Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-27
Pope TO DEVELOP
AMERICAN SCHOOL
TAKES CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
UNDER HIS SPECIAL
PATRONAGE.

+ New York, Feb. 26.--POpe fluS A. ~
q letter to Cardinal Gibbons which the
cardinal has had translated and ad-
dressed in circular form to the mem.
bers of the American hierarchy and all
friends of the Catholic university!
makes known that the vatican has tax
en- the university under its especial
patronage and purposes developing 1t
to an extent beyond the dreams OF its
distinguished founders. The docu.
ment is interpreted by the friends OF
the university as direct challenge TO
certain elements in the church In this
country that secretly opposed 1T, and
were foremost in disseminating the IN
formation not many years ago that 1t
was failure.
Eve are fully determined on de-
veloping the Catholic university" the
pope writes. For We clearly under
stand how much q Catholic university
Of high repute and influence can do
toward spreading and upholding Cath
Ollie doctrine and furthering the cause
of civilization. To protect 1t, there
fore, and to quicken its growth Is, in
our Judgment, equivalent to rendering
the most valuable service to religion
and country alike.
The letter, too, stamps the univers-
ity as the Official home Of learning for
Catholics, priests and laity in the
United States and it's possessions.
Teaching Nuns.
The pope urges all the religious or
ders in this country to establish col
leges and schools of studies about IT,,
and requesting the bishops of the
country tsencourage and enlarge the
plan already adopted OF arranging
special courses br the teaching OF
nuns.
The Dominicans and the Paulists are
at the present time the only proml'
nent religious orders that have col
leges on the university grounds. The
Redemptorists, Passionists, Carmel.
ties, Benedictines, Oblate Fathers,
Fathers of Mercy, Franciscans, Nor
berthe Fathers, Augustinians, Sales
ians, Theatines, Vincentians and Jesu-
its are among the principal bodies that
are, expected to build colleges or
houses Of study. Some Of these bodies
heretofore have commended that they
themselves were teachers, and actual
ly were conducting schools and col
leges.
This grouping, indeed, is of mutual
says the letter. me col
leges add to the adornment of the uni
versity and enhance it's prestige, while
on its part the university affords the
religious, who along with their own
studies may follow it's courses, oppor-
tunity to profit and attain more
thorough knowledge. Carefully con-
sidering these relations and concerned
above all that those who are called to
the service OF the Lcrd should by
growth in holiness and knowledge be-
come workmen that need not be
ashamed of rightly handling the word
OF truth, we regard these colleges with
special favor, and we eXhort the super
iors of religious orders, while preserv-
ing their own discipline, to establish
Institutes"
Gibbons Congratulated.
The letter is the first papal docu-
ment OF an official character that has
reached this country since the eleva-
ton of Cardinals Farley and O'Con-
nell. In the opening paragraphs the
pope congratulates Cardinal Gibbons
and the hierarchy for the work already
done in support of the university
Then follows an appeal to the clergy
and laity to continue the practical
assistance and to the bishops that
they comply with our express wish
in tins matter (the sending of special
ly fit students to be educated there)
from which each diocese will derive
beyond doubt the greatest benefit. For
these clerics elevated to- the priest
hood and returning to their respective
dioceses will in any position which
the bishops may assign them dis
charge their duties with an earnest
ness all the greater because Of the
deeper and wider knowledge they will
have acquired at Washington"