Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-17
POPE BLESSES OMAHA PRIEST
holy Father Sends Autograph PenediOtion
to Father Judge Of Sacred Heart.
coMmENDs SPLENDID WORK he HAS DONE
After Viewing Photograph of school
He Writes Across IL His Testimony
of CongratuIation and
BenevoIence.

From our heart we impart to our be-
loved son, Father Patrick Judge, our apos-
tolic benediction as testimony Of our
to the faithful people committed 70 his
care. Plus p. p. X.
80 day of August. 1906.
II falls to the lot of few priests to have
their personal work specially praised by
the pope and to receive from the holy
father his personal blessing and congratu-
lation such as the above. which has come
to Father Patrick Judge of Sacred Heart
parish. in Omaha. This note was written
by the pope himself. and naturally Is
treasured by Father Judge with the great
est degree of pride. though the father hesi
tated when asked that he give his permits
sion to the publication OF the note and the
circumstances of its receipt. His friends.
who know so well of his untiring and faith
full work, share his pride in this great dis
tinction which the head Of the Catholic
church has conferred upon him, and they,
with less cause for modesty than he, have
been, anxious that the father give his con-
sent to the publicity OF this honor
Recently a personal friend of Father
Judge went abroad and on his journey he
visited Rome. being permitted to see the
pope. He had with him two photographs
Of the Sacred Heart school in Omaha.
! WHICH Juukc ndu DcSh % Niloiiy
| instrumental in building. The holy father
viewed the pictures with the utmost con-
Germ. One of the pictures shows a long
line Of children standing in front Of the
school, accompanied by Father Judge and
another priest. This was the source OF
great pride to the pope. and he did not
hesitate to so express himself. He spoke
to Father Judges friend in terms that
made Father Judge very proud and CRATE
full when the friend impaired the message
| to him, but the pope did not merely ex-
press himself in words. He took one OF
the pictures, the one showing the children.
and across Its top with his own pen,
wrote in Latin the inscription above. This
picture, after II was ascertained Father
Judge had II, the father allowed a reporter
for The Bee to see, and when asked for a
statement Father Judge merely said:
Fathers Modest Statement.
1.-THE holy father was kind enough to
say that he was very much pleased with
my work. and in order to console and en-
courage me he said he would send me his
autograph blessing. So he took this photo
Of my Junior school from the hands of the
ecclesiastic who presented It and the other
one and sat down TO his desk and wrote
the blessing as you see IT and requested
that It be sent to me. OF course I am very
proud Of it,
Father Judge has Just come out Of Ions
sick spell and is not yet normally strong
but this blessing from the pope just at this
time has been the source of great comfor
TO him. He will have the photo framed a.
the Inscription II bears is the highes
earthly tribute that could be paid to tbs
lifework OF any priest. Those hosts Of good
people who have sympathized with Fathei
Judge In the splendid work he has beer
carrying on and have aided, share with hin
the supreme token that has come to him.