Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-30
LETTER FROM HIS HOLINESS
Pope Plus sends Greeting to Cath
Ollie PreIates Assembled at
Baltimore.


BALTIMORE. April 2s.-The celebration
of the centennial anniversary of the lay
ing of the cornerstone of the Baltimore
cathedral began here today. Under smil-
ing skies the procession OF ecclesastics
filed out of Calvert hali. First came the
ranks of sanctuary boys and then the
members of the seminary choir, then other
seminarians, then students of various in
stitutions of learning, all these in sober
black and white, and then the faculty
Of the Catholic university. in black, touched
here and there with varcolored silks
Franciscans in brown habits, white frocked
Domnicans, sable clad Augustinans and
Moslem Jesuits bishops and archbishops
in purple vestments, each with his attend
ants, the apostolic delegate with his train
bearers and the the cardinal In his red
robe, with ermine cape. The procession
filed down to the side entrance of the ca
thedral grounds. through these to the main
entrance to the ancient building and up
the main aisle to the sanctuary. where
the ecclesiastics grouped themselves in an
imposing array. There were there the
cardinal archbishop of Baltimore. the apos-
tolic delegate, Mgr. Di9mede Falconio, and
almost every bishop ala archbishop of the
Roman Catholic churth, whose see is
within the confines of the United States
The most important event Of the solemn
pontihcal mass. OF wAieh the most Rev
J. NJ. Farley, d. D.. archbishop of New
York. was the celebrant, was the reading
by Rev. William A. Fletcher of an auto
graph letter from the pope. His holiness
said in part:
To Our Beloved Son. James Gibbons.
Archbishop of Baltimore, Cardinal Priest
Of Of the Title Of st. Mary Across the Tiber
Beloved son, health and apostolic bene-
diction.
When the first archbishop of Baltimore.
100 years ago, laid the cornerstone of the
church, he laid, we may truly say, the
foundation upon which the church of
America was to rise to its full and glorious
height. For, whether we consider the
eYer-increastng number of priests ordained
within it's walls, the bishops there conse-
Grated, the national councils there cele-
brated. or the various magnificent solmni-
ties or the solemn ecclesiastical functions
that 1t has witnessed, all have happily
found, as 1t were, their home in the ca
thedral of Baltimore.
Hence we deem ii worthy Of our highest
approval that you propose to commemorate
with general rejoicing so signal an event.
We need not tell you what sentiments OF
good will and of heartfelt interest we share
in this celebration. You are all aware that
we have always most ardently sought and
are now equally eager to adopt whatsoever
may avail to enhance the honor of our re-
ligion among the American people. Our
eagerness herein Is the greater because we
are sure that you will respond with common
accord and endeavor to the invitation which
we, prompted by the memory of what you
have accomplished for religion. extend you
on this timely and joyous occasion in urging
the American people to still greater efforts
in behalf of our Catholic faith
Right joyously. then. we express our
wishes for the prosperity of your churches
and the success OF this centenary observ-
ance. At the same time, as a pledge of
heavenly graces and a token of our deep
affection, we mpart most lovingly our apos-
! tolic benediction to you, the bishops the
clergy and the whole American people.
Given at St. Peters. Rome, on the second
day of March. 1906 in the third year of our
pontihcate. Plus p. p. X.
The Gregorian music was impressive The
sermon was preached by the Most Rev. p.
]. Ryan. d. D.. archbishop Of Philadelphia,
who spoke on the three great evils of sui
! eide, divorce and communism, which he
declared to be increasing.
There was a dinner in the afternoon at
| St. Mary's seminary, and at night the
second great event OF the day took place
the celebration of the pontifcal vespers.
The celebrant was the Most Rev. s. @.
Messmer, d. D., archbishop of Milwaukee.
/ The sermon was preached by the Most
Rev. ]. ]. GlennOn, d. D., archbishop Of
st. Louis, who touched upon the attitude Of
the church toward socialism.