The San Francisco call., 1909-02-28
BISHOP O'CONNELL
AND Ills UNIVERSITY
Intimate History of His Sure
Rise as Protege of Car
dinaI Gibbons
Continued From Page IL

among whom We're Bishops Ireland and
Keane. The Blizzard of the North
west" as he was aptly called, was
there to aid the cardinal in presenting
to the holy see his famous defense of
the Knights of Labor. Bishop Keane
was concerned with the project of a
new university for the church in
America. He was destined as its first
rector to hear the burden of its or
ganization a few. months later. DR..
O'Connen was in position to offer
valuable suggestions. He was an in
innate friend of Miss Caldwell, who
at the earnest request OF Bishop
Spaulding had given the first financial
aid to the undertaking.
From that time events of much mo-
ment followed in rapid succession. DIR.
o'ConneITs Jealous advocacy of every
movement relating to the growth of
the church in America, while 1T ultf-
mately secured a reward. was at first
the cause OF much misunderstanding at
the Vatican The task of explaining
away the oratorical inaccuracies of va
rious platform efforts was not by any
means easy Many a bold flight of the
imagination came near losing its ortho-
doN when translated into scholastic
Latin and placed before the ever watch
ful Roman congregations. Difficult
though it was. DIR. O'Connell did not
finch from what he conceived to be
his duty. No doubt he was one of
the first to hear the mutterings of the
storm which hung over the congress
of religions held during the Chicago
worlds fair. To see the bright scar
let of a prince of the Roman church
mingling in restful harmony with the
oriental robes of pagarism was sight
most unusual even in the ever widening
field of fraternal charity. DR.. OiCon-
nell must have recognized all this-to
deny it is to belittle his theological
Iearning-and seeing the inevitable re-
suits. he retired to take charge of
Cardinal Gibbons titular church in
Rome and enjoy a well earned rest
from academic and diplomatic labors.
But he was too valuable a man to
be allowed to remain for any length
of time in such a capacity. so when
Plus Y became pope he was COM
manded TO return to America ana take
charge of the Catholic university as its
third rector 1t will be remembered
that the university promised to realize
the loftiest ideals of Christian educa-
ton. 1t was proposed to establish
here on American soil an institution
which would rank with those of Europe
in the scope of its instruction and the
completeness OF its equipment. The
college. of the propaganda and the
American college at Rome had always
been the training ground of theologians
for this country, but as the faith
spread the need of a local university
became manifest. The broad minded
Leo gave the plan his hearty approval
and, with the peruasive eloquence OF
Bishop Keane. the constructive genius
of Bishop Spaulding and the financial
assistance OF Miss Caldwell the uni
versity developed a splendid vitality.
When Bishop Keane was elevated to
the archiepiscopal see of Dubuque, DIR
Conaty was made rector. His appoint
ment was intended to harmonic the
various elements found within the uni
yersity, and in this he succeeded ad.
mirably, but he disebeyed unwittingIy
the warning to put not your trust in
men and the university suffered the
loss of millions through the financial
failure of its treasurer, Thomas E
Waggaman. 1t was to this discourag-
ing condition that DR.. O'Connel1 was
forced to give his immediate attention
Cardinal Gibbons had almost sunk be-
meath the new burden, but with the
coming of his lifelong friend he arose
with brave heart and set himself tC