Kentucky Irish American., 1914-10-03
Something About the Bishop and
the DEGREES That Were
Enacted.
Visited Last Surviving Signer of
the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence.
RECOMMEND CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

BY James A. Rooney, LII. d.
How inspiring to the Catholics and
the general public of Baltimore must
have been the gorgeous ceremonial
| attending the assemblage of the
first provincial council there eighty
five years ago, Sunday, October 4
| Up to that time no such imposing
Catholic ceremony had been held in
the country. To be sure, there were
only few Bishops and other dig
nitaries present, for the original
diocese of Baltimore, which up to
1908 embraced the entire United
States, had only been divided twenty
one years; but those who took part
were among the apostles and foun-
ders of the church, and the mention
Of their names now must inspire the
Catholic reader with renewed ardor
for the faith that has weathered so
many prosecutions and with perfect
confidence that she will survive the
present organized campaign OF
vituperation and calumny. This
council, the holding of which had
been discussed for many years and
which was finally. approved by Leo
XII, was attended by the following
prelates:
The Right Rev. Benedict Joseph
Fenwick, Jesuit, an American of
the Americans, descendant OF
Cuthbert Fenwick, one of the or
iginal Catholic pilgrims who founded
the colony of Maryland; in the prime
of life at forty-seven and for four
years Bishop of Boston; among the
first students in Georgetown and
later it's President; Vicar General
of Charleston, and a missionary of
heroic zeal and ripe experience.
The Right Rev. Edward Dominic
Fenwick, his cousin, a Dominican. an
American and a Marylander, the
first missionary sent to Ohio and the
first Bishop of Cincinnati, sixty-one
years old and seven years a Bishop.
The Right Rev. Benedict Joseph
Flaget, a Frenchman, the friend
and admirer of Washington, the last
survivor of the Bishops consecrated
by Archbishop Carroll; nineteen
years in the episcopacy and sixty
six years old
L
Italian, forty-three years old, CO
worker with Father de Andreis in
establishing the Congregation of the
Mission in America and his success
sor as their Superior; first Bishop
of St. Louis and three years in that
see.
The Right Rev. John England, an
Irishman, forty-three years old, con-
secrated nine years as Charleston S
first Bishop, whose controversial
writings and sermons were master
pieces of learning, logic and elo-
quence.
David, Sulpician, for ten years CO.
adjutor of Bishop Flaget, French
man, sixty-eight years old and with
a missionary experience antedating
the century.
The Very Rev. William Matthews,
Vicar General Apostolic of the dio-
cese of Philadelphia.
Besides these there were present a
number of distinguished theologians,
many of them afterward Bishops, in
cluding the Rev. Francis Patrick
Kenrick, afterward Bishop of Phila-
delphia and Secretary of the coun-
afterward Bishop of Vincennes, and
the Rev. Anthony Blanc, afterward
the first Archbishop of New Orleans.
Bishop PORTER, of Mobile. and
Bishop Dubois, of New York, were
absent in Europe, the latter being
represented by the Very Rev. John
Power as theologian.
One of the incidents of the council
was the admission to one of its ses-
sions Of three lawyers of high
standing whose opinion had been
solicited by the fathers of the coun-
Gil, namely Roger B. Taney, Attorney
General of Maryland and afterward
Chief Justice OF the United States
Supreme Court; John Scott and
William Read. The master Of cere-
monies was the Rev. John Joseph
Mary Chanche, afterward first
Bishop OF Natchez.
The council was opened with a
solemn Pontifical mass celebrated
by Archbishop Whitfield, the Bishops
attending In miter and cope and
forty priests In chasubles. After the
mass sermon was delivered by
Bisohp England and the pallium was
conferred on the Archbishop by
Bishop Fenwick. The council lasted
until October Is and thirty-eight de-
crees were adopted or the govern
ment OF the church. They were con-
firmed by Pope Plus VIII. Septem-
ber 80. 1880. Among the important
DEGREES were those abolishing the
trustee system, one against the use
OF corrupt translations OF the Bible
and OF catechisms and prayer books
not approved. and one recommend
ing the erection OF Catholic schools
and the preparation OF Catholic text
books.
Before leaving Baltimore the
Bishops of the council In a body paid
a visit to Doughoregan Manor, near
the city, to pay their respects to