The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-05-04
A Graphic Picture of the Marvellous Work
Accomplished by Priests
and People.
The Statement that the American Church
Has Suffered Big Losses
is Refuted.

The following magnificent address
OH 1.-THE Church in America-Its Yes
terday and Tomorrow" was delivered
by Most Rev. John Ireland, d. D.,
archbishop of st. Paul, on April II,
in st. Raphael's cathedral, Dubuque,
Iowa, OH the occasion of the bcstowal
Of the pallium on Archbishop Kcanc:
Remember the days Of old, think
upon every generation; ask thy father,
and he will declare to thee; thy elders,
and they will tell thee-Deuter. 32-7.
1t was the 10th day of April, of the
year 1889. There was much commo-
ton in the little village of Dubuque;
n steamboat was brcasting the swiftly
flowing waters of the Mississippi river.
steamboat upon the upper Missis-
sippi was always, in those days, an
unusual sight, and whenever one did
appear crowds tockcd toward the
landing to give it welcome and receive
from it news Of the far-off centers Of
population and civilization. This time.
however, the cagerlcss of the villagers
to rush rivcr-ward was such as to de-
note an extraordinary curiosity and
expectation; it was the first steamboat
of the season from Dubuque's en-
porium, ST. Louis and-this especially
heightened public interest in it's COM
ng-tle rumor had spread that
aboard this steamboat there would be
the newly consecrated bishop, Matthias
Loras. No wonder that there was
commotion in the villngc A bishop
for Dubuque! This to Catholics meant
that hereafter the holy church would
ccasclcssly watch over their spiritual
welfare; to all, whether Catholics or
not, it was an nugury that soon in
Dubuque extensions would bc given
to streets and groups OF houses, and
Iowa's silent prairics would be glad
dcned by the tread Of hosts of incom-
ing immigrants.
And, indeed, MS the steamboat was
made fast to the shore, quickly from
it's deck stepped Dubuque's first bishop
and two companions, priests who had
come with him from distant France
Thomas Grevin and Anthony Pcla-
mOurges. A few moments later the
woodruff chapel Mt the base Of the
bluff, Dubuque's solitary monument to
Catholicity, was filled to ovcraowing;
the bishop with bcating heart and tear
full eye blessed the people, blessed the
diocese of present and future time; the
Catholic church was formally and Of
ficiAlly installed in the Northwest.
At it's inception the diocese Of Du-
buquc embraced the vast region stu
ated between the Mississippi and the
Missouri rivers, from the state of Mis-
souri, on the south to British America
on the north. In this immense ter
rltOry there were at the time three
chapcls dedicated to Catholic worship,
proportionately limited Catholic pop
ulati0n, and not one resident priest.
What spiritual favors had been here
tOfore vOuchsafed to Catholics had
been coming from the hands of the H.
lustrious and devoted Samuel Mazzu-
chelli. the pastor of the neighboring
village Of Galena, who, while caring
for northern Illinois and western Wis
consin, was not unwilling to extend
into Iowa his apostolic labors
1t is the 18th day Of April, of the
year 1901. AS our pioneer fathers six
ty-two years ago, so we today witness
the Induction into his charge of
bishop Of Dubuque. How changed
from the scene of 1880 is that of 1901!
0 spirit Of our sainted Loras, pres
ent with us, 10 doubt, this morning.
prophet of hope as thou vast for Du-
buque, for Iowa, for America, never
hadst thou dared picture to thyself,
as possible within six decades of years,
the scenes of 1901, and all the won-
drous things beyond It. which this
scene symbolizes!