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

Plus y is the first official uttcrancc
to the Catholic world, by the now
pontiif. Ii will be read With much
interest by all classes of people:
70 the Patriarchs, Irimates, Arch
bishops and Other Ordinaries in
Communion With the Apostolic See
i 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 inscrutu-
bic design of God we have been raised.
We need not say how we endeavorcd
by tears and earnest prayers to avoid
this formidable burden of the pontili-
cate. Indeed, although altogether uIl-
equal in point of merit. we can apply
To ON ease tho words in which Ans
elm. IL man of the greatest sunctity,
complained when against his wishes
and desires he WAS compelled to ac-
cept the honor of tho cpiscopatc For
to show in what state of mind and
will we took upon ourselves the
wcighty office of feeding the flock of
Christ, we may give the same signs
of sorrow in which he INDUCED. "Wit-
ness is borne by my tears. my voice
and the groanings of my heart" he
wrote Npp. I, iii, ep. y, "such as
nD,1,nn fn hox
me OH the occasion of any sorrow be-
fore that day OH which that severe
trial of the Arcllicpiscopate of Canter-
bury appeared to have fallen upon me.
This cannot be denied by those who
saw my face that day l was
blanched by establishment and grief
my color being more like a dead mans
than that of living person. And my
election, or rather the violence done
me, speaking with truth which l have
up to now observed, I opposed as much
as l could. But.now l 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 rs
Of God, which cannot be resisted with
wisdom, 1 understand that I have no
other duty than, after having prayed
as much as l could, having endcavored
to make this chalice If 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 Mt finding himself nominated to
succeed him who for nearly twenty
six years ruled the Church with so
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 hui
man society. For who Is not aware
that human society now more than in
any past age is prey to most seri-
GUS disease, which, increasing every
day and eating away at its heart, is
bringing it rapidly to ruin? You un-
derstand, venerable brethren, that this
disease is the kpostacy and withdraw
al from Godfthan which assuredly
nothing is lfore fraught with misfor-
tune, according to the saying of the
Prophet, "br behold they that go from
Thee shall perish" Ps. lxii:2O. We
saw them that in virtue of the Pom
ltifical Ministry entrusted to us it was
our duty to find remedy for SO
many evils, feeling that Gods com.
mand wasQddrcssed to us--Lo! have
set thee thi$ day over the nations and
over kingdoms to root up, and to pull