Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-19

for relief and very often advice and en-
coura cement Right here it can be set
down that he WAS always the parish
priest But he loved books also, and
while at salcano he began the collection
Of a library, which was later conceded
to be the finest IN Venice 1t was while
he was officiating at Salcano that he and
Cardinal Pecci, later Leo XIII, first met
BY this time the aesthetic tastes and fine
learning of Vicar General Sarto had been
heard of In Rome.
Just twenty-six--years after his ordina.
tlon Father Sarto was honored by Rome
with the episcopacy OF the diocese of
Mantua. This was in 1854. Pope Leo had
taken a kindly interest In the work and
life of Giuseppe Sarto. The scholarly
and aristoeratic pontif had shown a
great deal Of respect for the learning of
the peasant priest whom church honors
could not tempt from the simple ways of
his parents and his brothers and sisters.
There was no pride about Bishop Sarto
Of Mantua, who was called by the pontifr
to preside over the city known as the
birthplace of the epic poet of the Latins,
Virgil But the bishop worked as indie
fatigably as any of his priests. He had
the poor to look out Tor. He walked
through the streets Of his diocese and
had heart-to- heart talks with men and
women and children for whom the way
had been hard. He never appeared at
these times. it is SAID, in the striking
and identifying robes Of his high office.
He wore his episcopal ring and pectoraI
cross. and these two insignia were the
only marks of his rank in the church.
For nine years Bishop Sarto ruled over
the diocese of Mantua. In these years
he denied himself all sorts of social
amusements His tastes did not run along
that line. When he was not writing
treatises on ecclesiastical subjects or
poems 10 the Madonna he was out on
parochial visits or devislng plans for the
improvement of his priests, people,
churches aud institutions.
1t was in 1898 that Leo Mi. looked
about for strong man TO fill the vacant
throne of the patriarchate of Venice.
This was an old see rich with traditions
aud written story, and 3ne of the most
important in the church. Leo found OPP
position TO his declaration that he was
about to appoint a patriarch. The Italian
government served notice that It re-
served the right to make the appoint
ment, and maintained its position on the
ground that it was itself the successor
to the republic of Venice. The Holy See
denied this right on the part of the
Italian government which finally yielded
and gave to Bishop Sarto his exequatur,
for 1t was the bishop of Mantua whom
the Pope had selected to preside over
Venice as its patriarch
Even with this higher office the peas
ant-like simplicity of Archbishop Sarto
was Enthusiastically shown. The arch
bishop soon found disfaYor with Rome
herself when he called on the King of
Italy, who was visiting Venice. But the
patriarch had his own ideas as to the
proprieties and did not let the Vatican
interfere with his privileges or rights in
what has been known as the dispute be-
tween the Quirinal and the Vatican. He
quite simply asserted his rights in the
matter, and even in this instance showed |
the independence of thought and action |
which has been identified with his work |
in the church.
There were rich men in Venice, many !