The Catholic bulletin., 1920-10-23


pared for the awful dignity as were
the Apostles. Herein arises the func-
ton of the Seminary. Behold its d.
vinely appointed task! Behold the
responsibility of all concerned in it's
welfare! In the Seminary must the
young levite be well grounded in
Theology-the queen of the sciences
and its kindred and auxiliary
sciences, Scripture, History and Phi
losophy, whereby he is enabled to go
forth an educated scholar to preach
the gospel of Christ and to champion
and maintain the sacred deposit of
divine faith In the Seminary must
a long and exacting course of discip-
line be undergone, whereby the stu
dent. is subjected to such test as
will develop the Christ-like character
of the well-disposed and suitable can
didate, while the unfit are eliminated
and saved from the dire calamity
which is theirs who assume the grind
ing responsibility of the priesthood
without the stern stuff needed by a
worthy representative of the Crucified
Savior. Theological lore, is essential
to the priest, learning both sacred
and profane, is indispensable to one
who would impart divine truth to an
Indifferent and unbelieving world; but
sanctity is of supreme Importance for
the communication of divine life to
corrupted and perverse generation.
The priest must be the light Of the
world and the salt of the earth. In
the long and trying years of the Semi
nary course, by the daily exaction of
the Seminary curriculum, can a frail
mortal alone obtain the light of doc
trine, the salt of sanctity by which
he will enlighten and save a wayward
humanity. Must we wonder then that
the Holy Council of Trent laid so
much emphasis on the necessity of a
Seminary course for the training of
the priesthood? and that the illustri-
Gus and renowned Leo XIII and the
sanity and Jealous Plus x of blessed
memory, urged upon the Catholic Epis-
copate the closest attention to the
formation Of the priesthood in semi
naries? Plus, in that nobly beautiful
classic on the priestly Office addressed
to the Catholic clergy on the occasion
of the Golden Jubilee of his own
priesthood declares: Most earnestly
do we eXhort our venerable brethren
of the Catholic episcopate that they
devote themselves with utmost dill
gence to the moulding of the Christ
like character of those who are des-
tined to reproduce in others the life
of Christ"
That the st. Paul Seminary realizes
in some small measure. this exalted
ideal may be inferred from the pur-
pose expressed by it's originators and
the fruitage of it's brief span of exist
ence. A special, yea, even a unique,
glory attaching to this institution of
Sacred Science is that with it's origin
are intimately associated two names of
more than national reputation-those
of the railroad wizard and empire
builder, James j. Hill, and of the re-
nowned churchman and consultor of
Presidents and Pontiffs, John Ireland.
When on September 4, 1895, the st.
Paul Seminary was solemnly blessed
and dedicated to it's sacred work, each
OF these llustrious representatives of
State and Church voiced his senti-
ments in regard to it's future destiny
Having seen the efforts of Archbishop
Ireland" said Mr.. Hill, "in behalf of
the Church of which he is to distin-
guished a prelate, to spread through
out this country the light of religious
truth, and to show to all men that
there was no conflict between. scien-
tifc truth and divine revelation, I felt
called upon to devote portion of this
worlds goods with which I had been
blessed, to the work of educating for
the priesthood men who would be able
to preach down the spirit of unbelief,
and to stand as shining lights along
the pathway that leads to Heaven.
MAY the work which has been COM
menced here, and has received the
blessings of your Church, continue to
send out men who will bear witness