Year: 1875

Tie day before the Centenary celebra- |
ton, the students of the Irish college were !
granted an audience at which the Holy |
Father said:


Tomorrow Irisbmen are to honour the
memory of o great and gifted man, Daniel
O'Connell. One of the most striking fea-
lures in the character of the great cham
pion of the religious freedom of the people
of Great Britain was his 6rmness and con-
stancy of purpose. This, his distinguish
ing characteristic, was singularly shown
forth in his labour for bis country, and it
may be said that it was it which shaped
and informed his political career. In his
efforts in the great work of emancipation
he had to contend with very many diff
culties. He suffered from the malice of
open enemies and the treachery of false
friends. He was abandoned, calumn mated,
imprisoned, but he was still firm and con-
stant, never losing sight of the grand OBJ
ject of his life-the emancipation of his
Catholic compatriots.


| This, my dear children, may be an ex-
ample for you. You also will have many
| difficulties to battle against in the way of
justice and virtue. But remain firm and
constant in your determination always to
walk in the fear of God and to avoid every
thing which might displease Him, giving
ear to the suggestions of the Devil.


O'Connell, continued the Holy Father, in
all his labours, was actuated by spirit of
faith. This was his moving and guiding
principle, and this it was which brought
down the blessing of Heaven on his ac-
tions, which were in the end crowned with
80 signal a success.


Yon, too, might always treasure up care
fully and jealousy guard the holy faith
with which God has blessed you, and never
admit anything which may in any way jar
with the teaching of the Catholic Church
Remain always closely united with the
nhpHianG fn
tical superiors.


OConnel during bis life was most de-
voted to the Holy See, and towards the
close of his days he desired nothing more
than to see Pope, the Vicar of Jesus
Christ, to receive from him the Apostolic
Benediction and to hear with his own ears
the words he should speak.


With this desire he left his native land
lin order to come to Rome, and wien he
had arrived at, might say, the very walls
of the city he received the message of
death.


Thus his ardent wish to see the Pope
was left unsatifed. Just as stag which,
parched with thirst, and having in vain
sought for water with which to refresh
himself, hears at lenght the murmuring of
in the direction whence the sound proceede ;
having at length come within sight of the
waters, and pressing forward more eagerly
as he draws near them, he entangles his
leg in the net of the hunter, and is thus
held fast on the very brink of the fountain
in which he longs to quench his thirst. So
it happened to O'Connell. His eager de-
sire to see the Vicar of Christ was at the
moment of its fulfilment left ungratified.
Itmay be this very disappointment tended
to shorten the time of expiation which he
and all have to endure in greater or less
degree. To-day O'Connell is in heaven
and is pray ing for Ireland. For, much as he
had done on earth, much yet remains to be
accomplished, and he now advances by his
prayers in heaven the completion of the
work he began while on earth.


You too, my dear children, must assist
By your praying this holy work which
O'Connell during life but partly acco M
plished.


Many burdens which the Irish people
are forced to endure are yet to be light
ened.