The Irish standard., 1915-04-24

uOnu; B1SnOp lhS
resent Rector. -
bishop Keane of Dubuque, first rector
of the university, to whom he said
was due, in great measure, the won
derful success of the university today.
Following Cardinal Gibbons, Bishop
Thomas j. Shahan, rector of the uni.
versity, read the letter from our Holy
Father as follows:
''To Our Beloved Sons, James Cardi-
nal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore;
John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of
New York; William Cardinal O'Con-
nell, Archbishop of Boston, and to our
other venerable brethren, the arch
bishops and bishops of the United
States of America,
BENEDICT XIV, POPE.
Beloved Sons and Venerable Brethren,
Greeting and Apostolic Benediction.
We have recently learned that prep
arations were being made at Washing
ton for observing with due solemnity
the twenty-fifth anniversary of the
founding of the Catholic university,
and that the celebration, graced by
your presence and by that of the dis
tinguished members of the laity, would
be quite in keeping with the singu.
larly happy character of the occasion.
That you, beloved sons and venerable
brethren, should above all rejoice at
the prosperity of the university is
obvious to every one who realizes
that the beginnings and the gratifying
progress of this seat of learning are
owing especially to your wise and
timely care. And yet this joy of
yours is not so peculiar to you but
that we also may in some wise share
it. For we love, nay we dearly cher
'ishs.t American people, forceful as
they are with the vigor of youth and
second to none in efficiency of action
and thought; and as we earnestly de.
sire that an ever widening path to the
highest level of human achievement
may open before them, so we cannot
but feel the deepest pleasure at every
thing that furthers their progress.
Still, in your tireless endeavors you
aimed not merely at enriching the
mind with learning. What you chiefly
sought was to Undue it with that heav-
emily wisdom whose light cannot be
put out" and with which all good
things shall come to your flocks.
These proofs indeed of your pastoral
solicitude must appeal to every fair
minded observer as worthy of the high
est commendation and deserving of
the appreciation and support of your
fellow citizens, especially of your
Catholic people and in particular of
your clergy.
In this connection we will not with
hold our praise from the knights of
Columbus who, as you lately informed
us, by their splendid contribution to
the funds of the university, have car
ried into effect their wisely conceived
design of extending to young men less
favored by fortune the advantages of
a solid and at the same time Chris.
tian education. This noble example
of beneficence, which all good men ap-
prove, we hold up for imitation and
generous emulation to all who are
blessed with means; and we heartily
wish that you yourselves, beloved sons
and venerable brethren, will advance
the cause of the university by send.
ing to it students whose superior quail
tiles of mind and disposition give
promise of the best results. In addi-
tfon to other advantages which are
thence to be expected, the clergy of
the church in America will receive one
and the same culture and training;
and this-we speak to those who know
by experience-means without doubt a
clergy whose piety will bear richer
fruit because of their more active and
more harmonious cooperation for a
common purpose.
This blessing. we implore with
prayerful instance from God; and an
earnest Of heavenly favors and a token
Of our good will, we most lovingly in
the Lord bestow upon you all, beloved
sons and venerable brethren, upon the
rector, the professors and the students
of the university, and upon the
Knights Of Columbus as we'll, oul
apostolic benediction.
Given at Saint Peters Rome, this
thirteenth day of March, 1915, in the
first year of our pontificate."
BENEDICT XIV, POPE.
The mass was followed by q lunch
con at the New Willard hotel, at which
covers we're laid for more than sever
hundred guests; following which, thu
academic procession proceeded to tn.
New National theater.