The San Francisco call., 1908-10-16
ARCHBISHOP GETS
GIFT AT LUNCHEON
Father Prendergast, Vicar Gem
eraI of Diocese, Makes Pre-
sentatiOn Address
Acceptance Speech Includes
Feeling Mention of Late
COadjutOr Montgomery

Immediately after the conclusion OF
the pontifcal mass the clergy gath
cred In the basement. where prepara-
tiOns had been made for a reception
and luncheon TO the archbishop. Tables
were set for 3O0. At the head Of the
center table Archbishop Riordan sat
with the visiting bishops on either
side.
When the luncheon was over Father
Prendergast, vicar general of the dio-
cese, who has been the lifelong friend
OF the archbishop and his most trusted
adviser. arose and made the presenta-
tiOn address of the gift of the clergy.
Like the laity gift, the subscription
was in the form of check. the clergy
having raised the sum OF $4,000.
Father Prendergast said:
Most Reverend Archbishop:
II is a happy day, and a memorable
day that brings the clergy. the reii-
glOUs, the faithful OF the diocese around
you 10 celebrate your silver jubilee, 10
oner you their felicitatlons, and 10 par
take an your JOY. Now, a BISHOP does
not pass his Gays in solitude or lsoia-
tiOn, but among his people, like a gem
eral in the battle field with his army.
Accordingly your life, your interests,
your achievements are intertwined with
the lives. interests, achievements Of
your fellow citizens, especially OF those
who are one with you IN faltn ana nope
and who recognize in you their pastor
and spiritual rather. And, consequent
~ the history of your episcopate is, In
q real sense il only in part. history
OF your times, ana the jubilee recalls
many persons whom you once knew but
now can see no more. especially those
who were intimately associated with
you, who gave you their valuable CO.
operation, and who prepared for this
celebration though il was not given
them to see il. How many changes of
all kinds have taken place in the %
= ~Tr.r rnrrk
this is a short period in the centuries
and cycles of time Two archbishops,
one your unforgotten predecessor. the
other your faithful coadjutor. have fin
ished their course: several priests and
religious have passed almost imper-
cepibly to their everlasting habita-
ton; many laymen also who were
prominent in the days when your ad-
ministra tiOn began. have been called
from this visible scene. All these we
remember today. The remembrance of
them is eminently right on the one
hand and on the other throws no cloud
over our festival, for IL they are not
with as we believe they are keeping
eternal jubilee in heaven.
Most reverend archbishop, even Cath
olfcs, good Catholics and intelligent
Catholics, have no adequate conception
OF the countless preoccupa tions, cares,
anxieties and heavy responsibilities of
the episcopal Office, particularly in a
country where churches and religious
institutions of all kinds must be con-
tinually multiplied to provide for an
ever growing population. In old coun-
tries where the church has long exist
ed the duties Of a bishop consist main
lT, in supervision and administration.
duties. however, too onerous to make
the Office a sinecure. In new countries,
TO supervision and administration must
be superadded the duty of creating. a
more difficult duty and one implying
IN ampler participation in the preroga-
tives of him who called his fair and
ever enduring K1nRGnm ont of nothing
laying its strong foundations in human
weakness and appointing fishermen as
his ambassadors 10 the nations. This is
a new country and a growing country.
Here, then. enterprise follows enter
prise in unbroken succession; before
one undertaking is completed another
begins; and. before this beginning as
sumes form and shape, a third is in
process of elaboration. Moreover, il
happens not infrequently that several
projects claim simultaneously the con-
centrated attention Of the bishop
though each project is Of sufficient mo-
ment 10 absorb il.