress of the Christian religion
in virtue of the authority Of our Lord Jesus
Christ of the Holy Apostles, Peter. and
Paul and Of his own plenary and proper
authority" that the servant5of God In
question shall be inscribed on the register
of the saints. and that his memory shall
be celebrated on a certain day, in every
rart Of the church. 3,
solemn mass. in which the Pope him.
self. unless disqualified by illness. will
oficiate. is then celebrated in honor of the
new saint.
Jean Baptiste de la Sale was born at
Rheims April So 1861. At the age OF nine
he was entered as a student in the Uni
yersity of Rheims He was a monk at
eleven years. and at sixteen. was named
TO a canonry in the Cathedral. He went TO
Paris TO pursue his theological studies and
on the register of the Seminary of ST. Sui
pice may still be read opposite the date
of October IS 1870. the words: Jean Bap-
tiste de la Sale, acolyte. and Canon OF
Rheims" II was the accidental meeting
with his old schoolmaster in Paris, who
came from Rheims to establish a school for
poor BOYS that gave de la Sale the idea Of
that work with which his name is now
identified.
Popular education among the masses
was unthought of in that age. and de la
Salle had numerous difficulties TO contend
with in the founding of the Christian
brothers. The schools at length prosper
cd and de la Sale lived to see the success
of his great life work He died on Easter
Saturday Anril l7l9