The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-06


 this summer with the Knights of Co., lumbus and the fact that these de- vout American sons of the church are to be received in audience by the Pope makes this ceremony of peculiar in terest at this time. One of the strong est Catholic laymen in the United States is John D. Crimmins of New York MT. Crlmmins has been granted the honor of being received by the holy father and has prepared a de- scription of the ceremonyD
 BY JOHN D. CRIMMINS.
 The last door Is thrown open to us and we find ourselves in the pres ence of the Pope.
 Dressed from head to foot in white, a sturdy, well-knit frame, rather un- der than over the middle height, of easy and dignified bearing, Piux x would not look the 70 years he carries but for one thing.
 At a little distance he looks not unlike his great predecessor, Plus 1\, but the resemblance fades as you study | his face more closely. On the whole, 1t is not an uncommon type of face, but there is q wonderful blending of gentleness and strength in the curves of the mouth, reflected again in the quiet gray eyes (which a great artist has described as Irish eyes'o. whose general expression is that of kindness and thoughtfulness, but which light up keenly every now and then when he is specially interested.
 It is a good face, a kindly face, a strong face. which prepares you a once for the fatherly cordiality of your re- ception. It is face that sets you at your ease in a moment, that enables you to accept without emba rrassment l his invitation to you to seat yourself close to him and to say out what you have in your heart.
 But, gentlemen, if were asked what I consider the dominant note In the appearance of Plus X, l would answer at once that it is an immense, over shadowing, persistent sense of respcn- sibility those human characteristics which make Plus X the most lovable of pontiffs are. after all, only Ike flashes of sunshine on a deep sea.
 From what 1 have seen and from what I know of our holy fathe CT. l believe that for the last five years and a half he has never for five walk ing minutes fully forgotten that the whole weight of Gods great church Is resting on his shoulders and that 2 must bear it until his body IS laid away in the niche in St. Peters, which now holds all that is mortal of his predecessors.
 You have read many anecdotes o1 Plus X--let me add another here which has never been published and which illustrates pathetically what l have lst been saying. You know that the Pope two sisters, who have kept house for him all his life. have followed him to Rome. They lead a very plain life fin small fiat almost within stone throw of the Vatican
 When they look out at night from the window of their parlor they see one light shining out from the gloom o1 the great palace of the pope, and they do not need to be told that up there their brother Is working and praylnS for the church. But at certain times they are privileged to spend an hour or half an hour with him alone in the evening, as they used to do when he was cardinal or bishop or par ish priest.
 Usually they talk about old tines and old friends. but there are times when the visit is infinitely touching They note at a glance that their broth CT has had much to trouble him that day. for he looks older and full Of care and his smile of welcome has died away almost immediately. And the three sit there together in perfect silence, the simple black -robed wom- en telling their beads with their eyes fXd Ien0erlN ana oi HIS face and the white figure between them motionless in his chair.
 The say nothing, for they see his mind is not there-perhaps they know that the Pope is that moment think ing of France, and he sees the churches there being robbed and profaned, and the idea of God being torn up from ths hearts of the people, and the figure off Christ. whose vicar he is, removed from the land. That. gentlemen, is, l think, subject worthy of great artist.
 The privilege of attending the Pope's mass at the early hour of in the morning, in the small chapel adjoin- ing his apartments, and receiving from his hands the sarced host, Is occa- sionally granted to Catholic visitors Rome. Admission is by card; gentle men attend in full dress and ladies in black with wells as head covering; ,. The chapel proper Is small; the ante room. where the audience is held. Is larger contains benches, and seats about 40 people. The ante-room per mits full view of the altar
 You are impressed with the qur simplicity of the altar and furniture. , The holy father robes at the altar and begins his mass. The responses are made by his chaplain and two acolytes. At the communion, those who are to receive kneel at two prie-dieux. The holy father with much impressiveness gives the host reciting in a low and melodious voice the invocation.
 The two communicants, kneeling at the pre -dieux. rise and others take tn cir place the holy father quietly standing as the space is narrow and the communicants occupy some seconds in passing. The room with but one window and the candles on the altar give subdued light-the draperies sonlb er-all cause a solemn feeling to prevail and you realize that you are in holy place.
 The mass ends and the holy father takes a seat to the left of the altar. while his chaplain says his mass. the l Pope making the responses in clear, distinct voice above that of the acolyte