The Irish standard., 1912-03-30
The Holy Father and his Court
Listen to a Sermon Every
Friday Morning.
In Accordance With a Long Estab.
lished Custom the Preacher is
Franciscan.
Sermons of Plus X Recalled-Were
Especially Noted for Simple,
Lucid Style.

While the people of Rome listen to
the Lcntcn preachers in the more im-
portant churches of the city, the Holy
Father and his court hear u sermon
every Friday morning, from a Capuch-
in priest.
Father Luca da Pador;, delivered the
first of his Lcntcn series in the Throne
be termed the most august audience
any clergyman ever preached to.
The pulpit of the good Capuchin oc-
cupied the space upon which the Papal
throne usually stands; the Holy Fa-
ther sat alone at the end OF the vast
chamber, behind a grill. so that while
the Pontiff had u full view Of the
preacher, the latter could not see the
person of the Pope. On each side of
tho court, the Archbishops and Bsll-
ops of tho Vatican and the Eternal
City, the generals of the mendcant
orders and the apostolic penitentiaries
Of st. Peters.
Always a Franciscan.
1t is interesting to add that the
preacher to the Roman court is al
ways Franciscan, just as invariably
the master Of the sacred palaces is al
ways Dominican, and the Papal sa
cristan an Augustinian, who is con-
sccratcd Bishop on his appointment.
When Plus X. received the fifty two
parish priests of Rome. together with
the group of renowned orators to the
number of thirty-fve, who arc To
| preach the series of Lcnten sermons
| in the chief Italian and foreign church,
es of the city, many present must
have recalled the first years of his
pontincatc For his instructions to tho
preachers as to the simplicity of theil
| sermons, the necessity of making
/ themselves understood by the least
educated of their congregations
brought to mind the year 1904, whcl
the Sovereign Pontiff used to preach
every Sunday evening to the people
of Rome.
When the Pope Preached.
/ The sermon of the Pope used to take
| in, 1,1 nj <,c l,<
vast squares within the Vatican build
ings, in the presence Of an audience
varying from five to ten thousand per-
sons, all of whom had received tickets
/ from their respective parish priests
Surrounded by ecclesiastical and lay
dignitaries of the Roman court, ant
by his Noble Guards. the head of the
Church expounded the Gospel of the
day in simple. lucid style tha
Every word of his was heard; every
idea sank into ones mind; and people
forgot, for the nonce, that the speaker
was none other than the Sovereign
| Pontiff himself.
| The Catholic Press.
In Italy, as in other Catholic coun
tries, a resume of the pastoral lette
of each Bishop to his diocese is to b.
found in the columns Of the dali!
press.
After brief scrutiny Of the pas
torals as whole, one finds that tn
subject most generally touched upol
by the Bishops Of Italy, is that Of tn
absolute necessity Of supporting tn
sound, honest press. both for priest
and people. Perhaps the most prac
tical supporter is that of the Bisho
} of st. Angelo del lombard, who eve
goes the length of offering to meet hal
the cost of publications for the yea
1912, and urges each priest in his dio
cese to do him the special favor O
finding five laymen to subscribe to
Catholic journal.