The Irish standard., 1914-08-29

| ,inctions are eliminated, and men of
i'll faiths stand together in the sor-
row with which the sudden an
nouncement is received. Affection
ltely called the Pope of the poor, Z"
not only because Of his deep SYM
pathy for that class. but because he
came from peasant stock himself
Pope Plus X had endeared himself to
the whole world by reason of his toll
erance and gentleness.
The death of the voluntary pris-
oner of the vatican doubtless was due
in no small measure to grief over the
devastating war in Europe. With
nearly every nation of Europe at
grips, locked in what seemed to be a
struggle to the death, the sense Of
brooding disaster weighted the feeble
form of the pontiff. BY his appeals
to European monarchs he had sought
to stem the tide Of war, and the real
ization of futility probably fastened
the end.
THE feeling of deep sadness that
will spread over Europe may not
soften the rage for war; Wherever
Catholics are to be found the sense
Of personal loss will prevail, and
among all sects and creeds there will
be a genuine regret that so fine a
mind and so gentle spirit should be
lost to the world at such time.
while it is true that the reign
of Plus X was not marked by any
OF the history-making enactments
that characterized other periods Of
the history of the Catholic church,
the freedom from discord and dis
sension was in itself a tribute to the
character of the dead Pope
He was born in 1885, of peasant
parents; was a parish priest from
1858 to 1875; became episcopal
chancellor of the diocese of Treviso;
then vicar, then bishop, then card
inal, then patriarch of Venice, and
finally was elected Pope. His rise
in the church from priest to Pope
was one of the modern evidences of
recognition Of merit in religious life
as well as among laymen."
Masses were celebrated for our
Holy Father in all the church of the
national capital, and a special ser
vice was held in Saint Matthew's
church on Monday morning at 1890,
when His Excellency. Most Rev. John
Bonzano, was celebrant of the solemn
high mass. and Rev. Walter Elliott,
c. S. p, the veteran Paulist mission
airy. and rector of the Apostolic Mis-
sion house, preached the sermon.
To this service President Wilson,
the cabinet, the diplomatic corps,
members of both houses Of congress,
the supreme court, and. official
Washington generally were specially
invited.
| In the sanctuary We're all the
prominent clergy stationed in Wash
ington.
Catholic officials in the capital are
greatly interested in the announce
ment that Cardinal Gibbons had sail
ed on the steamer Canopic for
Naples. The cardinal will reach
Naples in about thirteen days. The
conclave usually assemblies ten days
after the death of the Pope, but il the
election is deferred for few days,
Cardinal Gibbons will be in time to
cast his ballot.
Georgetown to Reopen POST
Graduate School.
The postgraduate school in the
arts and sciences of Georgetown uni
versity is to be reopened October list.
having been closed since 1908. Re-
quests for the reopening of these
insistent that the board Of regents
of the university and the faculty have
decided that no better time offerec
than this, the one hundred twenty
fifth year of the foundation Of
Georgetown.
The faculty OF the postgraduate
school for the year is said to be the
most brilliant that has ever been
gathered within the halls Of historic
Georgetown.
Educators throughout the country
will find in the list Of names that Of
the veteran philosopher and educa-
tor, the Rev. DR.. John A. Conway.
S. j., who. in addition to his duties
as professor of natural and canon law
in the Georgetown law school, has
consented to accept the post of dean
of the course in philosophy in the
postgraduate school.
Father Conway, whom so many
generations of Georgetown men have
admired, has received congratula-
lions and good wishes from all parts
of the country on his new appoint
ment. He is at present on leave in
Quebec.
The department of English oratory
and rhetoric will be under the di-
rection of Rev. Thomas ]. Gasson,
s. j., who has lately resigned from
the presidency of Boston college. and
,ccartod tho nosition If dean in Eng