The Irish standard., 1902-02-15
Influence Exerted on the National Life
Of the Yankee Republic by
Irish Character.
Rector of the Catholic University Pa
an Eloquent Tribute to the
Ubiquitous Gael.

fluence Of the Irish, pointed to the
complete manner in which Christian
ity was accepted by the Irish, who
found in it satisfaction for all their
religious ambitions. The spirituality
of their character under the influence
of Christianity broadened at once into
the highest moral Catholicism. The
asceticism Of the Irish in the middle
ages manifested itself in the highest
forms of virtue, chastity, purity, de-
tachment from earth and devotion to
religion. It was a perfect type Of
Catholicism, unspotted by courts and
undimmed by political greatness.
They have been called the people Of
eternity.
"The missionary spirit was never
absent from Ireland from the days of
Columba's monks until the present
time. in those early ages the Irish
monks were found everywhere evan
gelizing, civilizing and educating. The
spirit of the priesthood has always
been strong in Irish families. 1t was
voluntary Offering to religion, and
this is all the more remarkable be-
cause they had no state to push for
ward their work by governmental of.
ficialism.
'The Irish furnish legions of Janis
saries to the Church, but they are
given freely and generously to the ar
my of peace and gentleness. What
sacrifices the Irish have made for rel
igion! Diocletian Of old. deceived
himself with the idea that he had
blotted out the Christian name. The
Cromwellian settlements, the DRAGON
ian code in the penal enactments of
Elizabeth and William led the British
government to fatter themselves that
the annihilation of the Irish would
result from such legislation; but the
Irish, despite persecution, have risen
into the power and glory Of the West
ern world.
'"Though the Church had contrib
uted to the discovery and early colon
ization of this country; though the new
France, with all the traditions of the
old France, was planted near our
doors; though Lord Baltimore laid the
foundations of civil and religious lib
erty in the statutes of the Maryland
colony; though Governor Dongan, the
son Of an Irish Catholic, first proclaim
ed religious liberty in New York, vet
the Catholic Church hundred years
ago was practically an alien, barely
recognized, hardly tolerated; in fact,
penal statutes existed against it..
i "Who will deny the influence Of the
Irish in the building up of the church
into. its present strength and beauty :?
The Irish Catholics came in large
numbers in the early days of this
century, and in their millions in the
famine years, and with them came
their priests and in time native
clergy grew around them. The reli-
gious influence with them was an in
fuence Of intense belief in God and
unfinching loyalty to Roman Cathol-
icism. They were spiritual people,
hostile to materialism, idealists, pa
tient, long-suffering, believers in ulti-
mate justice. Their spirituality led
them to believe in another world Of
retribution and reward, and this con-
tained for them the principles of JUS
tice, which is the basis of true moral
ity."
Mgr. Conaty passed from the reli-
gious influence of the Irish to their
educational influence, and spoke of the
history Of Ireland in education, show
ing the beauty Of strength Of the Celc-
ic literature, which gave of it's spirit to
the foundation of English letters. This
influence, he said, came through the
Celtic missionaries and schools, which
was the source of the Christianity of
the Anglo-Saxons. All the character
istics Of the Celt-his imagination, wit,
sentiment, spirituality, faith-were
shared by those who came in contact
with him.