The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-04-02

seat of Catholic influence in the Unit
ed States-had been the pride of that
other and even greater Carroll, John,
the first Archbishop and Primate of
the Catholic Church in the United
States
These links, with the Revolution
and the birth OF the Church were part
of the atmosphere surrounding the
| future Primate, and as child, James
Gibbons was uplifted in the arms of
| his Irish immigrant, father to gaze
upon Andrew Jackson old Hickory
hero of the young Republics second
| successful struggle with the imperial
power from which it had won the
world-heartening and world-changing
liberty sealed with the immortal Dec
| laration.
Never was there soul in which
the spiritual forces of religious and
patriotic idealism found more con-
! genial soil, nor in which these inf1u-
ences produced more practical and
tangible results than the soul of that
| child who gazed in awe upon the pa
| triotic Jackson, and the house of the
| patriot Carroll, and in a deeper awe
looked upon the mysterious altar in
the Cathedral built by John Carroll,
the first Bishop of the infant Church.
And in no American more than in
James Gibbons has the great twin
fire of religion and patriotism been
united to greater ends
Wrecked at Sea-.
4 James Gibbons was one OF a fam
lily of six children, three boys and
three girls. Their home was in a
house on Gay Street, Baltimore, a
house which was standing until 1892,
when it was torn down to make way
for the present City Hall Plaza.
When James was three years old, his
4 fathers health failed, and he deter
mined to return to Ireland, where he
engaged in farming in Westport
County Mayo. In the adjacent vii
| lage of Ballinrobe James began his
: studies. He was proficient in ath
letics as in his studies, and thus. nc
doubt. laid and strengthened the
foundations of that wonderful consti
tuition which, in spite of a small and
apparently slight physique, was the
: source of the constant energy which
made his career of Sc years one Of
never-ceasing activity. He loved
reading, and his close mental associa
! Etions with writer's of the power ant
:, beauty of Addison, Johnson, Gold
sc,,,;tb and Moore bic fa yo,,ito a,,thorS
: explains that ease and grace in Eng
| lish diction which characterized th,
I late Cardinal and explains his uniqu,
literary success.
I Until he was 13 years old the lif,
q of the future Cardinal was that o
I any other school boy in ireland. Thel
e This father, who had never fully re
I. covered. from the sickness whicl
. caused him to leave America died
e and his widow determined to retur1
s with her children. She embarked o.
IL sailing vessel for New Orleans, bu
Q before reaching there. the ship wa
wrecked on one of the Bahamas. TIL
4, passengers clung to, the ship, all nigh
IS fearing that she would break up an
e, they would be drowned. but whe
e morning came, they were rescued an
D. taken to Nassau, where they waite
4 until they could continue their pas
o age to New Orleans.
= Call to the Church.
or In New Orleans James Gibbons o
ts tanned employment in the large gr
N ,cery store of William G. Raymon
Of displaying natural aptitude for bus
ie Continued on page 81