The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-08-01

Pecci. immigrated thither from Siena,
10 which republic his ancestors had
gone from Cortona about the year
1900.
Prudence. integrity, love, of religion
and love of country were virtues Wnlch
the Peccis always practiced, and their
special reason for complacency is that
they have given saints to Gods Holy
church. Blessed PiS.-.o Pecci. founder
OF the religious Oraer of the HermitS
of St Augustine; blessed Margaret
Pecci of the Order of SerVites of Mary,
and Bernardino Pecci of the Society o.
Jesus. who was martyred for the faith
in India. belong to the Pecci family.
His mother came also from illustrious
stock. for she was a descendant OF the
great Roman tribune Rienzi.
Joachim Pecci first imbibed the ideas
OF piety and of an orderly and sell
controlled life in his mountain home
His first lessons were in the nome
school presided over by his mother
Through her influence and training, he
and his brother Joseph We're enabled to
enter that glorious career which madc
one the Pontiff of the Catholic Church
and the other cardinal. His father
was an accomplished Latin scholar,
and from him the boys received their
first lessons in Latin. Happy the chli-
dren who can boast Of so excellent a
home training! AS Joachim grew
older he showed a pronounced taste
not only for study but of an unmlstak-
able vocation for the sanctuary. This
taste did not accord with his fathers
wishes. II want to make a general OF
him" said he one day. We'll" said
his mother, you will make Pope Of
him" The mothers prophecy, as we
shall see. was fulfilled, and Leo became
one of the greatest of Popes that oc-
cupied the chair of st. Peter When
young Joachim was only years old,
he was sent to the Jesuit college at Vi
terbo. and so well did he advance in
his studies that the Bishop of Viterbo
in a letter TO his (Joachim's) mother
said that if God preserved him In
health, he would be an honor to him
self to his family, and to his country.
In 1924 his mother died, and then he
left Viterbo and went to Rome to con-
tinue his studies in college there.
When only is years old he took the
first prize in chemistry and physics.
Yet his aptitude for natural science
did not interfere with his classical
studies, and even in those early days |
the elegance and purity of his Latin |
were remarkable.
When % years old he took his degree |
Of doctor in sacred theology, and then |
entered the Academy of Noble Ecclesi-
astics. Here he prepared himself for |
the study of law and diplomacy.
Honored by Pope Gregory.
In 1887, though he had not yet re-
ceived Holy Orders Pope Gregory XVI |
named him domestic prelate with the |
title of Nonsignore. On the 18th of |
December of that year he was ordained
subdeacon; on December oath the same
year he was ordained deacon, and on |
December 31st, the last day of that
year, he was ordained priest. His pro-
motion now was rapid. Two months
after his ordination, Pope Gregory XVI
appointed him in 1898 to be governor of
the province of Benevento, one of the
most difficult positions in the%Papal
States.
The new delegate arrived at his post
suffering from a pernicious fever, but
after a few weeks he shook off the NAL
ady and took the reins of government.
Brigandage was rampant, and Mgr.
Pecci set himself the task of suppress
ing it. He began military operations
egainst the brigands, their strongholds
were captured and the brigands were
killed or taken prisoners. These pris-
Oners were speedily brought TO jus
tice. and thus was brigandage sup
pressed. and life and property respect
ed. His next task was to give good
roads to his people. So pleased was the
pDG a. lAlt ItlAldI hdDlC SuCCSSS VI Ills /
delegate that he rewarded him with
another difficult delegation, that of
SpoletO but he almost Immediately
transferred him to one of the highest
and most important offices, from a po-
iitical point of view, that the Pontiff
could bestow in the Papal States
that of Perugia.
The same frmness in dealing with
criminals and suppressing vice, the
nnpnura To tho crnOd char
acterized his government in Perugia,
and during his administration there,
Notwithstanding the restlessness of
mems Sninds caused by the sowing of :
revolutionary doctrines. and political !
intrigues, it was often remarked that
the prisons We're empty. In 1843 Mgr.
Pecci was consecrated Archbishop of I
Damietta in partibus, and sent in quail
ity of nuncio to the court of King Leo
pold l. at Brussels. Here he had a
magnificent chance to study politics !
and diplomacy: here he first gained his {
political insight and experience. which ]
have been so marked during his pom I
tificate. Tact, a wise and Christian /
prudence were characteristic of Arch t
bishop Pecci during his nunciature in {
Belgium. He endeared himself to all. /
from the king TO the fumblest of his |
subjects. He was a great defender of t
good, sound, Christian education. and i
encouraged the pupils of Catholic
schools and colleges often going to
visit them. examining the children and
presiding at their feasts. But the Bel
cian climate was too severe for v
the health of Archbishop Pecci. It y
was too severe for him. and after a c
stay of three years. he turned his face
homeward toward his own sunny Italy +
IN leaving Belgium. King Leopold gave d
him a letter for Pope Gregory XVI, y
very complimentary to him. !,
Visits Foreign Countries. c
After leaving Belgium he visited
some Of the neighboring countries ,
reTmany, France and England. In :
London Archbishop Pecci was the !,
guest of Mgr Wiseman. who was af- II
erwards Cardinal Archbishop of West IL
minister. He was honored by Queen c
Victoria and received several invita-
lions TO her court and to state ceremo- n
lies. The friendship which was then il
formed between the young queen of Il
England and Archbishop Pecci was e
aver afterwards maintained. In London d
Mgr. Pecci also met all the great Eng b
ish statesmen Of the day, and others, b
who, then young. were afterwards IL il
ustrious in their country. The Duke V
# Wellington the hero of Waterloo s.
md the conqueror Of Bonaparte, the Y
Duke of Cambridge. Lord Melbourne, h
Lord Macauley. Lord Palmerstone. q
Lord John Russell Sir Robert Peel, n
Mr. Gladstone, Disraeli, etc. :,
Meets Daniel o'Connell. o.
Archbishop Pecci was fortunate in :,
Deing present in the house of commons u
turing one of the debates in which the '
immortal Daniel O'Connell was one of
ne principal speakers. Then it was -