The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-08-23
AN ADDRESS TO THE POPE,


We publish today an address to the
Pope from the Irish Parliamentary
Party on which the Dublin Freeman's
Journal comments as follows:
1t is an address from the most
Catholic country in the world to the
head of the Catholic Church. 1t is
more than that. Not on behalf of Ire
land alone is the Irish Party entitled
to lay it's greetings at the feet of Pc
ters successor at Rome. 1t can
speak, and it does speak, on behalf of
the twenty millions Of Irishmen who
Church in every Englsl-speaking land
in the world. England itself not eX-
cepted. No nation in the world has
fought so hard or suffered so long for
the ancient faith, or triumphed so
gloriously. England. when self-inter-
est prompted, put aside her religion.
like a garment, at the bidding of Her.
ry Will, and resumed it again under
Mary, and discarded it finally at the
will Of the imperiorls Elizabeth. Cen
turtles of the vlcst and cruelest per-
sccution to which ever Il nation was
subjected could not shake the fidelity
of Ireland. The Penal Laws have
been described as the most perfect
system, devised by helish ingenuity.
to torture and degrade The Irish
were helots in their own land. Their
religion was the supreme crime, for
which the penalty was grinding pov-
erty and utter humiliation. No device
was too mean, none too sordid, for
the torture of Irish Catholics. They
We're stripped of wealth, position, edu-
cation, often liberty and life itself, for
the crime of adherence to their faith.
They saw their priesthood hunted
down like wolves, their affairs over
thrown by the merciless Prosecutors
But they never wavered in the pro-
tracted struggle. Victory eventually
rewarded their perseverance. No na-
ton in the world holds it's religion So
proudly. The faith bequea thcd to
them by Patrick has been held unsul-
lied to the present hour. In the early
ages of the Church the Irish were the
great missionary people; they are the
chief missionary people now. There
is no country in the world that is not
full of their labors. Heresy cannot
faint the purity Of their faith, nor in
fidelity destroy it. The Catholic
| Church has in it's vast circumference
embracing the wide world, no other
people more true or more brave. In
America and in Australia they supply
| the priests and the congregations.
They are the military and missionary
force against the enemies of the Cath
Ollie Church. At home in Ireland they
are answering in their devotion to
it's doctrines; they are generous, even
from the extremity of their poverty.
in it's support. They have crowned
the hills OF Catholic Ireland With
churches in which the true doctrine is
preached, the great Sacrifice offered
up. 10 the ministers Of their faith
their obedience and devotion has been
beyond all parallel or praise
1t is not to be doubted that the ad-
dress Of the representatives of this
great Catholic people will be grateful
to the heart of the great Pope. The
occasion is APPLY chosen when the Sov-
ereign Pontiff has reached the venera-
bic age of the Founder of the Papacy.
From the days of Peter to our own
no greater Pope has worn the tiara.
The twentieth century is singularly
barren Of great men. The intellectual
giants of the last century have passed
away; there are none ready to replace
them. But one great man survives
in Leo XIII. Setting his sacred char
acter aside, he is the greatest man now
living on earth.
The homage Of such people to
such Pope is an incident of real i'm