THE POPE AND IRELAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 28, 10 April 1891, Page 20

THE POPE AND IRELAND.

(From the Nation's Correspondent.)

Rome, 17th January, 1891. On Sunday morning the Holy Father stid Mass in the private chapel, to which several families, who afterwards had the honour of being received in private audience, were admitted. The same evening his Ho'iness gave a special private audience of nearly half an hour to the Very Rev. Prior P. J. Glynn, 0.5.A., in his privato room, Tbe Prior, who found the Pope in excellent health and spirits, was received with great kindness. He was the bearer of the sum of 6,600 lire, the annual off ring of Peter's Pence from tbe bißhops, priests, and peop'e of the diocese of Sandhurst, Australia. The Holy Father made very special inquiries after the bishop, Monsignor Crane, and expressed great sorrow on hearing that his eyesight wag not restored, and that bis eyes were really in no better condition than they were when he was in Rome in 1885. His Holiness also referred with pleasure to the visit made by Dr. Beville, 0.8.A., the Coadjutor Bishop, who, he hoped, was well. Tbe Very Rev. Prior had the pleasure of assuring the Pontiff that both Bishops were able to work incessantly and zealously for the spiritual benefit of the people committed to their care; upon wnich the Pope told him to write to the Bishop thanking him in his name for the liberal offering, and conveying to him, to his Coadjutor, Dr. Reville, the priests and people of the diocese of Sandhurst, the Arostolic Benediction, and to assure Dr. Craae that he will pray especially that God will grant his lordship, even in this life, a large measure of consolation to compensate him for all the sufferings which he has so patiently endured The very floutithing sta'e of religion — bhown by the increase In the number of the clergy, the many charitable and benevolent institutions founded, the introduction of religious Oiders, both of men and wompn, in^the diocese of Sandhurst— gave the Pope great pleasure.

When >the Holy Father afterwards spoke cf the present condition of Ireland he appe^rrd very sad ; but then, raising hia eyes to heaven, he said: *' God will bring those faitt,ful people in safety out of this lamentable d'fficulty" "I have the greatest hope for the future of lieland," hail Leo XIII., with special f-nopbasis. Finally his Holiness referred, in terms of the grpatest kindness, to the new buildings in honour of B. Patrick in the Villa Ludovisi.and congratulated the Prior ou the progrees^made. He said that he had heard witn the greatest satisfaction of^the progress in the works of the college and new Cnurch cf St. Patrick. He told, the Prior to go on with tbe works, and though the times are bad in poor Ireland aud the faithful children of the Irish race throughout the world have to bear many burdens, yet no si.n of St. Patrick, he was sure would refuse to co itnbute'to honour his spiritual Father in Rome where the greit Apostle received Episcopal consecration, and St Celeetine gave him the Divine Commission to preach tbe Gospel to the Irish people. In disimssingithe Prior, the Pope said : "Thank God, We have hvul to Bee Ireland «nd St. Patrick honoured by a Lorn in Basilica.' It is en«y to be seen from the above that Leo XIII. has even a greater love and interest, in Ireland and her chi'dren than ever, for he well knows that the Greater Ireland and the m itherland are om\