The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-02-11

Deslo, conducted by Don Giuseppe
Valonteri a priest famous around
Milan as an educator. Valonteri had
started this school before Italian law
made education obligatory and con-
Quoted it for period of forty.three
years in his own house. While it was
an elementary school, Don Giuseppe
took extra pains with the more prom
ising of his pupils, singing them out
for special training. So with Achille
Ratti-he was one of the best of the
contadinelli, or children of the middle
classes, singled out by Father Valon-
teri for more intensive training.
From Milan, he went to the major
seminary in Milan for three years, and
so impressed the Archbishop that the
latter sent Ratti to Rome as student
in the Lombard college, where he took
his classes in the Gregorian universi-
ty. a Jesuit institution. Spending three
more years in Rome, the man who now
is Pope took his doctorates in phil
osophy, theology and canon law.
Teacher in Milan.
Returning to Milan in 1882, Achille
Ratti first taught theology and sacred
eloquence in the major seminary for
five years and then embarked on a
notable career in the greatest of the
Church libraries in Milan. On No
venber 5, 1888, he was chosen one of
the college of doctors of the Ambro-
siana library which has an extensive
collection of old codes, rare manu-
scripts, with an art gallery museum.
Achille Ratti devoted nearly twenty
years of his life to his work in this
library, and in that period is decIar-
ed to have been jealous in the con-
tinuation of his pastoral work.
The prefect of the Ambrosiana IL
brary, during most of that period, was
Mgr. Antonio Ceriani, learned man,
and he, too, had strong Influence
on the education of Mgr. Ratti.
During the time he was connected
with this Milanese library, Ratti went
to Rome from time to time to pursue
studies and research work in the Vat
ican library and to obtain needed data
on Church documents. When Mgr.
Ceriani died in March, 1907, Ratti was
chosen to succeed him in charge of
the Ambrosiana library. He contin-
ued at this post until 1914, but in
1910 he was called to Rome 10 Eetome
vice prefect of the Vatican library by
Pope Plus x and assistant to Father
Ehrle, the Bavarian Jesuit, who re-
signed in 1914, and went to Germany
at the outbreak Of the war. Ratti was
then placed in charge of the Vatican
library as prefect and for some time
was connected with both these great
Libraries.
Chaplain of Convent.
Ratti, who had been ordained in
1879, returned from Rome to Milan
in 1882. The first thing he did was to
ask that he be sent to take charge
of the tiny parish of Barni, and when
he returned that fall to teach in the
major seminary In Milan, he became
the chaplain of the convent that was
then being started in Milan by the Sis
| ters of Our Lady Of the Cenacle, and
has since been their chaplain. Ratti
convent and joined in all its work,
using the convent as meeting place
and retreat for women.
Mgr. Ratti established various or
ganizations and associations in that
connection and was their spiritual d.
rector.
In 1888, he organized an association
of Catholic school teachers in Milan,
of which he also has continued to be
director. All classes of women from
factory girls to women Of the nobility
attend the meetings in this convent
| in the work of which the man who
| was destined to become Pope had an
/ active part.
Teacher Of Children.
During this period, Ratti taught cat
echism to the children ON Sundays
and holy days, prepared them for their
first Communion and helped them
make big feast day of it. He became
well liked by the priests around MI
] Ian.
| On the death of Mgr. Ceriani, he
lstarted to teach Hebrew in the major
seminary and was appointed to the
Chapter of Canons OF st. Ambrose,
/ with the title or Monsignor.
In Milan, there are numerous aca-
demic and scientific bodies. Ratti
worked with them. particularly in the
restoration of registers and fabrica of
the Cathedral OF Milan, the records
of its many years of building, which
were burned during the fire at the Mi
Ian exposition of 1906. He also be-
came member of the Royal Lombard
Institute OF Science and Letters and
1.-THE Lombard Historical society of
which he is vice president. and these
various positions have won him wide
circle of friends throughout the ca
lthedral city, among the Milanese, in
Whose houses he has been frequent
quest.
i Feat in Alps.
i Ratti was member Of the first Ital-
liam expedition to Mount Rosa in 1889,
when he scaled the Dufour peak.
There were just two in this expedition.
both of them young Milanese priests,
one of whom was the man who was
| just elected Pope.
/ The other was Father Grassefli, q
| professor at that time in the College