The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-22
ARCHBlSHOP'S PASTORAL
TO BIZ READ ~ THE CHURCHES
TO.DAY WHILE ME- ~ ON n SEA.
Largely Devoted TO schools. Parish ana
-"Usurplss Educational fson''.s
and Encroachments Of state socialism

IS"
The pnstoral letter OF Archbishop Corrigan'
who sails today on the kaissr Wilhelm II" on h'S
visit I'd iimina 10 Rome, viii he read in all Of inc
Catholic churches in the ArchdioceSe ms morn
ing. taking the place 81 the regular sermons WINE
II /. being road the Archbishop will bo on the sea-
The letter Is in part as follows
Michael Augustine, by the grace oil God ana
nj the Apostolic See, Archbishop of New iork'
10 the clergy, secular and regular. and to the 'a''h-
full Of the diocese, health and benedic,ion.
Rsyerend Fathers and Beloved Children IL
Je,,,. Christ. On tho day Of his conservation 10
IN, Episcopnl Office, the chief pastor OF a diocese
sol.mnlv promisos To visit, At stated times me
,ombs Of the glorious Apostles, SIS fee' anu
PAM. and 10 render to the Sovereign Pontih A iuli
.cconn, Of his stewardship. In this country
,h. visit TO The Holy Sec IL due once in Ten years
,rhe ob,cc, Of this canonical visit to Rome Is thfee-
fold first, 10 ycne,n,c the last resting place o'
III. Apostles; next, 10 pay homage 10 inc sue
cessor Of 81 Peter, and, thirdly. to submit a repo''
OF the condition OF Tho diocese
The visit itself Is sty led, In ecclesiastical Ian
ruagc, a visit dd Limind Odd Lim'nd Sdoe-
cd Limina Apoaolorum. Our fathers In 'he
faith held the ltmind -~ltnte!S or fhreshotds-o'
churches In special veneration, ST Phuiinus'
Bishop Of Nola "A. d. 353-i3D. who was accus
toned, IS Bishop. TO make a yearly pilgrimage
IN Rome on occasion 81 the feasts oi SIS feef
and Paul. tells Of the fervor with which me fai'n-
fui Of his day prayed before tho very doors OF me
churches -dcvoutly kissing the threshoins-
desing them with their tears, and tesUiS'ng ny
their whole demeanor their supreme reverence
for the house ~ God by n familiar ngufe oi
spcech, the threshold of n church came to slgnliy
the church itself, and the, Ltmtnd AroSfo'orhm
in particular came 10 designate the tonbS oi INC
Apostles, situated beneath the high affairs erected
,esnectjyelv in the majestic Basilicas oil ~ fe'e'
on the Vatican Hill and Of St Paul, on the osian
Wav
In the discharge Of his obligation, the bishop
q formal visits to the tornhs ot the win Apos-
los and spcnds A suitable time In hum bic ana
c,tnes, praver, seeking from their powerful In
,.rcrssion, aid and inspiration for his own work'
and some portion OF their apostolic spirit A GER
,inca,e that the pilgrim has PR 'c'ore Inc
L,m,no Sarra is then duly drawn p BY h" proper
official, n he deposited later, loS',. { with the
,e,,r, n, The diocese, in tho of'cr Of the secretary
of Propaganda.
The next duty is 10 pay homage to the successor
NJ 8, Peter 10 receive from his august lips words
pi ADVICE, fcIIfHl' u nv v y
In answer any questions which the Holy Father
may lie pleased to ask. We can well believe 'h"'
,rccisl rraccs and lights are vonchseied on such
occasions 10 the Vicar Of our Lord to "conhrm Ms
brethren"
The third and last duty Of The visit dd Lin'nd
T. 10 submit TO the S. CorCEcgaiiun oi frona-
rprGa Eide q rcport % the condition OF The diocese
since the date Il the last visit Opportunity Is
also Afforded he Bishop Of proposing amy aim
cul,ics he may have mot with. OF is likely 10 en-
counter, in the discharge 81 his Office seeking
advice and direction in al that concerns the well
fore 81 souls.
