The Irish standard., 1906-01-27

did they not do their noble share in
the building up of the great state
which today is Minnesota? m 1855,
largely through the representation 81
Father Ravoux. who even then had d
vision Of coming years, a bishop was vas
named for ST. Paa1-Josesph cretinna.
Things We're made ready for him.
Father Ravoux was far-reaching in
his forethoughts. A few years pre-
viously he had paid his $40 as the
price to the government for that por-
ton of 160 acres now known as the
Catholic block on Third street, when
those acres We're offered at the pub
lie land sale at Saltwater by Gen.
Sibley from the United States gov
eminent. Now that bishop was to
be here and cathedral to be built,
he hurried to secure the block upon
which the present venerable cathedral
upl1fts its walls. Thus he was in
more ways than one, the father, the
founder of the church in st. Paul and
in Minnesota.
After the arrival of Bishop Grace.
July 2, 1851, Father Ravoux resided
in Mendoza, building there its present
church, going often to st. Paul to en-
courage and counsel its bishop from
whom he held the office of vicar gen.
eral of the diocese. There were no
tall buildings between the brick house
on Wabasha street serving as cathe-
dral and an Episcopal residence, and
the courage of Father Ravoux on the
hill in Mendoza. So when the bishop
desired his presence flag was thrown
out from the window Of the upper
story and with field glass in hand
Father Ravoux in Mendoza espied it
and hurried to st. Paul.
"On the death of Bishop Cretin,
Father Ravoux became the administra-
tor of the diocese until the arrival of
Bishop Grace, whose vicar general he
became, and with whom for twenty
five years he resided, working with
him and for him as best he could for
the glory of God and the salvation Of
souls Though his years on today
number even unto ninety-one, yet
largely owing to the hardships and
fatgues of early missionary labors he
was even at the arrival of Bishop
Grace in frail health, and never did
he since then, take charge of Il parish
or do regularly ministerial work, but
he preached and he had special care
of the sisterhood of the city. Now
aud then as an emergency arose he
bucklcd on his former armor and went
to work.
In 1866. the bishops Of the plenary
council of Baltimore, recalling his
early apostolic labors and zeal, did
him the honor of naming him the first
bishop of Montana. The letters NAM
ing him bishop came to him from
Rome. but it was too late. He felt
that his health was so impaired that
the burden was too heavy for him, and
he begged the holy father to allow him
to remain a priest in st. Paul.
After the Sioux uprising, he was
among the prisoners at
Fort Smelling and at Mankato. At the
to die on the scaffold. Weeks of I'M
preaching brought thirty
three of them to receive baptism from
the hands of the black gown and to
die with Christian fortitude and Chris
tian hope.
"One work Father Ravoux ever did
whether strong in health or weak, he
gave edification to all who visited him
to all who saw him, whether in the
or on the street; no one
talked with him without realizing at
once that in him the supernatural
were, as it were, incorporated, with
out realizing that things of the soul
must be considered. Father Ravoux
was ever a man of prayer. What
ever his business, whatever his hurry,
he took time for prayer; in his room,
before the blessed sacrament, in the
HE was a man Of conscience. Con-
science, the voice of eternal right
eousness, was supreme with him, maxi
ing him feel that this was right that
that was wrong; the right being ever
followed and the wrong ever Stunned.
He had his opinions. he had his ways
BY natural bent he chung tenaciously
to his opinions and his ways, but the
he would see or he would be
made to see that conscience pointed
elsewhere. he Instantly subdued, under
whatever effort or at whatever cost.
"He loved his God and for his God
loved his neighbour whom he ever was
glad to serve. He loved, as a good
citizen ever should love, his city and
his country, and he loved both intelli-
gently. During the civil war, we'll
remember he was an enthusiast in
defending the Union, and he knew how
to argue well in defending it. The
growth of st. Paul he watched affec-