The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-10-31


Plus X is the first official utterance
to the Catholic world, by the new
pontiff. 1t will be read with much
interest by all classes of people:
10 the, Patriarchs, Primates, Arch
bishops and Other Ordinaries in
Communion With the Apostolic See.
! Venerable Brethren: Health and the
Apostolic Benediction.
About to address you for the first
time from the Chair of the Supreme
Apostolate, to which by the inscruta-
bic design of God we have been raised
We need not say how we endeavored
by tears and earnest prayers to avoid
this formidable burden of the Pontif-
cate. Indeed, although altogether un-
equal in point of merit we can apply
To ON case the words in which Ans
elm, a man of the grentest sanctity,
complained when against his wishes
and desires he was compelled to ac-
cept the honor of the episcopate. For
to show in what state of mind and
will we took upon ourselves the
weighty Office Of feeding the flock of
Christ, we may give the same signs
of sorrow in which he indulged. "Wit-
ness is borne by my tears, my voice
and the groanings Of my heart" he
wrote Epp. I, iii, ep. y, "such as I
never remember to have gone out from
me on the occasion of any sorrow be-
fore that day on which that severe
trial Of the Archiepiscopate of Canter-
bury appeared to have fallen upon me.
This cannot be denied by those who
saw my face that day +s+* was
blanched by astonishment and grief,
my color being more Ikea dead mans
than that of n living person. And my
election, or rather the violence done
me, speaking with truth which 1 have
up to now observed, opposed as much
as could. But. now am compelled
to confess, nolens volens, that the
| judgments of God resist my efforts
daily more and more, SO that do not
appear able to escape them in any
way. Wherefore, being overcome by
the violence, not so much Of men as
Of God, which cannot be resisted with
wisdom, I understand that I have no
other duty than, after having prayed
as much as could, having endeavored
to make this chalice IL possible, pass
from me SO that should not drink it,
to put aside my own feelings and
wishes and to conform myself entirely
to the design and will of God"
| Certainly many of the great reasons
were not wanting to account for our
reluctance. For besides considering
ourselves altogether unworthy Of the
honor Of the Pontificate owing to our
insignificance, who would not be
moved at finding himself nominated to
succeed him who for nearly twenty
six years ruled the Church with 80
much wisdom and was endowed with
such quickness Of mind and with such
lustre of all the virtues as to excite
the admiration even Of adversaries and
to leave an indelible memory, Of him
self in most noble works? Then,
passing over other things, we were
alarmed above everything else at the
present lamentable condition Of hu.
man society. For who is not aware
that human society now more than in
any past age is a prey to a most seri.
GUS disease, which, increasing every
: day and eating away at its heart, is
bringing it rapidly to ruin? You un.
derstand, venerf fble brethren, that this
disease is the &postacy and withdraw.
al from God fthan which assuredly
nothing is q lore fraught with misfor.
tune, acco1hing to the saying Of the
Prophet, II br behold they that go from
Thee shall perish" (Ps. lxii:2D. We
saw them that in virtue of the Pom.
ktifcal Ministry entrusted to us 1t was
our dutyl to find a remedy for &c
many evils. feeling that Gods com
mand was0ddressed to us--Lo! hay,
set thee thi{ day over the nations ant
over kingdoms to root up, and to pull
Ei1 . 1 s. 3 .ls