*Nemo impetrate potest a papa bullom nunquam moriendi" wrote Thomas à Kempis, and as to ordinary mortals the Pope cannot grant a dispensation against ever dying, so also has the Supreme Pontiff eventually to bow before the dictates of mortality. Pope Pius XI is dead. The man who after but about six months as a cardinal rose in February, 1922, to the supremacy under God of the Roman Catholic Church has gone to give an account of his stewardship during seventeen of the most important years through which the world has ever passed. The man of an iron constitution, iron will and an iron memory, as one biographer describes him, has been relieved of the heav: duties of his high office, and a full life of eighty-two years has been rounded out. What type of man Achille Ratti was may best be ascertained from what has been written of him and his history. At a very early age, even before reaching his "teens, the boy gave every promise of a brilliant career, succeeding in everything to which he applied himself with his characteristic determination. Originally he showed a particular liking for mathematics, and natural science, but, once he had decided upon a theological bent, he followed his religious studies regularly and assiduously, turning thereafter to the positive sciences only as an agreeable recreation. Three years after celebrating his first Mass the man, who was ultimately to become Pope, returned to Milan taking up an appointment as a professor in the theological seminary, eaching sacred eloquence. According to hi students he possessed no great oratorical cowers himself, but this failing was more than completely offset by his vast culture, artistic taste and unfailing courtesy. Those Jays in Milan were stormy ones for strong currents of opposing thought were sweeping the country, with Liberals and Clerical-Liberals ranged against the supporters of the most extreme ideas in religion, philosophy, and politics, But Dr. Ratti would have none of them. His sympathies were with the Ube But the rule of his life was always obedience to the ecclesiastical powers, and he refused to take any port in these struggles, just as he also held himself aloof from the furious controversy which raged ound Modernism during the reign of Pius X.
Dr. Ratti displayed the quiet faith of the true believer and the docility of the priestly spirit, winning at one and the same time the respect of the whole of laity, and the highest esteem of all groups of the clergy. It is a singular fact that though he had only been raised to the cardinalate some six months, and was a very junior member of that order, upon the death of Benedict XV it was generally foreseen that he would be his successor. His conciliatory attitude, it was argued, marked him out as the candidate who would succeed in tactfully solving the difficulties with which the Church was confronted everywhere, and especially in the newly-formed States, and it came to sun to solve the greatest problem of all. In his first year as Pope he brought up the Roman Question and there ensued the protracted negotiations which finally led to the signature of the Lateran Treaty on February 11, 1929, thereby settling the grave issue which, since 1849, had directly affected the Italian State and the Vatican, and indirectly all Catholics and the various civilized Pov Phe Pope had justified the opinion of Cardinal Mercier, Primate of Belgium, given the day after the election of Pius XI, that the relations between Italy and the Holy See would be modified with the advent of the new Pope. When it was suggested to him that the matter would not be easy, Cardinal Mercier replied:—"Il a des idees larges!" The reaching of an understanding between the Church and the Italian State was one of the outstanding features of a reign which is crammed full of important events, and the sobriquet which has been given him of "Prince of Conciliation," could hardly have been better applied.
But his priestly docility, his desire for conciliation did not prevent him from rebuke ing wrong when he considered it necessary, and in general his attitude to some of the burning questions of the day has been one of uncompromising firmness. It is apparent, from the manner in which he voiced opinion: upon matters which he as supreme head of his church could not afford to ignore, that he was at all times the stern defender of the right and a determined enemy of evil, a very real commander of the Church militant. It is no small thing when the head of a Church commanding the religious allegiance of some 400,000,000 souls passes. His death is the final reminder to the world of the man's humanity. In this instance it is even more for it is clear that since his serious illness of two years back, he has carried out his duties with an unflinching courage, refusing to yield to the weakness which because of his poor health and advanced age beset him. His death will be regretted not only by his own flock, but by the world at large which can ill afford to lose such men in times such as these. In the space of a very few days, with all the historic ceremony which hedges the choosing of a new Pontiff, a conclave of cardinals will select from amongst their number the man who is to follow him. Until that choice is finally made there will be much speculation as to the qualities of the new Pope, but, if the Cardinals act as wisely this month as they did seventeen years ago when selecting Cardinal Ratti, there need be no fear that the affairs of the Roman Catholic Church will suffer by this great man's death. He will be faced with serious problems which Pope Pius's passing leaves still unsolved, but the dead Pontiff has so clearly established the policy of the Church, spiritual as well as temporal that no great change is to be expected. For the moment, however, it is sufficient to let Roman Catholics who are mourning the loss of so eminent a man, know that there is every sympathy with them in their bereavement. They have lost a really inspiring leader, and a man who has served his God and his Church in a manner which has made history.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.