The New York herald., 1922-01-22

| church. In the work Of rebuilding Eu-
rope he recognized not only America $
| material potentiality but her moral
force. Hence. for the first time. per-
haps. since the crusades. a Supreme
Pontiff made a direct appeal to the
iaity when Pope Benedict called on the
| Knights of Columbus OF America to
! work under his personal supervision
| among the youth Of italy.
James Flaherty. Supreme knight OF
the order, in August, 1920. headed the
largest group of Americans that ever
! made pilgrimage to the Vatican, and
for two days the Pope was host to the
Knights. He greeted each OF the ESQ
pilgrims. representing every State in the
Union, personally celebrated mass for
them and administered communion, and
granted the extraordinary privilege Of
| having motion picture operators present
throughout the ceremony in the Vatican
Gardens.
For the first time, too. in the history
Of the Vatican. an American received
honor direct from the hands of the Pope
at the foot of tie Papal throne when
Benedict created Fiaherty a commander
OF the Order of St. Gregory the Great.
Subsequently, seven other knights were
elevated to that order.
Feared Radicals in Italy.
In an adaress 20 the Knights of
Columbus. Pope Benedict showed his
keen knowledge Of conditions in America
when he discounted possible prejudice on
the part of non-Catholics against his
appeal to the *. of c. by saying that
as the knights Of Columbus had shown
their gratitude to France by presenting
to that country magnificent statue OF
Lafayette in honor OF their American
dead. so they could show their reverence
for the memory of Columbus by under
taking welfare work in Italy, the natal
land OF Columbus. without this work
and faith the Pope feared, Italy might
become the prey for extreme forms of
radicalism threatening the unified life
Of the nation.
as recently as January Is, 1922. voted
81. 100000 to prosecute vigorously Amer
lean welfare work in Italy. For the
first time. therefore, an American or
ganization arranged to cooperate in Italy
directly under the supervision of the
Holy See In work other than strictly
religious affairs.
Benedict obviously was interested in
tensely In America and its possibilities
for the buttressing of Christianity even
before Americas entrance into the war.
To Edward Marshall. interviewing him
on behalf OF this newspaper, he said
'Yours is a great country. IT is land
in which intelligence has developed
splendidly, and ] believe its people are
unselfish. generous. In America jour-
nalism has become a mighty power.
Probably 1t is a greater power there than
elsewhere. The American newspaper is
a pulpit from which greater congrega-
tions can be reached perhaps. than from
any other in the world. If all the preach
ers who address your people from these
pulpits the sermon that out OF the great
conflict real justice based on full. mutual
understanding must be brought about
then may they achieve a service for hui
manity beyond the power Of human COM
putation."
Account OF His EARLY Life.
This comment deals as briefly as may
be with the broader phases of the late
Pope's career on the throne of st. Ieter.
One may now take UP the >scry OF his
life from the day he first saw the lirlht
at Pagli, in the diocese Of Genoa. No
vember Il, 1854. Like Leo Kill, Bene-
dict was OF patrician family, the son
OF Giuseppe, Marchese della Chiesa.
The family was one OF considerable
wealth, and was able to give to the
young Giacomo the best OF educations.
He studied IN Genoa, and then. having
shown an inclination for the priesthood.
went to Rome and studied at the Ca
pranica College. Later he entered the
Academy of Noble Ecclesiastics. a Ro-
man institution formerly confined to
youths of noble estate. but in modern
times open TO all And in 1878. at the
age of %, he was ordained In the priest
nod. completing his studies as the reign
of Plus Ix. was ending.
This was a stirring period in the his
tory of the Roman Catholic Church.
Eight years previously. in 1870, the Ital-
ian Government had taken from the
Papacy its temporal possessions. leaving
nothing except the Vatican and two or
three other buildings. Plus. therefore.
shut himself up in the Vatican. and the
protest against the Quirinal began.
Fostered by Rnmpolla.
After Ave uneventful years as priest
Father Della Chiesa's euperiors discov-
cred in him intelligence emitting him
10 a place in the Pope's diplomatic
service. Archbishop (afterward Cardi-
naD Rampolla was then Nuncio at
Madrid. He took a fancy to the young
Genoese and installed him at Madrid as
Pope Leo recalled Archbishop Ram
polla in 1887 and made him Cardinal.
The young Della Chiesa went TO Rome
with him and received a permanent un-
der secretaryship in the Vatican Depart
ment Of State. His Advancement came
steadily. On July IS. 1900. he was
made a prelate, and nearly year later
was made a consuitor to the Holy Office.
In 1907. Piux Y. then reigning., he was
made an archbishop and placed over the
See of Bologna. II tradition had run
true his elevation TO the cardinalate
would have followed quickly. but no such
thing happened in the case OF Archbishop
della Chiesa.
His flock at Bologna became warmly
attached to him because OF his work
among the poor. his piety and his in
sistence on justice aud mercy. IL was
not. indeed. until May. 1914. before he
was finally made n Prince of the
Church. Probably no one, least of all
himself. dreamed that so short n time
would intervene before he would be
called on to exchange the crimson OF
the csrdinalate for the white Of the
Papacy.
Cardinal Farley. Archbishop OF New
York. who had attained the cardinalate.
along with William Cardinal O'ConncIi
Of Boston, in November icli. was the
only American cardinal TO participate in
the election of Benedict XIV. lie was in
Switzerland when Plus X. died and
reached Rome only In time to enter the
conclave. Although they made all haste,
Cardinals Gibbons and O'Connell, who
we're In America when the Pope died,
did not reach Rome in time for the con-
al Int ware fhere n taLa ,,ort t,, ti,.