The Irish standard., 1916-03-04

OF the vitality ana truth OF the Catn-
Ollie Church is its power of winning,
year by year, non-Catholic clergymen
as converts to the Faith. These
gentlemen, who are the fine flower
Of their sects, have, from a worldly
standpoint, everything to lose and
nothing to gain from joining the
Church. The change usually means
loss of social consideration. often
even the loss of livelihood; for by
resigning their ministry they become
just Catholic laymen. All honor to
their singlemindedness and selfish
devotion to the truth which they see
shining in the communion of the
Church of Christ!
Their example brings home to us
who are Catholics from birth the ir-
resistible appeal of the Catholic Faith
to the noblest types of intellect. The
sacrifices which they make, the priva-
tions they endure, the obloquy they
court, the social and domestic ties they
sever-all these are consequences tc
be taken into account if one will esti-
mate the heroism of their action. and
the compelling power of the Church's
claims to be Christ's Way, and Truth,
and Life. The spiritual peace and
serenity which they find in the house.
hold of the Faith must be unmistak.
able evidence to outweigh all material
considerations. A shining example
of such was Cardinal Newman, who
exchanged high place and power in
the Anglican Church for years of COM
parative obscurity as a Roman Cath
olic Happily, in his case, the
honor of the priesthood, and later on
high eminence were given to set the
seal of approval on his devotion to
his divine ideal. And, though such
solace is not always vouchsafed, yet
happily, in many cases, converted
ministers have, through the manifest
interposition of Providence, been de.
voted to the highest Offices in Holy
Church. 1t is pleasant task to re-
cord the recognition which was grant
ed them as instances of the impartiali-
ty of the Roman Pontiff, and as a trib.
ute to their worth and service.
Here in the United States within
the past century over 500 converted
Protestant clergymen and 400 laymen
have been admitted to the ranks OF
the priesthood. OF these distin.
guished converts more than a dozen
have adorned our American Her.
archy. Three of them have occupied
the historical See of Baltimore, name.
ly, Archbishops Whitfield, Eccleston
and Bayley. The first on our roster,
Most Rev. James Whitfield, was born
In England. After conversion he re.
ceived minor orders in France at the
hands of Cardinal Fesch, Napoleon's
uncle; was ordained in Lyons in 1909,
and came to Baltimore. In 1928 he
was consecrated Archbishop, dying in
1884. The Most Rev. Samuel Eccle.
ston, who also became Archbishop of
Baltimore in 1884, was born of Epis.
copalian parents in Maryland in 1901.
He died at the Visitation Convent,
Georgetown, D. c., in 1851. The third,
the Most Rev. James Roosevelt Bay.
ley, became eighth Archbishop of Bal.
timore. and was made Papal Delegate
over two Councils of the American
church. He was a near relative of
ex-President Roosevelt. His career
was interesting and eventful. Born
in 1914 near New York, he became
an Episcopalian clergyman, but re.
signed his charge in 1S41. He was
received into the Church of Rome in
1912. Thereupon he was promptly
dtsinherited by his uncle-of whom he
was the closest of kin-who built the
Roosevelt Hospital, New York, with
the funds intended for him. After
two years. studies in St. Sulpice,
Paris, he was ordained first in old St.
Peters Church, New York, by Bishop
Hughes. whose secretary he later be.
came. and whose life he wrote. In
1853 Father Bayley was consecrated
first Bishop Of Newark. One of the
acts Of his episcopate was the found.
ing of Seton Hall College and Sem
mary, named after his aunt. Mother
Bayley Seton. founder of the Amer.
lean Branch of the Sisters of Char.
ity, and herself a sanity convert.
Later he was consecrated Archbishop
of Baltimore, receiving the Pallium
from Archbishop Wood of Philadel.
phia.
Archbishop Wood, Just referred to,
was also a convert. He was born
in Philadelphia in 1913. was ordained
first in 1874, succeeded to the bish.
opric of Philadelphia in 1860. He it
was who founded the diocesan sem.
mary of St. Charles Borromeo, at
Overlook, Pa.
The first incumbents of the bishop
RIGS Of Hartford, Erie, Columbus, viii.
nington, and Ogdensburg, namely
Bishops Tyler, Young, Rosecrans,
Becker and Wadhams, respectively,
were all converts. Another, Bishop
Alfred A. Curtis, who was born in
| Co~ouoo& ro,,~%,, nsa a. 400,