Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-08-21
LIFE OF LATE POPE Plus x
Pontiff, Friend of Poor, Coming
from a Lowly Home,
ASSUMES PoNTIFICATE IN 1908
Most Notable UtterHuce Hts Con-
domination of Modernism--sOush
10 Live Up TO Motto 'Reutore
All TO Christ"

dFmmnNlOn OF hOufEuAsAn-
10 Live Up TO Motto 'Restore
All TO Christ"
Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, known to
the world as Pope Plus y, ives ele,ted
to the ponuficate on August 4, 1908 aimee
which time his administration OF that
exalted office has been confronted with
some OF tho most momentous prooisms'
religious and governmental with which
the Holy See has had TO deal IN recent
times. They have included, on the one
hand, his determined attitude IN nam
tanning the purity of Catholic faith be-
ginning with his syllabus condemning
criticism of the holy scriptures and OF
the origin Of Christianity. and later
bringing forth his famous encyclicsl
"Psscendi," which expounds and con-
dennis the system OF modernism; and,
on the other hand, the painful struggles
which he had inherited with France over
the separation of church and state. later
with Spain on similar issues, and more
recently with Portugal as a result OF the
revolutiop, which overthrow the mon
srchy.
Pope Plus was born on June 2, 1885, at
first child Of Clan Battista Sarte, post
man. and his wife Margherita They
were Of the upper peasantry. If any one
may use the term, and besides the boy
destined to be pope there were seven
children a son and six daughters. The
fathers salary of 40 cents day and the
mothers modest earnings from making
dresses afforded them only the barest
anA he Gnhnn1inn M
the children was sadly neglected. This
was true specially Of the girls. who never
learned to read or write, even in after
life.
Educated by Parish Priest.
Giuseppes early career was fortu-
nately influenced by the village priest
who took a liking for the boy, taught
him to read and write and drummed
into the youthful head tho rudiments
of Latin. With this impetus Giuseppa
at the age of II years entered the SEM
mary at Castelfranco, not far from his
birthplace. and for four years every day,
rain or shine, he trsmped to school,
usually barefooted, until he reached the
outskirts OF the village, where he would
slip on his shoes TO keep up appearances.
Two pairs of shoes was his yearly al
lowance.
From Castelfranco he passed in 1850
TO the seminary at Padua and in 1858,
at the age of %, was ordained priest and
took up his duties at Tombolo. In 1867
he had his first parish of Importance,
that of Salzano, where he remained for
eleven years, adored by his parishioners,
Notwithstanding his somewhat auto
cratic rules. In addition to his eccles-
iastical duties Father Sarto contributed
largely to the support of his mother and
sisters, who found life a hard struggle,
especially in the winter.
1t was in Salzano also that the fol-
lowing incident occurred. He returned
home one day, tired and hungry, after
a long tramp to see u sick parishioner,
and was about to sit down to plate
of steaming soup, which was on the
table, when a strange women walked
in at the open door, sat down and
calmly ate the soup before his aston
ished servant could interfere. When
finished, the stranger rose, wiped her
mouth and said deliberately: Il was
told that you live on bread and water
that the poor may eat, 1 was deter
mined to prove the contrary and
have" Farther Sarto had to be content
with cold fare
Cares for HIS Family.
Besides his parish Father Sarto had
to care'for his mother and sisters, who,
although they contributed their quota
to family income, found life hard strug-
gle. especially during the long and cold
winter. Giuseppe would have liked TO
have his mother with him but she re-
fused to leave her daughters, saying:
81 cannot leave Riese. Do your duty,
my son, and be happy in 1t, 1 shall
come II you ara ILL.," So great was the
necessity at home that Giuseppe gave UP
all the little comforts which his position
would have allowed him, and sent all
the money which was left over from his
charities to Riese. Meanwhile he had
been making a name for himself in a
modest way. His sermons became known
aud before leaving Salzano he was often
called to preach in the churches of other
parishes, were his rude and persuasive
eloquence was much appreciated.
In May, 1875, at the age of 40, he passed
TO Treviso, as chancellor or that diocese
and here he is still distinctly and affec-
tionately remembered. The year after
his appointment, Bishop Zimelli of the
Treviso diocese, was struck with apop
lexy, and on Father Sarto fell the full
responsibility of the important diocese
which comprised PIP parishes and be-
sides this he was made professor OF
theology in the seminary. Nine years
OF strenuous work followed, crowned
in 1884, by his assuming the mItre a;
bishop of Mantua.
Acts as Political PeacemAker.
In Mantua, more than anywhere else
he displayed his ability in dealing no
only with religious affairs but also will
local party troubles, and he succeeded
in bringing about union OF all moder
ate elements and giving them the admin
istration OF the town. In 1888 he was IL
Rome for the jubilee of Leo kits priest
hood, when one morning entering st
Peters he found a prelate Monsigno
Radnl Tedeschi whom he, once pope
appointed bishop of Bergano. who coult
not say mass, there being no acolites 4
serve Il. Bishop Sarto cut him short eX
claiming Come come you will see tina
81 will make no mistakes" So those a
early mass that day were fortunat
enough to see a simple priest celebrat
Ing mass, assisted by bishop and a ia