The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-24


of mutual good understanding and per-
sonal respect.
In the United States. particularly the
Catholic Episcopate has been very active
in providing for the most fundamental
spiritual needs of their focks-churches
for religious services, priests for the adj
rninistration of sacraments, schools lof
the preservation of the revealed Chris
tian faith, orphanages for the little waits
and castaways of society. Whether snort
or long the periods of government OF
these church rulers have never been
idle or marked by self-i1dulgence. Al
most every one has left some monument
of faith as Il contribution to the general
good of Catholicism. l would neither ex-
aggerate nor boast, yet it occurs to me,
after many years of service, travel, and
| observation, that few ages of Christianity
can show a more laborious and elevated
Episcopate than the nineteenth century.
The recruiting of the diocesan clergy
has been the gravest duty Of this Epis-
copate. for religion lives by and for men.
1t can get along without wealth or monu-
ments, but not without intelligent teach
ers of its tenets and faithful observers
of its precepts. In keeping with the de-
craes of the Council of Trent diocesan
seminaries have been opened where it was
possible, and elsewhere provincial insti-
tutions of a similar character. Both
flourish in the United States and grow
more numerous with every decade. The
older clergy, long drawn from the ven
cradle schools of Europe, have left a
sweet odor among us. the purest odor of
ola of tn
and scattered focks. of patient, uncom-
planning contentment with the circum-
stances of poverty and humility. There
is no diocese in the United States where
there cannot be heard at the end of the
| century tales of the hardships and brave
| lives of the ecclesiastcs who laid the
| foundations of religion. We remember
! them always, and hold their names in
| benediction. The younger generation of
| our clergy enjoys advantages denied to
their predecessors: but we consider that
| they owe it to those predecessors If they
have a degree of leisure to perfect the
culture of their minds and a faithful
! Catholic people to ask for the benefits
which must accrue from greater learning,
| If it be solid and well directed.
Yet l cannot admit that our older cler-
| gy were deficient in the learning of the
schools. The names of England and Cor
| coran are at once on our lips, not to
| speak of a long array of others almost
equally entitled to distinguished mention.
| If the external conditions of the diocesan
clergy have improved, their relations to
/ the Church authority have been safe
guarded with even greater earnestness
| nf elr-
mods, provincial councils, and the three
! plenary councils of Baltimore have, we
| are happy to say, had little to do with
| questions of doctrine. They have all been
held for the improvement of discipline
and notably for the welfare of the clergy.
In the same direction, also, have tended
the numerous decisions and instructions
from the Roman congregations, whose
wisdom has never been invoked by us in
| vain, and whose sympathy for our con-
ditions we gratefully acknowledge.
THE CONGREGATION OF THE PROPAGANDA.
Any account of the good influence of
the Holy See on our ecclesiastical condi-
| tions would be unjust and incomplete If
the Congregation of the Propaganda Eide
were omitted To 1t We owe an unceas-
| ing surveillance, full of prudence and in
telligence From its offices have come to
the Bishops regularly counsel. warning,
| encouragement, cooperation. 1t has been
eminently just and fair, also fearless in
the application of the principles. the spir-
it and the letter of canonical discipline.
Its action is a calm and grave one. mark
ed by reticence and patience and that
composure which belongs to the highest
judicial decisions. But the Catholic
Church In the United States and in Cana
da owes it an undisputed debt of graft
tude The most learned Cardinals of the
century and the best ecclesiastical talent
have co-operated In the creation of its
legislation, which need not fear the criti-
cism of any learned and honest judicial
body of men.
RELIGIOUS ORDERS AND COMMUNITIES.
In the religious orders and communities
the Catholic Church possesses very an
cient auxiliary force that has rendered
incalculable help in this century. BY theii
numbers. their strong inherited traditions
their central government, their willing
obedience and their other resources they
have come everywhere to the aid OF the
Bishops and the diocesan clergy. Otter
they bore alone and for long time, an6
at great sacrifices, the whole burden Of
religion. Their praise is rightly on al
sides, and their works speak for them
when their modesty and humility forbid
them to praise themselves. The missions
of Catholicism in this century, as in 9th
ers, have largely fallen to them. They
stood in the breach for the cause of edu
cation when the churches were too poo
and few to open colleges. They have Civ
en- countless missions and retreats, an'
in general have not spared themselve
when called upon for works of genera
utility. They and their works are of tn
essence of Catholicism, and they ough
rightly to flourish in any land where the!
are free to live according to the precept
, and the spirit of their founders. who ar
often canonized saints of the Catholi
Church.
/ shall not be saying too much when
assert that among the invaluable service
= rendered to the Church by Catholic wo
men of all conditions of life-no uniqu
thing in the history Of Embellishments
. rendered by the women of religious com
> rnunities are OF the first rank of merit
: Primary Catholic education, in the Unite
: | States at least, would have been almos
, Impossible without their devotion. 1t
= owing to them that the orphans hav
been collected and cared for. the sic
. housed and sheltered, the poor and help
. less and aged. the crippled and the blnC
looked after regularly and lovingly. The
surely walk in the footsteps OF Jesus. dc
: ing good wherever they go. The perez
7 NAL note of sanctity In the Cathoii