The Washington herald., 1911-12-24
Archbishop Ireland Priest
Fifty Years.

On Thursday Archbishop ireland cele-
brated the fftieth anniversary of his or
dination to the priesthood. and the trb-
utes to his services and worth in the
great Northwest were notable
When. as the new Archbishop of st.
Paul Archbishop Ireland went to the
Northwest at the beginning of the civil
war, that region was prairie and forest
from the Mississippi to the Missouri and
beyond. He has seen his province grow
from the period of the log cabin to that
of the majestic st. Pauls Cathedral, now
building on the highest spot in his see
city; from Indians in blankets and few
whites to 100000 Catholics. ten bishops,
1000 priests. schools, university. semin-
airy, and charitable institutions in great
numbers.
Cooperation with State and city &C
tivlties lifted Archbishop Ireland into To-
cal prominence. His denunciation of the
drink evil made enemies, but also made
friends, and contributed to the wonder
full regional growth. His Inauguration
of higher educational facilities removed
barriers to advancement of Roman Cath
Olics in professional and clerical life and
brought to the archbishop the title of
empire builder.
st. Paul has not been the limit of his
field of work. Speaking Of this outside
influence, the Missionary. the organ of
the Catholic Missionary Union, of which
he is first vice president, will say in its
January issue:
Sharing leadership with others, Arch
bishop Ireland has been In the forefront
of church progress And what church
in all the world has made such progress
as the one within the United States?
Nearer to the Vatican the Pope sees low
cring clouds of direful disaster, but in the
West the skies are sunlit. Among older
Catholic nations apostasy is rampant, but
in the West the young giant is sound of
limb and heart. The wise councils of
Archbishop Ireland have been listened to
in church and State in the Northwest
indeed, everywhere, and history will some
time tell how great has been his infiu-
ence.
Even beyond American borders the
archbishOp's constructive genius has
made him an International figure. When
the United States presented the statue of
Lafayette to NE French nation, the ST.
Paul archbishop was chosen by President
Mckinley to speak the sentiments of the
American heart, and when the French
nation wanted stranger to be the pan
egyrist of Jeanne dare. the archbishop
was again chosen. When the holy father.
needed defenders. John ireland was the
warrior who leaped into the arena. When
there was need for Catholic influence in
shaping American policies toward Cath
olics and their church, ONCE more the ST.
Paul archbishop was relied on. It would
take many pages to recount the whole
story of these fifty years.
THE archbishop inherited his strong
faith from Ireland. that isle OF saints. He
went TO st. Paul when a lad OF only
eleven. He received his. church training
in the country of Cure OARS. He got his
patriotism in the battles, of the civil war
His physical endowment came from the
climate of the Northwest. His breadth of
mind and sympathies come from his
church. Nearly every honor that church
and state can give him has been his. 1t
is altogether fitting. therefore, to stop a
moment and with him celebrate his gold
en- jubilee