The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-18


 souls scattered along the Eastern Coast line of America,
 Across tho Atlantic the turmoil of the French Revolution was per. scouting the Church. In that coun- try religion was prescribed and under the threat of death the clergy were forbidden to offer Mass, to preach the gospel of Christ or to administer the SacraInents. But aE God often brings good from evil the sufferlngs of the Church in France proved 6 blessing for the Church in America.
 The society established by Father Offer, with It's work disrupted in France, volunteered it's services for the struggling Church in America. So 1t happened that in 1To1 four Fathers of St, Sulpice with i've vol- unteer selninarians, after Q three months crossing from France, ar- rived in Baltimore, leased 6 hotel called the One~Aaile Tavern, and es- tablished what then became the nursery of the infant Church tn America and what has become with the passing years the isastitu- ton Co which the Church in Amer lea owes its greatest debt.
 The site of the little hostel, then mile from the little city of Baltl- more, is today the site Of the Hohse of Philosophy of St. Mary's SeHnin- ary with the great city grown out to 1t and far beyond 1t. But seeking the quiet 30 necessary to their work the Fathers a few years ago brought their House Of Theology with it's $50 students away from the city to the beautiful suburb of Roland Park. YEARS OF
 HARDSHIP
 The principal event of the three day celebration of last week was the great gathering in the Fifth Regi- mental ArmoEy In Baltimore. There with the Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal Dougherty, presiding, and with every available space in the huge building crowded archbishops, bishops, monsignort, priests, seEnin- arianS, Religious and lalty, Arch. bishop Curley Of Baltimore and Washington, using the 800 years old chalice of Father Offer, offered the Pontitlcal Mass.
 From his Holiness, Pope Plus XII, Father John r. Fenlon,. the Provin- cal of the Sulpicians in the United States, received 6 special letter In recognition of the great event.
 Recalling the hardship of the early years of St. Mary's the Holy Father wrote: Patience, courage and con- fldence in an exceptional degree were needed to assure ultimate suc- cess. They were not lacking, thank God; and they were sustained and sealed by the fatherly decision of Our Predecessor of revered memory Plus VII, who, 1t Is aAsd, told Father Emery, in the latter's moment oi hesitation: My son, let 1t stand, let that seminary stand. It will bear fruit in its own time
 "Its time came. During twenty. four years of Bishop Carroll's epis- copate thirty students of St. Mary's were ordained to the sacred priest. hood: during the last twelve years St. Mary's has added more than 6 thousand to the phalanx of devoted self-sacriacing priests of God ir the United States"
 ANOTHER DAY
 OF PERSECUTION
 Recalling the days of persecu. ton during the French Revolution which gave birth to St. Mary's Archbishop Nifty of San Francisco preaching the jubilee sermon, drew a striking parallel between France of i7ei and Europe Of io4l.
 To-day, si50 years later we sec in Europe another persecution oi religion: it is of greater extent deeper ieroclty and more diabolical cunning than the French revolution Religion has been prescribed or let. tered; Christian education forbidden seminaries and institutions taker away. Thousands upon thousand. of our priests. religious and laity are walking the Way of thu Gross with Christ: they are facing starvation, ridicule, false accusa, ton, concentration camps and firinl squads: they are undergoing theil agony and scourging and cruel, fixion, suffering martyrdom for thu sake of Christ and souls.
 'The dreadful persecution ir Europe today gives the opportunity 70 Catholic America to repay its debt of gratitude. In the Provl. del1ce of God 1t may be that more than material assistance will bC needed: that the proStrated nations of Europc will look to us for clergy and Religious to take up the laborS of our martyred brethren, thai through us Christ may again reign in their midst.
 If that day comes, please God Catholic America shall mt fail"