The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-03-23

ArcnDlShOp ireland has addressed
the following letter to the reverend
clergy:
St Paul, March 49, 1901,
Reverend Dear Father:
The second day of July, 4. D. 1851,
is Il memorable date in the history of
the Catholic church in the Upper Mis-
sissippi valley. On that day our first
bishop, Right Rev. Joseph Crctin, az
rived in st. Paul, with commission
from the Supreme Pontiff of the uni
versal church, to take spiritual charge
OF souls within the vast eXpanse of ter
ritory which reaches from the st.
CroiX and the st. Louis on the east
to the Missouri on the west, and from
the state Of Iowa on the south to the
British border ON the north.
AS the bishop stepped ashore from
bis steamboat he was welcomed by the
solitary priest, Rev. Augustin Ravoux,
who before that time had cared for the
few hundred Catholics living within
the limits of the new diocese, and led
by him to the log chapel on the river
bluff which was to be for the moment
his cathedral. In the bishops diary
we read: CIT die "a Julii Sti. PAUL.
enascentem civitatem petit; ct Gun,
effuso corde owes suas in pauperrimo
Sanctuario ligneo allocutus est ct bene-
dixit."
Such that day was the Diocese of
st. Paul. 1t was indeed the mustard
seed-planted however in fertile soil,
to be watered by earnest hands, while
God from on high poured blessings
upon it. That in fifty years it has
grown into great and beautiful tree,
the ecclesiastical province Of st. Paul,
with it's six prosperous dioceses, gives
in the year 1901 acceptable testimony.
The fiftieth anniversary Of the ar
rival in st. Paul of Bishop Cretin is
near at hand. Shall we, the heirs of
his apostolic mission, the spiritual
children Of his zeal, the witnesses Of
the rich fruitage of his planning and
his working, allow this anniversary to
pass by unnoticed, unhonored, with
out tribute to the memories of
our father in the faith and of
his pioneer flock, without a
hymn of thanksgiving to God
for graces received from Him, with
out prayer that the coming half-cen-
tury be not unworthy of that, which is
now to be closed? Assuredly not.
Were we to neglect to celebrate, as best
we may, this golden jubilee, the very
tombs In our cemeteries would have
voice and would protest against our
thoughtlessness and our ingratitude
1 write this present letter merely to
give notice Of the celebration. Com
mittees will be appointed to take
charge of such details as may enter
into the celebration; and, in due time,
those committees will communicate to
the priests Of the diocese of st. Paul,
and, with the permission of the right
reverend bishops, to those of other do
ceses in the province, such arrange
ments as they may deem advisable in
order that the second of July next be
made worthy of the memorable day
of which it will be the commemoration.
And SO. God helninp wo shall colo.
brate the golden jubilee Of the church
in the Northwest, and the whole olden
diocese Of st. Paul will be invited to
take part in the ceremonies which will
mark the suspicious day, the second of
July, 1901.
1 ask Of priests willing cooperation
in the labors of such committees.
+JoHN IRELAND,
! Archbishop of st. Paul.