The Irish standard., 1909-06-19
HIS GRACE IS A NATIVE OF GALLANT 1|PPERARY
While His Eloquence and Scholarship Have Made Him
Famous, He is Equally Well Known For Humor
and Ready Repartee.

the war, but Father Ryan returned
the commission with thanks, saying
that he desired to minister to all as
he had been doing.
Father Ryans work as Vicar Gen.
eral of ST. Louis brought him in con-
tact with all the priests and bishops
and when it became necessary for the
venerable Archbishop Kendrick to have
the assistance Of a coadjutor Father
Ryan was the unanimous choice. In
1872 he was consecrated Bishop Of
Triconaia and Coadjutor Bishop of st.
For twelve years Bishop Ryan labored
in st. Louis, making strong friends
on all sides and growing more famous
as an orator and scholar. Father
Burke, the famous Dominican preacher
declared that Bishop Ryan surpassed
:syen the great .Lacordaire, the most
celebrated preacher Of the order. In
1889 Bishop Ryan visited -Rolaes:a.sa
found that his eloquence and HIS fame
had reached there ahead Of him. He
also visited Ireland at this time, and
in 1884 the Pope, in recognition of his
merit, appointed him Archbishop OF
salamis.
At this time Philadelphia had been
without an Archbishop for nearly year
and great was the joy there when it
was announced, on June s, 1884, that
Archbishop Ryan had been appointed
to this See. Rev. l.. J. Kirlin, in his
life of Archbishop Ryan, referring to
this period in the Church's history
here, remarks that Philadelphia was
second in numbers only to New York
and first in everything else Of Amer
lean dioceses. The able and efficient
Archbishop Wood had placed the dio-
cese on most secure financial stand
ing, and yet the Catholic population
was people apart from the life of
the city. There was need for an
Archbishop who would crystalize tlls
diverging elements" Such man was
found in Archbishop Ryan.
Archbishop Ryan arrived in August,
1884. He was the recipient Of de-
monstrative farewell reception in ST.
Louis and his reception here was most
noteworthy. There was a great out
pouring of men and women of all de-
nominations and his coming here made
civic as we'll as Church history. He
was formally installed Archbishop on
August 20, 1884. 1t was on that day
that the Archbishop preached his first
sermon here and he concluded by say
ing: "To God and to the welfare of
the people I dedicate the years of my
life" This dedication he has faithfully
adhered to during the past quarter of
a century that he has labored in Phil
adelphia.
What Archbishop Ryan has done,
what he has accomplished, in the quar-
ter Of century that he has been at
the head of the esmeteropolitan See Of
Philadelphia, need hardly be recited
here. At once 1.e began to be part
Of the life of Philadelphia. His sim
plicity, his unostentatiousness We're re-
marked on all sides, yet this man,
quietly, but firmly. broke down bar
riers, made friends, warmed a chill
atmosphere and by other Christian
deeds wrought much, very much, that
was for the good not only Of the
Church but of the City and State.
Time and again Philadelphia has at,
tested to his worth by unprecedented
acts. The present street car strike re-
calls the influential part he played in
the strike of fifteen years ago. When
everything else had failed the Arch
bishop went to a meeting of the strik-
crs. BY his words and his arguments
he quieted the angry men, and, on his
promise that their demands would lie
granted. the strike was declared off
and the men returned to work.