Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-06-07
The Great POntiff Once More
Almost i'm Normal
Health.
Gives Farewell Audience to Car
dinal O'Connell Last
Saturday.
ASKED TO SEE AMERICANS

Pope Plus was seventy-eight years
old last Sunday, and during that and
the preceding days innumerable tele-
grams and messages of felicitation
were received from all parts of the
world. According to the press dis
patches the Holy Father spent his
birthday very quietly, admitting only
relatives and members of his en-
tourage to his apartments.
He received in farewell audience
Saturday morning Cardinal O'Con-
nell, of Boston, who was to leave for
home on Wednesday. The Pontiff,
Notwithstanding three hours hard
work which he had already accom-
plished, besides the average fatiguing
receptions of late, appeared as strong
and alert as when Cardinal O'Connell
saw him May 21. They conveTsed at
length on many important eccle-
siastic questions. The Pope inquired
regarding the Missionary Congress
which is to meet at Boston in October,
saying he understood it would be
attended by about sixty Bishops
from the United States and Canada
He wished the congress every sue
cess.
When the audience was about to
end the Pope, recalling that wien
he last received Cardinal O'Connell,
his companions, Mgr. Michael J..
Splaine and DIR. ]. r. Slattery, of
Boston, remained in an anteroom,
foregoing the honor of being re-
hx
were not in regulation attire, asked:
Where are your friends?"
The Cardinal replied: "In the ante
chamber"
81 hope" said the Pope laughingly,
that this time they are suitably
costumed to appear before me-"
Receiving an Affirmative answer
the Pope requested that Mgr. Splaine
and DIR. Slattery be presented. DR..
Slattery was the first physician re-
ceived by the Pope since his illness.
with the exception, of his personal
attendants.
The moment he was outside the
audience room DIR. Slattery was sur
rounded by officials of the Vatican
and others, anxious to learn the i'm
preston he had received. DR.. Slat-
terry said: mo doctor could fail to
note that the Pope had robust and
healthy fiber / could tell from the
grasp of his hand and the vivacity of
his eyes that there remains plenty of
life, that the Pontiff has many years
to live. While holding my hand I
felt that it was in wise. The Holy
Father does not look in the least
like man who has been seriously
ILL., l could see by his general APP
pearance and the color of his skin
that his circulation is excellent"
Pope Plus, besides innumerable
congratulations, received many pres
ents in commemoration of his birth
day. The Pontiff kept his secre-
taries, his sisters and his niece as
his guests at lunch. During the
progress of the meal the band of
Papal gendarmes played in the court
yard below. The Pope is once more
almost in normal health.
A special to the daily press says
the Archbishop of Boston brought
a present to His Holiness. Just what
II was nobody knows; at least, it is
kept a secret; but that II is some
thing from Boston and of thoroughly
American make there is no doubt,
and that the Pontiff is pleased with
ii there is no doubt also, as he has
been heard to say so. There are
many guesses. Most are that II is
something in needlework done by
the nuns of Boston.