The Pensacola journal., 1914-08-20

lowing incident occurred. He returned
home one day. tired and hungry. after
a long tramp to see sick parishioner,
and was about to sit down to a plate
of steaming soup, which was on the
table when a strange woman walked
in ar 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; I was deter
mined to prove the contrary and L
have" with that she flounced off and
poor Father Sarto had to be content
with cold fare.
Besides his parish Father Sarto had
to care for his mother and sisters who
although they contributed their quota
to family income, found life a hard
struggle. especially during the long
and cold winter. Giuseppe would have
liked to have his mother with him but
she refused to leave her daughters,
saying: II cannot leave Riese. Do your
duty. my son. and be happy in it. I
shall come If you are ILL.," So great
seppe 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 modest way. His
sermons became known and before
leaving Salzano he was often called to
preach in the churches of other par
ishes, where his rude and persuasive
eIoquence was much appreciated.
I'm May. 1875, at the age of 40, he
passed to Trieviso, as Chancellor of
that Diocese. and here he is still dis
tinctly and affectonately remembered.
The year after his appointment Bish-
op ZmelH, of the Treviso diocese was
struck with apoplexy, and on Father
Sarto fell the full responsibility of the
important diocese, which comprised
212 parishes and besides this he was
made Professor of Theology in the
Seminary. Nine years of strenuous
work followed, crowned. in 1884, by his
assuming the mitre as Bishop of Man
tua.
In Mantua more than anywhere else.
he displayed his bility in dealing not
only with religious affairs but also
with local party troubles. and he sue
ceeded in bringing about union Of all
the moderate elements and giving
them the administration of the town. |
In 1888 he was in Rome fcT the JUbi- |
lee of Leo KITS priesthood, when one |
morning entering st. Peters he found |
a pTelate. Monsignor Radtni Tedeschi !
when he, once Pope, appointed Bishop /
of Bergan1o. who could not say mass |
there being no acolites to serve IT, |
Bishop Sarto offered his services, but |
the prelate. confused, objected, when |
Mgr. Sarto cut him short, exclaiming |
Come. come, you will see that / will |
make no mistakes" So those at early |
mass that day were fortunate enough |
to see a simple priest celebra ting ma ss. |
assisted by bishop nd future pope
in the humble position of an altar boy. |
Leo XIII. conferred upon Bishop |
Sarto the title of Roman Count" and |
In the Cinsistory of June. 1893, ere
ated him Cardinal. giving him the Ro-
man Church of San Bernardo from
which to take his title. There was,
however. ludicrous side to the posi-
ton. The trouble was that Mgr. Sarto
as Bishop was just poor as Father
Sarto the simple priest, as. as his in
come increa ased. his charities kept pace,
and just few days before the Con-
s1story he had sent the only gold pee
toral cross which he possessed to the
Bishop of Treviso to have it sold to
aid in the restoring of the chapel Of
the Seminary Under these conditions
it was rather difficult to accept the
new dignity. which implies. in fees
alone. an expenditure of not less tina n
$4,000 Some rich admirers, in Mantua
came to the rescue and provided the
he ]
dinal was enabled to go to Rome for
his red hat. Shortly after. a if he had
he went to his birth
place in ell the pomp of his new dig
nifty, and entered the poor house where