The Irish standard., 1918-09-28

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ETY. of st. Mathew continued to flour. |
ish. and even today there are state
of the organization and
the archbishop never missed one of
these gatherings.
Summoned to Rome.
Hardly had his war against the
noXious evils of rum been waged and
Won than he was summoned to Rome
as bishops delegate to the great
Vatican council, which affirmed the
doctrines of papal infallibility and of
the immaculate conception. Untitled
priest though he was, he soon
showed his worth to the surprised
cardinals of Rome, who regarded him
as the "plebian apostle" But Pope
Leo XIII knew differently, and on
one occasion, as Ireland approached
the vast audience chamber, he whis-
pered to an attending cardinal, BE
hold, the future"
So familiar was he with the condi-
tions in the Middle West that the
Vatican, without consulting his bish-
op, appointed him apostolic bishop
of Nebraska and titular bishop of
Maronea. But Bishop Grace could i'll
afford to lose him, and sent mes
senger post-haste to Rome to pro-
test He said he needed Ireland, and
asked that he be made co-adjutor
bishop. His wishes were granted, and
Ireland was appointed co-adjutor of
the diocese of st. Paul.
The fertile plains of Minnesota
were awaiting the pillow, an excellent
field for the downtrodden people Of
Ireland, and so Bishop Ireland began
to labor for their colonization. He
laid his plans before the government
and the railroads and received prom
Use of their hearty cooperation. He
secured control of grant of 10000
acres of land in Northern Minnesota
along the right of way of the North
ern Pacific, and began to make ar
rangements with the people at home
for the immigration of hundreds of
Irish colonists.
Father Nugent, the priest at Liver
pool, to whom he intrusted the selec-
ton of the immigrants for his farms,
failed in his duties. 1t is true he Sc
cured the right number of immi-
grants, but he selected them from
the coast towns of Ireland-men
who had earned their livelihood by
fishing-to become tillers of the soil.
And while because of this lack of
foresight on his part, the undertake
ing was by no means failure, Arch
bishop Ireland always maintained had
Father Nugent understood it's mean
ing better the movement would have
been greater success. AS it was
many of the colonists intended for the
country remained in st. Paul. Those
who went north settled at Graceville
and half dozen other towns.
Because of his tire1ess efforts to
improve the educational facilities of
this Northwestern country, he be-
came involved in two controversies,
both of which brought him again to
the attention of the Vatican. The
most important of these was the
Cahensley controversy. Father Co.
hensley petitioned the holy see to
create in the United States German
parishes with German schools, a
ratable portion of German bishops and
issue orders that German should be
taught in these schools.
This plan was to be followed in
connection with all foreign SETTLE
ments. Bishop Ireland Immediately
saw the fallacy of the idea, and op-
posed it with all his strength.
"The mass of our Catholics today
are Americans" he declared, "and
they resent any attempt to make
them Irishmen or Germans, or any
other kind of foreigner. The bish-
ops of America are fully able to ward
off any foreign invasion and to main
tain the church on thoroughly Ameri-
can lines"
Then he fastened to Rome to op-
pose the plan in person. No more
was heard of it. His last public
word on the scheme to make Amer
lea into a country of many nationali-
ties was "Our country is not Con-
go to be partioned at the good pleas
ure Of foreigners. We have under
Peters successor, our autonomy and
for the sake of the American church
and the American republic we will
retain that autonomy
Then came his championship Of
what was known as the Faribault
plan. Bishop Ireland's plan was to
turn over the Catholic schools at
Faribault to the state or the city,