The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-03-12

men attend in full dress and ladies in
black, with wells as head coverings.
The chapel proper is small; the ante
room where the audience is held is
larger, contains benches and seats
about forty people. The anteroom per-
mits q full view of the altar You are
impressed with the quiet simplicity Of
the altar and furniture. The Holy
Father robes Rt the altar and begins
his mass. .Th4 responses are made by
his chaplain al d two acolytes. At the
communion, tlfpse who are to receive
kneel at two prie- -DieuX. The Holy
Father will? much impressiveness gives
the host, reciting in a low and melo-
dious voice the invocation. The two
commandments, lSneeing at the prize
Dieux, rise and Others take their place,
the Holy Father quietly standing, as
the space js narrow and communicates
occupy some seconds in passing. The
room, with but, one window, and the
candles on theI altar give subdued
light-thc Sraperies prevail and you
realize that YOU are in holy place.
The mass ends and the Holy Father
takes scat to the left of the altar,
while his chaplain says his mass, tho
Pope making the responses in a clear,
distinct voice, above that of the AGO.
lyte, so that it would appear as if his
mass was the only voice.
| The room where the Holy Father
stransacts routing. business has the
appearance OFF, working Office. There
are no decorations OH the walls and
but few pictures. The desk and furni-
ture are plain. Papers are carefully
arranged and In order. Judging from
the use he made Of it in our presence,
his was the busy hand that kept the
desk. On it lay his steel-framed spec
tacles, his pens, his sand bottle. which
he uses instead Of a blotter, and his
keys. Back Of his desk are cases, ono
of which he opened in our presence,
taking from It a number of special
gifts for his morning visitors. The
Pope waits ON himself in all these mat
ters, lis movements direct, his man
ner oourteeussaaQs gracious: He is on
his feet at $3.50 every morning. and HI
is busy with, his prayers, his breviary
his mass AMI Thanksgiving until 1880;
q few minutes suffice for a light break
| fast of coffee and q ROLL. and from then
'untif 10 @1clccl he. lis engaged in his
study. examining the great questions
that concern the church.. At 10 pre-
cisely he receives the cardinal secre-
tary of state, Merry Del Val, who has
come up from the Borgia apartments
with portfolio, filed with important
documents, and with a clear summary
of all the important events in any way
affecting religion, which have taken
place during the preceding twenty
four hours.
| The young cardinal, for he Is only
just turned forty, boasts that he owes
all that Ia good in him to his Irish
blood. He is one of the most finished
of living diplomats and speaks six Ian
guages with as much fluency as II
each of them were his mother tongue
/ He passed his youth in the atmosphere
of courts, and he is entirely unlike the
venerable pontiff, but for all that the
two meet on the common ground OF
simple, unaffected piety. He remains
closeted for an hour or thereabouts
with the pontiff.
All questions Of interest throughout
the world are discussed. 1t Is a very
trying hour, ye! when 1t is over the
cardinal prefec. or the secretary OF
the propaganda is waiting his turn to
acquaint the Holy Father with i'm.
I portant news affecting his congrega-
ton. or 20 secure his signature to the
appointment of bishop in America
Or China.
|
Holy Father to receive the children OF
the converts and parochial schools. Al
in the United s.ates, the converts are
paying schools generally, and have
branches in which the poor children
are taught A request was made fol
an audience for the children instruct.
ed by one of the religious commrni.
ties, and a further request that the
children taught in the convent should
be received ,r separate room from
those ot the parochial schools. The
Holy Fathers answer was polite
"No. they are all my children" And
he would make no distinction.
When the news Of the terrible earth
quake at Calabria reached him foul
years ago, he at once gent for the re-.
lief Of. the victims every cent he coMlt
lay hands on, and when this was spen,