The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-24
Copyright 1900 by The Printing Publishing soctGtiO)

BY CARDINAL GIBBONS.


beneficial by opening up new lands and
by making transit easy and rapid, thus
recalling some of the conditions which
conduced to the original spread of the
religion of Jesus. multitude of noble
souls have devoted all to the enlighten-
ment of the barbarian and pagan world.
And while l disparage no land, and do
not undervalue the good intentions and
efforts of those outside our pale, l can
not pass over in silence the French ma
ton, which has given more abundantly
than any, perhaps more abundantly than
all others, of priests. sisters. and funds
for the essential duty of Catholicism. The
work of the Propagation of the Faith and
the Seminary of Foreign Missions at
Paris deserves a special souvenir as often
as Catholic missions are mentioned.
THE PoPEs OF THIS CENTURY.
Six Popes have ruled the Church in
this century: Plus VII; Leo XII; Plus
VIII: Gregory XVI. Plus TX, and the
present venerable Pontiff, Leo XIII. In
the person of Plus VII, they have known
what martyrdom was like, also the shame
and humiliation Of being subject to civil
power absolute in its character and prone
to understandable interference with the
ecclesiastical power. even to contempt of
its most ancient and venerable rights. In
Gregory XVI and Plus TX they learned
the purposes and the power of those who
in Europe have succeeded to the men of
the French Revolution. In Leo XIII, their
line, the Oldest line of rulers on the earth,
can boast Of a most enlightened mind
and a very sympathetic heart. Long time
a Bishop of an important See before he
was made Pope, he has been at the level
of every task imposed upon the Papacy
In a particular manner he has been the
patron of ecclesiastical studies, by his
scholarly encyclicals on philosophy, Scrip
ture, history, and other branches of learn
ing. noble specimen of this activity is
his late letter to the Bishops of France
on the studies of the clergy. His spirit
is the Christian spirit of reconciliation
and concord. yet without sacrifice OF the
immemorial rights and the solemn obliga-
lions of the Apostolic See. He may not
live to see the restoration of his indepen-
dence. and the PREPARATION of the wrong,
inflicted upon the Holy See, but he can
maintain a protest that will forever in
validate among Catholics the claim of the
actual government and keep open the Ro-
man question until it is rightly set
tied. Catholics cannot forget that the
Pope for the time being is, according to
Catholic doctrine, the successor of St.
Peter in all his rights and privileges as
the visible head of the Church appointed
by Jesus himself. Hence, among other
duties, he has to safeguard the approved
traditions and the general legislation of
the past, to protect the status of the
Church as given over to him and to hand
IL down undiminished to his own sue
cessor. Precisely because he is the head
of the Church he may not licitly alter
its organic and regular life or arbitrarily
abandon the almost sacrosanct ways
along which his predecessors have moved,
or give up lightly the institutions In which
religion has gradually found a setting for
itself. l venture to say that this element
of fiNity In the attitude of the Apostolic
See will be more appreciated in another
age more constructive and architecture
than the past. less querulous and destruc-
tive, even If less daring and brilliant
Forever to pull down and scatter, anG
never to build up and perfect, cannot be
the final purpose of human society. II
is perhaps worth remarking that the
average reign of the Popes is much long
er In this century than In any other, be-
ing over sixteen years, and that two sue.
cessive reigns. those of Plus TX and Lee
XIII, represent fifty-four continuous
years of Church government at Rome
phenomenon not witnessed since tho
and St Paul.
THE CATHOLIC HIERARCHY.
During this century the Holy Father
has been able to restore the Catholic hier
archy in England, Scotland, Holland. ant
| to create it anew in India. This mean:
| the orderly management OF the work!
! and the purposes of the Catholic religion
since the Episcopate is the divinely insti
/ tuted organ for its spread and its admin
! istration. In many lands numerous
| Episcopate has sprung up. In our owl
| beloved country 1t has grown almost a
| the rate of one See for every year of tn
| century. The apostolic activity of tn
| Episcopate has been usually beyond re
preach The care of souls, the creation
| of parishes, building of churches. con
vents, schools, and charitable institution
has gone on in every diocese OF the Catho
lie world Some Bishops have distinguish
ed themselves by their sanctity OF lif
and their love for the poor; others by thei
learning and their skill in their writin
works Of utility for the faithful; other
nv their holy martyrdoms, both in paga
and Christian lands; others by deyotio
oh rit m
utIlity-nearly all by their exemplary live
and the conscientious performance c
their duties.
No nation has a monopoly of this out
pouring of the highest sacerdotal deyt
ton; and no nation or people, as far as
can learn, has been without steady SUI
cession of remarkable Bishops. men WI
would have done honor to any age
Christian history ] believe that 1t
the constant and edifying service of II
episcopal body which is chiefly respons
BILE for the improvement In learning
morality. and laborious enlightened re
on the part of the clergy, diocesan ar
monastic, which 1t seems just to clai
for this century. In some lands the cpl
copal Office is frcer than in others. al
| its beneficent activity Is more immedia
and visible. In all the Bishops have Ike
the bond of unity. often at no inconside
able sacrifice of personal comfort Meth
schism nor heresy OF any fol- NAL and not
D.. worthy nature has been connected wi
q the episcopal Office. 1t would Ill becon
me to discriminate where the merits a
g so equal. may, however. be permitt
c to rejoice. with my countrymon at t
/. end of the century that the life and I
4 teachings Of Carroll, a Cheverus.
/. Brute. Neumann. Dubois, have n
q been without salutary effect, and ha