In due course. the receipt Of the reports ncknoWl-
edged in an appropriate letter, with such obserNa-
lions as each particular case suggests, and thus
tho Visit I'D Limtnl passes INTO the domain OF
history. From This mere outline, IT is easily
seen. dear brethren, that tho necessity OF re-
nor,inp TO the head, that is, The See ~ Peter Is
one Of the many proofs Of the almost superhnmnn
wisdom O, the Holy See. Just ne the material visit
10 the Eternal City: the coming in contact win
ones yencre,ed ecclesiastical s%ureriors, the meet
ine 81 many pralates distinguished for learning
and virtue. the opportunity thus ahoroed "' ue'
,ec,inr BY contrast, national RNgulanileS or prelu
d,ces: the opportunity Of 0hiairing a clearer IN
SIGHT into the mind Of th" Church, and becoming
,,o,e familiar with lis habits Of thought; the abid.
Ing even for a while near the last resting places
q, myriads II martyrs and contessors; the h'ing
for tho time being In an atmosphere o' fai'h, all
this is Of untold benefit 20 the pastor OF souls and
by the law Of cause and effect, rebounds Also &c
the advantage Of the flock committed To his care
40, only il the mind enlightened and broadcned
hut the will IL moved TO greater love and gentl~
ness; the human spirit sinks more readily to It's
true level; the spirit OF Rome stands revealed ir
its beauty like that OF the Divine Master a. pre-
eminen,ly one Of meekness and humility OF heart
Especially must these effects abound In a season
like the present, which for well known reasons
4. termed the holy year"
Casting a glance at the work accomplished II
the past ten years, ones heart, dear brethren
Is filled with gratitude 20 God, first OF all, for III
supernbundant graces, and next to the clergy o
tho diocese, secular and regular, ~ well "a to tn
devoted religious communities Of both sexes, 10
their self sacrificing labors, their intelligent anc
up,irinr zeal TO form some idea Of their work
4, will suffice to say, without entering into details
that every fifteen days during the past ten year
the diocese was enriched with a new church, o
school. rectory, convent, or other pious instiiu
lion In fact, the total number Of such new build
inrs exceeds $50 Again, to gauge results n
another way, the number Of communions dis
,ribn,ed in q single yenr, from Feb |, 1898. Il
Feb l.. 1899. was as follows, viz
In ,he churches Of New Nofk city .. .."2,23l.a4'
Ia churches outside the CITY .''''..'''' 1920
L. Diocesan Institutions .''" "'r'" "''''V'
ro,,, ........ 5000. 10,
NnnSrr OF children and adults prepared ,,,,,
fnr confirmation from 500 I IVY, = l3b'e.'
49, -. - vptuAI,ug given In The same
Nun%t y" ...... So
Nunber OF confessions heard during these
VISIONS -. ....... ...-. ..".l,320.0a
rho number Of baptisms in this diocese from
1890 10 1890 was pa, lei. from 1890 TO 1900, $50,
a3l. An increncc Of S33l3. The number of mai
,iaces in both decades was respectively, oS,OI
and 75i42, indicating u gain Of lIO68, Tn
number OF ba piisms during the year 1879 wa
rs 5,i According TO the oillcisl statistics OF TN
civ. the proportion OF births to NE Jopulali"I
in old New Work. and The borough OF The Hroa!
il one 10 thirty eight. Allowing for unrcrott~
births and other causes, II u estimated that tn
n,nror,ion may safely he assumed 10 he one L
thIr,y. three. This, in round numbers, would civ
Ike present population Of the diocese as ! ,2uO,WN
'ryrniy seven new rarishc, were established
daring the last len ears IN this CITY. l6l StculH
r,nsts ordained for the dioces c, while many othe
rr,pyrrn came from the religious orders an'
e,qrYherc. Thee data show a solid and graft
fvilg growth, as H." facilities for dispensing Oh,
CO asolationS ot rcilSloh nave eNOccued VIC 'H'feaH
~ the noplllaUun.
All this labor Of love hns been performed simply
calmly. rs a matter Of course Few would suS
n.ct ;,s magnitude. The heavenly crowns IN b
awarded for such consuming zeal will be amoni
the joyiul surprises ot eternity.
In particular, n most mcntorious work OF on
,.acuiur communities IL the Apostolate of th
scaool room in the cause ot The Catholic education
One hundred years ago, when there was but on
catholic Church in This city, ~, Peters In Bar
go, street. a free catholic school WAS inAlKt
r,tcl, with almost five hund rel pupils from IL
b,yinning, and that school has continued IL
II. ,r0cent mission without interruption iron
All Jnv 60 ihi,. Meanwhile, many other az
rn'..ons have been made 10 thc good cause, 50 tina