The Irish standard., 1903-03-07
AFINE DISCOURSE BY
,,.-, REV. ]. N. C[EARY
HEM1
Continued from First Page.

sion given to Simon Peter, 10y the eter-
nal Son of God, to hold the keys of
the kingdom of heaven and to feed the
sheep and the lambs Of the fold of
Christ.
Joachim Pecci, now Pope Leo Mil,
had received special training and
preparation from his tenderest years
for the fruitful ecclesiastical and the
brilliant diplomatic career that has
singled him out as Il most eminent
figure in the history of the nineteenth
century. In the tender years OF his
boyhOod, while the wholesome inn
pressions instilled into his innocent
soul by his wise and truly Christian
mother, were yet fresh and vivid, he
was placed under the direction of
those unrivalled masters in the train
ing of youth, the Jesuit Fathers, who
had been but recently restored to
their rights by the sanity Plus VII.
At Viterbo and Rome the talented
young Pecci received every careful |
attention that the highest culture, both
of mind and heart. could confer. He
was even then IL mark among young
men of eminent talent and distinctions.
After a remarkably brilliant course of
study in the great universities of
Rome, the SapienZa and the Roman
College, or Gregorian University. he
was ordained IL priest on the last day |
of the year 1887 in his twenty-eighth
year.
Five years later when but thirty
three years of age, he is the repre-
sentative of the Holy See at the court
of King Leopold of Belgium the uncle
of the late Queen Victoria, and near
relative of the Prince Consort. With
signal success that won generous en-
comiums from the Belgian monarch
who, although not Il Catholic HIM
self, was the ruler of Catholic peo-
pie, and warmly appreciated the serv-
ices rendered to his country and the
church by the youthful but wise
representative of Rome. Monsignor
pecci fulfilled his difficult duties ut
the Belgian Court. Leopold ], as is
we'll known. was Il keen judge of men.
and he made no mistake in selecting
the scholarly ecclcsiaStic of unblcn-
ished life, and prudent diScernment.
MS his counsellor and friend. On Mon
signOr Pccci'S recall to Rome by Pope
Gregory XVI, i'm the autumn of 1919,
King Leopold decorated him with the
grand cross of the order founded by
himself, and with his own hand wrote
to the Holy See: II feel bound to
recommend Archbishop Pecci to the
kind protection of your Holiness: he
deserves it in every respect, for I
have seldom seen Il more uncommon
devotion to duty. more upright intrn-
tions ana straightforward conduct.
His stay in this country must have
enabled him to do your Holiness great
service. l beg you to require him to
give you an exact account of the I'M
pressions he takes away with him on
church matters in Belgium. His judg-
mcnt Oh all such things is very sound
and your Holiness can trust him
wholly"
During the succeeding winter Mon
signor pccci was the guest of the il
lustrious Cardinal WiSemnn in Lon
don, was received as an honorc'
friend ut the Court of st. james, par
Il ,t Nt Il tnf ~, II 4.
friendship with the uncle of England:
Queen, and spent an entire month il
the City of London, studying it's so
cial problems, and familiarizing him
self with the political institutions o
England.
On his return journey to the Etcr
nal City he spent several weeks il
Paris and was warmly welcomed at
the Court of King Louis Philippe.
whose daughter was the Queen of Bel
gum, Pcccis special and devoted
friend. On his arrival at Rome IN
May, 1916, he found his patron and
faithful friend. Pope Gregory XVI, al
the point of death. Yielding to the
urgent appeal of the city officials nnt
the people of Pcrugia, Gregory XVI
had previously consented to nam,
Archbishop Pecci as their chief pastor
provided his consent might first be Sc
cured perugia had known and learn
ed to love the sagaciOus young prclat
while he was governor Of that pre-
vince for Il brief period prior to hi
appointment to the Belgium Cour
III July, 1916, Archbishop Pccci too
possession of his episcopal see of PEI
ngi;,, and this fair province of Umhri
became the scene of his devoted. il
telligent and generous service to II
igion for the space of thirty-tw
years.
Those were trying times for IL
watchmen of the house of Israel. III
forces that attempted to disrupt I'll
social order in the violent revOutiC
of 1913, We're actively ut work. The
aim was to overturn both the throl
and the altar. Many. who hated Il
spiritual authority of the Churc
gave encouragement to the rcvolutiO
teluded by the idea that the alt
alone was threatened. SubscQur
aynutS damon ct ~ tn1 hnvOnl q II don,