The Irish standard., 1903-03-07

Gibbons, enrolled him in the senate of |
the Universal Church, and has thus
given to u truly representative Ameri-
can, to an American prelate, who is in
intimate touch With the people, Il
broad-minded and prudent ccclesiastic,
who understands and sympathizes
with the wants OF his time and coun-
try, IL voice to which the world will
listen i'll the administration of the
venerable Church of all ages. He has
created Il great Catholic University at
Washington, in which he centers fond
hopes for religion and learning in our
beloved country. He has established
Il permanent institution, the Apostolic
Delegation at Washington, as Il court
of appeals for ecclesiastical affairs,
not of course as an incipient nuncia-
ture to the government of the United
States. Again and again he has eX-
pressed his revercnt regard for our in
StitutionS. his warm appreciation OF
the liberty of conscience we here ell
| JON, anu llc respect lol luC llsSAieS VI
) religion manifested by the American
people.
This venerable successor of the
Prince of the Apostles has spent sixty
. five years in the sacred ministry of
the Christian priesthood. During the
: long period of sixty years he has filled
the responsible Office of Christian
bishop, ruling the Church of God. He
: has been !; cardinal fifty years. He
:, enters now the ninety third year of his
G evcntful and l;lborous life. The sun
e set of his days cannot be far distant.
: Those who have been near.his august
$ person. even within the past few
e months assure us that his mind is
vigorous and clear. while his frame
It work is flail. that age has scarcely
@ dmmed the lustre of the light of that
it rarely brilliant soul.
e When | saw and converSed with
e this marvellous man eighteen months
D ago, his penetrating eye shed Il luster
IL of exceptional brilliancy. and the
s. warm clasp of his cmaciated hand
1t Indicated that the life current cOurSed
.c vigorously through his veins. He un-
s. dcrwcnt an almost incredible amount
)f of fatigue during the jubilee season OF
$. 1900. | saw him ut different times
Of borne aloft on the shoulders of his
III attendants. that all might enjoy the
to favor of seeing him as he entered thai
le great Cathedral of ChriStendOm. st
in Peters, to impart his pnternMl bless
s. ing to visiting pilgrims. The spectacle
Il, of the sovereign Pontiff sOlemnly Ell
,n tcriny st. Peters basiica at Rome tt
impart the pontitical blessing to tht
IL cXpectant thousands assembled within
Is. it's historic wallis makes an awe-lnSpll'
mt ing impression upon the human sou
IL not soon to he forgotten.
or The emaciated figure of Pope Lee
nd MIL. resembling more an apparitio1
ed from a spirit world than a powerful
Ill. potcntate of earth his rarely hrillian
20. eyes and intellectual features impress
'ul the belolder with the insigniticance 0
ito the physical and the earthly. and til
III. invinciblc power of the spirit owe
ri matter. of the supremacy of mind owe
IT, things material. Divine PrOvitlenc
led has spared Pope Leo NH. for til
of special service of religion and human
of ity. in an age solely in need of hi
he wonderful energy. far-seeing wisdom
he prudent craftsmanship. and person;
it'll holiness of life. Coming generation
the will value his greatness and measul
hos the man more generously than we al
ain able to do.
nst He has not won the approval of /.
lib classes and nations of his time.
ted fearless defender of right cannot fl
at of offending the champions OF wron
the The spirit of the Revolution bitter
zen hates Leo and the infeXible policy
ION Ico's pontitcate, that is Il wall
en- brass against it's agsressions. III
No national church of England, that I
lcr- jectcd the authority of the papacy
css the sixteenth century; that tore dow
he the affairs of the ancient faith eXil'
en- or executed it's priesthood, and pl
hat nO,lnccd the sacrifice of the Mass,
nse acts of Parliament and the coronati
for Oaths of it's kings, superstition III
dolatry. and set itself UP as the ere
lrn- ture of that same parliament, to
the the religious guide of the English 1
,rld ton. as an institution, not founded
)lcs Christ, but by law established, NJ
len feels aggricved that the successor
to him who eXcommunicated Hen
INV, VIII. for his apostacy, cannot un
So that rebellion and pronounce va
the the counterfeit priestly orders of
all Anglican church.
,scs TIE TEMPORAL POWER.
t of Temporal sovereignty is not alb
ting lutcly essential to the life OF
tian papacy. The Pope could govern
lted Church of God in the Catacombs. i
light liberty. not persecution or slave
SUI must be the normal condition OF
ood. spiritual Kingdom of Christ in
lty." world. The cXigencics of the FOL
ntri- spiritual mission demand that he 81
<lII. cnjoy Independence and freed
of Il The pnpacy has worn the crown
is of temporal sovereignty for more tina