The Irish standard., 1909-07-10
n BUSY PRELATE
| IN THE FAR WEST
What Archbishop Christie of
Portland Has Achieved in
a Short Decade.
His Zeal in the Cause of
Catholic Education is a
Recognized Fact.

June Most Reverend Alexander Chris
tie was installed at st. Marys Pro-
Cathedral. Portland, as fourth Arch
bishop of Oregon City. He was pro-
noted from the See of Vancouver Is
land, which he had occupied for near
~ a year.
There are anniversaries of men and
institutions which serve merely to call
attention to the fight of years; which
recall no achievement Of more than
momentary Importance, which give rise
to no enthusiasms. Not Of this kind
is the tenth anniversary of Archbishop
Christie in his metropolitan See. The
decade of years that has elapsed since
his coming to Oregon has been filled
with achievement. He has built broad
ly and securely on the foundation laid
by his Jealous and sanity predecessors
and the pioneer clergy. says the Cath
Ole Sentinel, OF Portland, Of June IS.
His epoch will be known as the
! building epoch Of the Catholic Church
in this Archdiocese. New parishes have
been erected and manned with an able
clergy Churches, schools. hospitals,
homes, orphanages and other institu-
tions in great numbers have been built
and equipped under his direction. II
is commonplace among the people of
the Northwest that newcomers are
more apt than are old residents to see
the growth that must come to this
region. Certainly, Archbishop Chris
tic, from the very beginning of his
residence among us, was aware of
what his new home is destined to be,
and he made plans in accordance with
his vision of the future. Throughout
his extensive diocese he has anticipat
ed the needs Of the coming time and
has persuaded his people to make ready
for the great Catholic population that
is to be here. In buying land and in
planning buildings he has looked be-
optimistic judgment has been more
than JUSTIFIED in q score Of oommuni-
ties.
Archbishop Christie's zeal in the fur
therance Of Catholic educational ideals
has been an outstanding feature Of his
episcopate. BY word and deed he ha,
impressed upon his people his belief II
the vital necessity Of religious edu.
cation. The Catholic Church. he ha!
said, is not so foolish as to think tina
! her children can be permitted to grow
to manhood and womanhood withou
knowledge Of right principles ane
right living, and then expect that il
some mysterious way they will develop
into what they ought to be. Sh'
teaches her men and women to low
and serve God in the days of thei
youth. She moulds their characte
while it is yet plastic, and when tn,
formative period of life is past, TIN
fruit Of her labor is a man symmetri
cally formed, possessed OF an enlight
ened conscience to establish him il
virtue, and a well-trained mind. fit TO
the duties and responsibilities of life.
II this has been his belief, as ex
pressed in his sermons and addresses
it has been no less his conviction a.
I shown by his work. The school sys
( tenn of the Archdiocese has been ex
I tended and strengthened from the pri
{ mary to the college. Under his direc
! ton there has been formed the Ore
! gon Catholic Educational Association
! with the educational problems of tn
! Catholic schools. Through the me-
s dunn Of this association desirable uni
formities have been introduced in tn
s Archdiocesan schools, the teachers ar
} brought together in an annual insti
I tute to discuss the needs of thei
, , schools and to listen to distinguish,
educators. The association bears wit
ness to the practical character of tn
Archbishors interest in education. H
realizes and insists that while Catholi
y EDUCATION III LHe elllpitdSiS IL puts OF
religious training is made superior t
other systems of edu~ >tion. t. ,re mus
( be no falling off from the most exact
( ing intellectual standard. Catholic
Z schools have the advantage of teacher
) consecrated to their profession VIII
are more efficient for that reason. an
I likewise because they remain at wor
! in general for longer term Of year
! than the teachers In other schools.
The, Archbishop was from the tim
Z of his coming to Portland convince
J of the desirability of having stron
! Catholic college in this city. 1t wa
with great satisfaction, therefore. tina
he embraced the opportunity to sc
cure the building and grounds of til
y old Portland university, which ha
been renamed Columbia. The sue