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14 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA THE SANCTITY OF THE PRIEST OF GOD (By a Catholic Mother.) Of all things existing in the world today outside of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament the most real thing in an unreal world the most wonderful to me is the Catholic priesthood. Like an oasis in the desert, like a lighthouse on the ocean, there shines before our eyes the beauty, the sanctity, the purity, the nobility of the priests of God. To them do we bring our innocent babes to be washed in the cleansing waters of Baptism. To them do we bring our little ones at the age of reason to be purified from their sins in the Sacrament of Pen ance, confident from the knowledge of past experi ence ourselves, that they will guide their footsteps in the paths of virtue from childhood even to old age. From them do we derive strength in the storm of temptations which beset the human race, consolation in the heavy sorrows which must come to all. At the hour of death our agony is lessened and hope of Heaven brought near by the presence of the holy priest of God, who blesses our last sigh. And through the Mass of our priests do we re ceive that Bread of Christ without which our souls would die. Daily if we so desire, and strange to say many do not desire, we may receive from the con secrated hands of the priest Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who longingly longs to give Himself to our souls to be our strength. Do we sustain them by our prayers? In gratitude to God and to them do we and our children pray every day that they may receive more grace, more strength, in their heavy responsibilities? They are not immune from temptations, and we owe them sup plications to God. For us they have given up all AMERICA S NEW CARDINAL. Most Reverend D. J. Dougherty, D.D., Archbishop of Philadelphia, who was elevated to the Cardinalate by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XV., at Rome, Monday, March 7th, has returned to America. Cardinal-elect Dougherty is the fifth American-resident Cardinal, ranking with their Eminences Archbishops McCloskey and Farley of New York, Gibbons of Baltimore, and O’Connell, of Boston. There was universal rejoicing in Philadelphia when word came from the Vatican that Archbishop Dough erty was to be nominated to be a Prince of the Church. The jubilation was not confined to creed or class, and the manner in which the secular press handled the announcement, both editorially and in the news columns, indicates the high esteem in which the Archbishop is held by Americans in general. His Grace especially endeared himself to Philadel phians by the heroic work performed under his direc tion during the dark days of the influenza epidemic in 1918. It was only when the Archbishop sus pended the rigorous rules of convent and seminary to permit gentle nuns and willing students to nurse the sick, console the dying, comfort the bereaved, human ties of affection to consecrate themselves to God and the salvation of souls. Let us encourage them by our love of God and holiness of life, by our help in their good works, by the frequent reception of those saving Sacraments without which our souls become starved and with ered, destitute of all good fruits. What a high honor God bestows upon the parents of a priest 1 What greater blessing could Our Lord give to the beautiful Sacrament of Matrimony, which, through His Church, He has endowed with so much holiness for those who enter upon it rightly in the love and fear of the Lord. Shall we mothers and fathers not long and desire for that grace to come to our families? Why should we not, like the parents of many great saints, offer up our children to Him; especially our first born sons? He will not accept the offering, unless He so desires, but the offering will bring graces to us. We understand that a priest is called and chosen by God, and influence should never be brought to bear. But we should train our children in reverence for the priesthood. We should encourage virtue at every step of life, make the love of God and Church attractive to our little ones. Above all we should remember our boys’ virtue is as carefully to be watched and tended as our girls’. If we expect virtuous young men, we mothers mu3t make our little boys watchful over their own souls. Here lies the mother’s responsibility, her greatest care. Let us remember that a holy priest is the greatest work of God. minister to the orphan and bury the dead that the scourge subsided. Cardinal Dougherty was born August 16, 1865, in Ashland, Schuylkill County, Philadelphia. His par ents are both dead, his mother passing away last June at the age of 90. After attending the public schools, he passed the examination to enter the Sem inary of St. Charles Borromeo at Overbrook, Pa., at the age of fourteen. The authorities there deeming him too young to enter, he spent the next two years with the Jesuit Fathers at St. Mary’s College, Mon treal, Canada. He then entered Overbrook. Although the youngest in his class he immediately took first place and held it until three years later, when he was sent by the late Archbishop Ryan to the American College at Rome. Here he remained five years, graduating in 1890 with the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Returning home after his ordination by Cardinal Parocchi, he became professor of dogmatic theology at his Alma Mater, Overbrook. Thirteen years later, in 1903, he was consecrated Bishop of Nueva Segovia, P. I. After five years he was transferred to the See of Jaro, P. I. His work in the Philippines was of such a high order that he was again transferred in