Cardinal Dougherty

Title

Cardinal Dougherty

Language

English

Year

1940

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

58 - UT OMNES UNUM SINT! - Cardinal Dougherty FOR many good reasons the Apostolic Prefecture of the Mountain Province heartily rejoiced with His Eminence Denis Cardinal Dougherty, Archbishop of Philadelphia, when he celebrated the SOth anniversary of his sacerdotal ordination on Sunday, June 2. While on Sunday, June 2nd, His Eminence offered his pontifical Mass of thanksgiving to Almighty God, many fervent prayers for him went up to Heaven from the hearts of missionaries and Christians of the Mountain Province, because this was an opportunity for them to say more than ever to our Heavenly Father how grateful they are for the continued sympathy and charity His Eminence has shown in their behalf and in behalf of their missionary work among the poor Igorrotes. His Eminence has always been very interested in the people of the Mountain Province, he loved them when he was Bishop of Nueva Segovia, and ever since he has shown that the poor mountaineers continue having a warm spot in his priestly heart. His Eminence may apply to himself the words of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus which she wrote in her Autobiography: "God has given me a faithful heart, and when once I love, I love for ever.'p Somewhere in 1930, when I was parish priest of Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, I had to forward a letter from His Eminence Cardinal Dougherty to one of my parishioners, Mr. James Thomas, an American Negro, who had been married by the Cardinal while His Eminence was traveling through Nueva Vizcaya in December 1907. Mr. Jam~s Thomas told me himself this little story : "Bishop Dougherty and his party passed the afternoon and the night in my house. I myself prepared their supper and their breakfast, and they enjoyed my cooking. At that time I had a woman, but was not manied. I am a Catholic, and s<> - UT OMNES UNUM SINT ! - 59 A Precious Souvenir. - His Eminence Denis Cardinal Doughertv, Archbishop of Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.A., and Mon·. Jose Billiet, Prefect Apostolic of the Mountain Province. (XXXIII Int. Euch. Congress, Manila). 60 - UT OMNES UNUM SINT! - the Bishop married us, and I was proud of it. WhHe at breakfast, the Bishop passed me a ten peso hill for good services rendered to his party and their horses. Of course, I refused to accept it. Now, car. you guess what he did? Without me knowing it, he slipped the monev under his napkin, and the party jumped in the saddle and had already crossed the Kirang when I discovered what had happened. I felt tickled to death, and quickly saddling my horse, I set out after them. I joined them in Imugen. I returned the ten peso bill. The Bishop refused. I insisted stubbornly. Then I said: 'Bishop, please, take it back, and ~ivc me the one thing I can appreciate.' The Bishop to ask: 'What's that one thing you can appreciate?' I said: •your friendship, Bishop, is what I appreciate and will be glad to receive'. The Bishop then replied: "James, you have it.' And since then I got his friendship and never lost it. Asking for information about me and my family, now that he is a Cardinal-is that not the proof of it?" In February 1937 His Eminence was the Papal Legate "a latere" of the late Pope Pius XI to the XXXIII International Eucharistic Congress held at Manila. His return to the Philippines he described as a "home-coming.'' But those whom he wanted to see again and again were the Igorrote Delegates from the Mountain Province. The Apostolic Prefecture was well represented, and the Cardinal Legate invited them all. together with their Prefect Apostolic and many missionaries, to a special audience at Malacaftan. He was delighted to be with them, wanted them to sit around him, ordered a picture taken of the group together with himself, and passed a long, friendly and affectionate time chatting with them. When he visited the Northern Luzon Section of Delegates in the Paco church, his first question was: "And where are my beloved Igorrotes?" Such manifestations of appreciation and love can never be for~otten by the missionaries and Christians of the Mountain Province, and, in return, they love him as their father and "Cardinal Protector". With all their heart they pray that God may abundantly bless him for all the good he has done to the least of our Lord's brethren. His Eminence was ordained in Rome on May 31, 1890. Almost thirte~n years of his early priestly lift' he spent as a professor at the Seminary of St. Charles Borromeo~ Philadelphia, Pa. He was appointed Bishop of Nueva Segovia in 1903, where he served until April 18, 1908, when he was transferred to the diocese of Jaro, Iloilo. In 1915, he was named Bishop of New York. On April 30, 1918, he was appointed Archbishop of Philadelphia, and was elected to the Sacred Co11ege of Cardinals on March 7, 1921. Ad multos annos! The LIITLE APOSTLE

Media