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Article TI1E COURT OF ROME. ← Page 2 of 5 →
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Ti1e Court Of Rome.
nastery in which he passed so many years of his life , his confessor is chosen . Of the simple-minded ecclesiastic who fills the important office of spiritual director to the head of the church , the following anecdote is told . Shortly after the elevation of his illustrious penitent , filled with ambitious dreams , the undoubting priest hastened to the Vatican , and easily obtained an audience ; the object of his visit was soon told , for he was not a man to waste words on ceremony—his request was a bishoprick ;
for a moment the Pope was embarrassed ; he was sincerely attached to the good man , and unwilling to pain him by a refusal , which his incapacity rendered imperative ; he commenced b y remarking on the advanced period of life which the petitioner had reached , and the active duties of the office which he solicited . " The example of your holiness in accepting the papacy at the age of sixty-six , " drily answered the confessor"has given me courage . " This was a home thrust / and the hol
, y father was reluctantly compelled to tell him , that he was incapable of the charge he solicited . " Incapable ! " exclaimed the astonished guest ; "incapable . ' when they have made you Pope . " Instead of being offended by the freedom of the retort , Gregory enjoyed it exceedingly , and replied with a quiet smile , " Well , my son , one error in the church is sufficient . " On the occasion of his visit to the establishment of the English college at Monte Portziohis holiness displayed an amiability of character
, that made a lasting impression on all who had the happiness of witnessing it . After partaking of a collation , he entirely laid aside all state , walking about the grounds without attendants , and conversing with the students with the greatest freedom . The intendant of the Vatican , Monseignore the Cardinal Fieschi venturing to hint that such
condescension was not only unusual , hut contrary to etiquette , was cut short with " Pooh , pooh ! the Pope has given himself a dispensation from ceremony , pray let him enjoy it . " To the Catholics of England it has long been a matter of surprise , that the learned and eloquent Dr . Wiseman , the rector of the English college , should not have obtained that position in the church which his works would seem to command . An unfortunate political intrigue will explain the mystery . When the Marquis of Angleseawas at Romefinding that the church agreed with himand that an embassy
, , would not be disagreeable to his finances , the idea struck him , that as on the death of the then king , England would be without a minister at the Papal Court , in consequence of Hanover lapsing to the Duke of Cumberland , an exchange of representatives in these enlightened times might not be impossible . A bait so plausible was eagerly swallowed by the unfortunate rector ; a procession of the students of the English and Irish colleges was arranged to thank the Marquis for his conduct
upon the . Catholic question , and towards the church during his government of Ireland . The subject was broached to the late Cardinal Weld , in the hope that he would undertake to introduce the subject to the Pope , but that truly distinguished person declined any interference on . the subject ; and Dr . Cullen , the head of the Irish college , was ultimately prevailed upon to undertake the somewhat delicate task . The Pope heard him with dignity and with patience ; the known piety and
simplicity of the venerable ecclesiastic was a guarantee for the purity of his intentions . When he had concluded , his holiness demanded if he was authorised by the court of England to make such a proposition . The Doctor somewhat confused , answered in the negative , and added , that he was only employed to sound the holy father upon the subject . " Indeed i" replied Gregory with surprise , " then the next time the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ti1e Court Of Rome.
nastery in which he passed so many years of his life , his confessor is chosen . Of the simple-minded ecclesiastic who fills the important office of spiritual director to the head of the church , the following anecdote is told . Shortly after the elevation of his illustrious penitent , filled with ambitious dreams , the undoubting priest hastened to the Vatican , and easily obtained an audience ; the object of his visit was soon told , for he was not a man to waste words on ceremony—his request was a bishoprick ;
for a moment the Pope was embarrassed ; he was sincerely attached to the good man , and unwilling to pain him by a refusal , which his incapacity rendered imperative ; he commenced b y remarking on the advanced period of life which the petitioner had reached , and the active duties of the office which he solicited . " The example of your holiness in accepting the papacy at the age of sixty-six , " drily answered the confessor"has given me courage . " This was a home thrust / and the hol
, y father was reluctantly compelled to tell him , that he was incapable of the charge he solicited . " Incapable ! " exclaimed the astonished guest ; "incapable . ' when they have made you Pope . " Instead of being offended by the freedom of the retort , Gregory enjoyed it exceedingly , and replied with a quiet smile , " Well , my son , one error in the church is sufficient . " On the occasion of his visit to the establishment of the English college at Monte Portziohis holiness displayed an amiability of character
, that made a lasting impression on all who had the happiness of witnessing it . After partaking of a collation , he entirely laid aside all state , walking about the grounds without attendants , and conversing with the students with the greatest freedom . The intendant of the Vatican , Monseignore the Cardinal Fieschi venturing to hint that such
condescension was not only unusual , hut contrary to etiquette , was cut short with " Pooh , pooh ! the Pope has given himself a dispensation from ceremony , pray let him enjoy it . " To the Catholics of England it has long been a matter of surprise , that the learned and eloquent Dr . Wiseman , the rector of the English college , should not have obtained that position in the church which his works would seem to command . An unfortunate political intrigue will explain the mystery . When the Marquis of Angleseawas at Romefinding that the church agreed with himand that an embassy
, , would not be disagreeable to his finances , the idea struck him , that as on the death of the then king , England would be without a minister at the Papal Court , in consequence of Hanover lapsing to the Duke of Cumberland , an exchange of representatives in these enlightened times might not be impossible . A bait so plausible was eagerly swallowed by the unfortunate rector ; a procession of the students of the English and Irish colleges was arranged to thank the Marquis for his conduct
upon the . Catholic question , and towards the church during his government of Ireland . The subject was broached to the late Cardinal Weld , in the hope that he would undertake to introduce the subject to the Pope , but that truly distinguished person declined any interference on . the subject ; and Dr . Cullen , the head of the Irish college , was ultimately prevailed upon to undertake the somewhat delicate task . The Pope heard him with dignity and with patience ; the known piety and
simplicity of the venerable ecclesiastic was a guarantee for the purity of his intentions . When he had concluded , his holiness demanded if he was authorised by the court of England to make such a proposition . The Doctor somewhat confused , answered in the negative , and added , that he was only employed to sound the holy father upon the subject . " Indeed i" replied Gregory with surprise , " then the next time the