The Irish standard., 1906-01-27

should be willing to listen to his oc-
casional outburst Of complaint against
the changes ana improvements OF
later years he could say. today, Yes,
there must be a new cathedral, and
tomorrow he would exclainl, why a
new cathedral, while the old stone
church stands on Sixth street? Why
tear down this building, where SO many
good people had worshiped? Why
deem it unfit for the future since it
We're fit for the past?'
Yes, his soul was ever graced with
the dew and inspiration of the skies,
He was man of God, man of faith,
a man of hope and man Of charity.
knew him we'll; knew him when !
was boy; 1 knew him when was
young priest; I have known him
since I became bishop. Whether at
times I agreed with him or not, wheth-
er at times I adopted his ideas or set
them aside, always felt that before
God he was a saint,
1T is now. Father Ravoux, fifty
three years since two youths accom-
panied you to France, to be placed by
you in a seminary to be trained in
the priesthood of God. One was the
.cclebrant of this mornings mass the
bishop Of Sioux Falls, and myself.
Your two little companions of that his
toric journey from st. Paul to France
are this morning in the sanctuary to
praise your life and to pray for you.
What a contrast with olden times
is given by the year 1906! The little
chapel, 16 by IL feet, is the venerable
structure within whose walls we are
now gathered, and soon it will have as
it's other successor the majestic edi-
flee on yonder Summit avenue. Instead
of the handful Of people gathering
around the little affairs of Mendoza and
st. Paul are hundreds Of thousands
of Catholics in Minnesota and the Da-
kotas. The little village named by
Gaultier is today the noble city of ST.
Paul. Minnesota, instead of few
soldiers and few traders, has its two
millions Of prosperous and happy peo-
pie. The old parish of Father Ra-
voux, reaching from the Iowa frontier
to the northernmost part of the United
States, from the st. Croix to the Mis-
souri,, now numbers sixty-seven bish-
ops and six thousand priests. The
frail canoe is replaced by the swift
locomotive reaching over a hundred
highways; travel once consuming
months is now matter of a few days
Wondrous changes, too. have occurred
in the lifetime of one man. We are
glad they have come; men are better
by them.
And while cities rise and railroads
are built and prairies bear golden har-
vests, while wealth is accommodating
increases, let ore thing re-
main with us-the faith of the old mis-
Let the gospel which they
echoed be still heard by us; let God
and his Christ be our sovereigns.
Without these, what is our civiliza-
ton but a shadow, and how long ever
will that shadow last if at the founda-
ton of all our efforts there is no
thought or love of God? And what
is all our wealth and the fruits of all
our ambitions If, at the end, the soul
is not saved?
"Toil as we may, live as we may,
let our career be that of Father Ra-
voux. ninety-two years long, death
comes at last surely and unavoidably,
and when death comes, of what use is
life If we are not fit to speak to God,
to be with him in eternity? His whole
life is summed up in three words
faith, hope and charity. Faith-With
word Of Christ through the teaching
Of Christ's church. Hope-While he
walked on earth he remembered
heaven, so that his pathway led not
away from heaven. Charity-He love-
God with his whole heart and served
his neighbor.
"13e it our resolve If we wish to
honor the name and the memory of
Father Ravoux, to have as he had faith,
hope and charity, so that when we are
laid by, as he is now laid by, charity
may remain by US.
Father Ravoux is dead to this
world; friends, take his mortal re-
mains and lay them down tenderly in
the bosom of earth: leave him at rest;
leave him in peace; life's wrestlings,
life's pains and troubles, are over. Lay
him down tenderly for his sake and
for the sake Of olden times Of which
he was the symbol.
"a new era opens. The founders
have gone, let their children be worthy
Of them. May the diocese OF st. Paul
be forever what its forefathers in the
faith strove to make it. The diocese
of st. Paul has been most fortunate In
its founders-Gaultier. Ravoux, Cretin,
Grace. What noble SOILS they We're;
their memories must ever be an in
spiration to zeal and holiness with