The Irish standard., 1914-08-29
POPE LOVED AMERICA
Pope Plus Tenth was keenly inter
ested in Welfare of Church in
America and i'll Welfare
of Americans.


critical time is a calamity to the
whole world. His exalted office, his
courage, his keen sense of justice and
burning love for God and men, made
all thinking people look to him for
consolation and help in the mighty
struggle that is now engaging Eu-
rope. Had he lived there can be no
doubt that eventually he would have
exercised strong influence in bring
ing the monarchs of Europe to a
sense of their awful responsibility in
waging the stupendous war which is
brutalizing half of Christendom.
Was Great Pope.
Plus x was great man and
great pope. There has been no pope
like him since the strenuous day of
Sixtus V. Almost as soon as the dead
pontiff was seated on the chair of
Peter he struck pontifical elections
free from secular influence. This was
an act of supreme courage. Other
popes had thought of it. Plus X car
ried it out. His aim was to renew all
things in Christ by quickening every
phase of human life and endeavor
with the Masters spirit. Any man
who determines on such a program
is sure to undergo trial and suffer-
ing. Plus X was no exception to the
rule. The French government tried
him sorely by most unfair means. But
he waited his day and thwarted each
insidious plan of the enemy by the
patience and homely wisdom that
were so characteristic of his whole
life.
Stops Dangerous Heresy.
Modernism, a real and dangerous
heresy that threatened the very ex-
istence of Christianity, was making
Roadway in the church. The pope
was not slow to detect the danger
Despite clamor that would have ter
rified man of less stalwart faith, he
denounced the heretical doctrines
and swept the church free of those
who refused to hear his word.
There are other acts of Plus x no
less far-reaching in effect. He re-
formed sacred music. He insisted on
early communion, for little children
and frequent communion for all. He
set commission to the stupendous
task of codifying canon law He or
dered another to reform the brew
larry; he rid ecclesiastical administra-
ton of a thousand and one technical
tiles; he instituted the Biblical COM
mission, defined it's scope and powers,
founded the world-famed Biblical in
stitute, called upon the benedictines
to restore the vulgate as nearly as
possible to st. Jerome's text, issued
DEGREES for the training of religious
men in science and in the spirit of
their respective institutes and, per-
haps greatest of all, effected in a
short space of time the entire trans
formation of seminary life in Italy.
The multitude of smaller and rela-
lively ineffective houses of studies
that dotted the peninsula were swept
away and great colleges were found
ed wherein seminarists are trained
under the ablest guides. Besides all
this, up to January 1, 1914, he found
ed eighteen arch-bishoprics, fifty
three Episcopal sees, thirty-four pre-
lectures apostolic and appointed 746
members of the living hierarchy.
Pope Plus x was very busy man,
but never so busy that he forgot that
he was first and foremost priest, a
shepherd of God. His life was holt
ness itself. He was consumed with
love of God and men. Every cry of
distress that reached his ear was
heard. A report reached him that
his countrymen were neglected in
foreign lands. He ordered the for
nation of committee to attend to
their spiritual needs, and directed
that priests be trained especially to
care for these emigrants.
Sent Relief to Stricken Districts.
When Sicily was devastated by the
great earthquake he sent men and
money to the stricken district, that
no suffering might lack aid. He
caused the orphans to be brought to
northern Italy, where he supported
them at his own expense.
The dead pope was essentially a
peacemaker. He never lost an oppor-
tunity to urge peace upon man and
nations. In the last consistory he
spoke eloquently on this topic. and it
is consoling to know that his last
message to the world was petition
to bishops, priests and lay people to
pray the God of mercy to end the
war.
e. Loved America.
Several of our popes have loved
America and the Americans. None
were more sincere in his love than
Plus X. He raised the church of
the United States to full participation
in Catholic privileges. elevated two
Of our resident bishops to the cardin-
alate. multiplied sees and bestowed
many other favors upon us, out Of
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