The Washington herald., 1909-02-21
ArchbishOps' Work Praised
by Minister Griscom.
SEMINARY A MASS OF RUINS
Mgr. D'Arriso Aids in Rescuizg the
Wounded and Dying Priests and
students-LittIe Sisters of the Poor
Do Yeoman Service at Messina-
Bishop of MiIefO Aids Many.

I OF neT0iSm ana devoted Cn2TlLJ fOitONlnE
upon the recent earthquake in Italy have
been received from that stricken country;
/ Upon returning 10 Rome from Messins
the American Minister. Mr.. Griscom. ex-
pressed freely bis admiration for the ex-
traOrdinary courage shown by Mgr.
D'Arrigo. Archbishop Of Messina- The
archbishop was awakened on the fatal
morning by the roar OF falling masonry
ali around him to find OnIy a few rooms
and the atrium of his residence still
standing. Without moments delay he
/ hurried 10 his seminary. only 10 find It
mass OF ruins He was met by some Of
his students running toward him, almost
naked. for whom he found some more
adequate covering. They returned 10 the
wreckage. where they worked for hours,
finding many corpses Of priests and stu
dents. saving ten students more or less
seriously wounded and drawing out four
others. whom the archbishop absolved
before they died
/ Learning that one Of their FELLOWSHIP
dents was still on the third floor Of the
ltottering ruins OF the seminary, the stu
! dents climbed ladders stesdied for them
! By the soldiers (vho would not risk their
Lives in so dangerous a venture) ard
Z brought him down in safety TO terra
/ frma in the presence Of the archbishop.
who encouraged them IN their dangerous
work
state Organized Movement.
/ Returning 10 his ruined residence, the
archbishop found It already filed with
the wounded, naked, and tsrror-stricken-
he encouraged them. and was the first
I one TO start an organized movement q
rescue the wounded lying buried n the
ruins Of the city. He dispatched his sem
Inarists 10 seek food and clothing for the
people. himself going hungry and cold
for days. The aged prelate was seen al
| all hours OF the day and night climbing
about among the dangerous ruins. en-
/ couraging, cheering. consoling All
/ The great majority Of the clergy were
killed or wounded, but those who re-
manned worked with their archbishop. and
4 soon other priests joined them in the
work An anti-cIeyical paper describes
the priests as ''Aocking Ike crows to the
ruined towns" From Palermo. Cefalu.
reached Messins despite many difficulties
and obstacles. The Archbishop of Aci-
reale and the Cardinal Archbishop Of Ca
tsnia FASTENED al once 20 bring help
After the earthquake four OF FIVE Of the
Little Sisters Of the Poor 81 Messiua
we're left uniu3ured- Half their CON-
immunity and most Of their old people were
killed. Several OF the sisters were In
iUred. dozen helpless old men and
iwoneu. trembling with age and terror.
were left on their hands Undismsyed By
ithis terrible burden, these heroic women
kept their little Aock together, helped
them over the wrecksge, and never left
them until they had brought them all in
safety 10 Catania-
/ Distributes Food and Clothing
/ The parish priest Of Mazzacuva. near
lReggio, found himself wounded and al
lmost naked in the street, his house and
! church a mass Of ruins. No officials
were IN sight. but in a very short time
he had broken a way into the ruins Of
his house and distributed what clothing
and food he could find there. Then with
a few Of his parishioners he began 10 re-
lease the wounded from the ruins At
first his companions refused 70 bury the
dead. but seeing him. half dressed, work
ling alone with pick and shovel, they yield
led and worked as perhaps they had never
worked before.
In Calabria the great figure standing
forth was Mgr. Morsiito. Bishop Of NJ
iIeto. Although he had lost near relatives
lin Reggie. he thought only OF his duty
Ito his flock He was the first in the field.
surrounded by his seminaTists and a hand
lof devoted priests and sisters. They vis-
lited the most afflicted districts. buried
1.-The dead. rescued the wounded. consoled
the survivors. opened soup kitchens dis
ltTibuted clothing. and directed the build
ling of wooden shelters for the homeless
population
In Reggie the Italian Sisters Of Charity
had a school. an orphanage. and a home
for infants. In the school there were
Twenty sisters Seven were buried under
the ruins with eleven girls and eight
servants The surviving sisters rescued
the rest OF the children. dressed their
wounds. clothed and sheltered them, and
had them sent to a place OF safety.
i Two sisters Are Killed.
i In the orphanage two out Of the three
sisters we're killed The third. Sister Raj
ifaeIla, though herself wounded, for four
DAYS and nights saved and nursed the
thirty orphans Who escaped and begged
for the food which kept them from star
walton.
In the home for infants we're four sis
ters, with thirty little innocents. All es-
capped except two babies, who perished.
A vessel standing outside the port refused
.itheir request TO be taken aboard with
their helpless little charges. Cndaunted
by this cruel rebuff. they returned through
the ruins 70 their home. where they took
four large drawers from a linen closet
and IN each one they placed FIVE babies
The drawers we're lifted onto the heads
OF the four sturdy nurses. each OF tha
nuns took two Of the eight remaining
babies In her arms. the little procession
set of in a terrible downpour OF rain.
and they never stopped until they reached
lGerace. q distance Of twelve miles from
their starting point
I At Messina forty students of the Col
Ilege Of San Luigi were rescued by two
Salesian priests. aided by other wounded
priests. who almost naked themselves. In
a torrent OF rain scrambled over the
quavering debris, let themselves down
into the gaping crevices, and saved all
the boys.
The Stamps. a Turin psuer. remarks
that meanwhile two other aid s1uadrons
were leaving Palermo Jed by two other
courageous Salesian priests, d. AttiliO
lGarlashchi and D. Angelo BeIlOni: but
when. after great difficulties they arrived
at Messina they we're not allowed TO en-
ter the city and were obliged TO return 10
Palermo with the help they had brought"
\ And We are assured that volume could
be filed with heroic deeds Of clergy and
religious orders during the terrible period
following upon the earthquake.
i Three Plain HOOrays.
Prom the NsE York World.
I propose three cheers for the csrdF-