Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-20
CARDINAL SPEAKS
AT GOLD JUBILEE
Thanksgiving for Dawn of
Peace the Theme of
His Address
PRAISES POPE in WAR
Mgr. Gibbons Last of Thou.
sand Bishops of Vatican
Council, He Says
By the Associated Press

Washington. Feb. 20.-Thanksgiving
that the blessed sun Of peace has
dawned' and praise for the work of the
Papacy in attempting to mitigate the
horrors of the war, formed the theme
OF the reply of Cardinal Gibbons today
TO addresses of congratulation on his
golden episcopal jubilee. The venerable
preIate was in felicitous mood. despite
emotion at the personal tributes. and
the fatigue Of the exercises.
In his speech he paid tender tribute
to the late Archbishop Ireland OF st.
Paul. "the patriot whom his fellow
citizens loved TO honor.
Thanking Archbishop Cerretti' repre-
sentative Of the Pope, and Archbishop
Honzano, the Papal nuncio in the
United states, and other dignitarles for
their presence, the Cardinal recalled
that when the jubilee was Cancelled
four months ago because of the inhu-
enza endemic the Pope inquired as to
what date it had been deferred. Car
'siSAal Gibbons csbled that it was post
5fponed indefinitely. but 'in spite OF my
answer. the Holy Father decided 1t
should take place
Sole Survivor of Thousand Bishops
.When a man like myself becomes an
octogenarian," Cardinal Gibbons SAID
.he is disposed to be reminiscent and to
praise times passed away. Laudator
temporis acti.' But, / assure you, l
have no disposition to yield to the
temptation"
IT am today the sole survivor of the
nearly one thousand bishops who at
tended the Vatican Council. What is
still more noteworthy, 1 am actually the
only survivor of the eighty prelates who
attended the Third Plenary Council of
1884
''The last to descend below the horizon
of the tomb was the venerable patriarch
Of the West, the great apostle of temper
ance, the patriot whom his fellow cit
izens loved to honor, without. distinction
of race or religion, the hon of the fold
of JUDAH refer Ito John Ireland
Archbishop of St. Paul rf
II thank God that we are assembled
today when the war is oyer, and the
blessed sun of peace has dawned upon
us.
During that tremendous conflict
there was one majestic figure that
lowered over all others, / refer to our
Holy Father. Benedict XIV. behold
him now in imagination standing like
moses on the mountain, with uplifted
nands. praying for his spiritual children
shedding fratricidal blood.
Inc Holy Father was unjustly criti-
Clzed In those days. He was blamed
by the Allies because he did not side
with them. He was blamed by tile
central Powers because he did not es-
pouse their cause. But the Holy Father
couid not be partisan. He was toe
exalted n parsonage for that But
though not partisan he was not an
lndiherent spectator of the horrors he
witnessed. He frequently protested
against the outrages perpetrated In Bel.
gium and France, and he was habtually
exercised in the benevolent work of eff.
Iecting change of prisoners and ir
many other ways mitigating the horrors
of war.
Pspacy Christ's Requiem of Nations
THE sovereign, Pontiff stands out to.
day the most exalted parsonage ir
Christendom. Kings win die, emperor.
VIII die, even pcpes will die, but the
Papacy lives forever. -.
The popes hsye seen the rise ant
development of an the governments o,
Europe. 1t is nos. improbable they will
witness the death of some of them auc
chant their requiem.
They have seen kingdoms change,
TO republics and republics changed tC
monarchies. They have looked on whil
the Goths, the Vandals and Visigoth
invaded the fairest portions of Europe
upsetting thrones.
"All this they have seen, while th
divine constitution OF the church o
which they are the guardians has re
mained unchanged. We may apply t,
her the words of Apostle: These shal
perish. but thou remainest; all of then
I shall grow old as garment, but thou
o immortal church, art always the sam
and thy years shall never fam"
Dignitaries OF the church said the eel
ebration was the most notable gatherin,