The Irish standard., 1908-11-28
THE MISSIONARY CONGRESS.

t!nued its sessions till the following
Wednesday, was an event of great i'm
portance to the Catholics of this yum
try. The large gathering of preiates
and prominent laymen from all parts
cf the United States and Canada l.; an
evidence that it marks an epoch in the
history of the Church in North Ameri-
ca. The eyes Of Catholics throughout
the world were turned to watch the
proceedings of this congress, and even
Catholics were interested In its
work.
The congress was held under the
auspices Of Very Rev. Francis c. Kei-
ley, president of the Catholic Church
Extension Of the United States, and ms
cannot but feel gratified at the sue
cess of his enterprise. The primary
object of church extension is to erect or
to assist in erecting churches in poor
and sparsely settled districts of this
country, and to enable the Catholl..
settlers to enjoy the blessings Of their
holy religion. The congress was held
at this time to emphasize the transi-
ton Of the Church in the United States
from it's missionary conditions to It's
full share in the work of the Church
universal. The Church in the United
States has now passed from the juris.
diction Of the Propaganda Eide and
takes its rank among the galaxy OF
fully organized and equipped hierarct-
les within the Church that encircles
the whole world. 1t is now national
Church and will be exclusively under
the Jurisdiction of the American HER
archy in communion with the Pope
of Rome.
1t was appropriate that the Apostol-
t. Delegate to the United States, Arch
bishop Falconio. who represented
Pope Plus x at the congress, should
make the principal address and inn
part the papal benediction to the vast
assemblage. It is a matter of surprise
that this Italian ecclesiastic who ia
only few years in the United States,
has acquired q perfect knowledge OF
the English language, and was able to
deliver a magnificent discourse almost
free from a foreign accent. Fiftee1
years ago, during the Worlds Fair in
Chicago, Cardinal Satolli, the papal
delegate. delivered an address in his
native language. which Archbishop
Ireland readily translated into English
from the Italian, eliciting applause
from the thousands present on the DC.
casion. Not only has Mgr. Falconio
acquired mastery Of English, but lie
has become an American citizen, am,
IL therefore entitled to speak out bold
~ on matters pertaining to the Church
in the United States. We select the
following passages from his address
before the congress at Chicago
IF it is true that history repeats it,
self what warning is given to US oy
the downfall of those nations which.
after having been enlightened ~
Christian religion, abandoned it! A.
soon as Africa and Asia closed their
eyes to the light Of the gospel, which
had civilized them and made them
great, they fell back to their primitiv.,
degradation. and for centuries they
have remained in the darkness intn
which they fell. Unfortunate nations:
What has become of their monument
al churches through which such extr.a-
ordinary men as st. 1gnatius. st. Cyril,
st. Augustine and many others work.
ed?-men Of such learning, of such pic.
ty and of such seal. whose memory is
venerated even today throughout the
civilized world. Those churches were
closed and they have fallen in ruin.
God forbid that that should be the fate
o. any other Christian nation"
The eloquent Italian went on to d.
scribe the spread of the gospel in The
early times. referring to st. Patrick in
Ireland; st. Augustine In England; 81.