V.VRÉ DK SAINT-PHILIPPK DK BOSTON
« Most Révérend, Riyht Révérend and Révérend Breihren of the Clergij, Mr. Président and Brother Alumni,
« One bundred years in buman bistory, is a sborttime to look back upon, and yet it contains tbe elTorts and conséquent success or lailure of more than four générations, hence it bas been tbe custom to celebrate centennial amiiversaries in national and churcb afTairs, sucb events being looked upon as so many milestones in tbe évolution oi" bistory.
«We are celebrating to-day tbe one bundrctb anniversary of tbe foundation of tbis noble institution of learning. Protectors, professors, alumni and friends, old students and new, we are ail gatbered togelber to-day in tbese ballowed walls to bonor our Aima Mater, to laud lier witb beartfelt words of praise for tbe glory tbat
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she bas hrought to herself and to us her children, to crown lier with her own golden works so nohly done in thèse 100 years ot'her history, — Laiis, Honoret Gloria! — to lay at her ieet our noblest hopes, deepest aspirations and most fervent prayers ior her future, and to place deep down in her heart, ail our filial love and gratitude for ail that she lias been to us, for ail that she is to us, for ail that she bas done for us, and ail that she is doing for us, and we say to her in the beginning of this new century : Intende, Prospéra, Procède et Régna !
« I bave listened with pleasure to the glowing words of praise bestowed by the previous speakers upon Nicolet for its work, influence and results in Canada, and would that I had their éloquence to adequately porlray the influence of Nicolet on Catholiclife, in man}' of the states of our great republic,
« Noble sons of Nicolet bave gone out from its hallowed walls to evangelize as priests, to influence for good as learned laymen.
«We owe much to Canada for the jireservation of the faith amongsf the early Catholic immigrants to the United-States, much for that great spread of the church's influence amongst ail the nationalities that make up the co-called American race.
«In the early days, Catholic collèges were lew, Catholics priests not numerous and the Catholic immigrant to the United States wishing to give bis children Catholic éducation, found in the collèges and convents of your hospitable country, a place where bis children might be thaught and educated, and at the same time bave their religion preserved to them. Among those collèges none bas had a greater share in sending priests to the United States, in educating a goodly number of Catholic laymen, and thereby spreading the knowledge
oi" Christ and His (Ihiirch, and tlio iidluence ol" that Church, than tliis SiMninary, which we Ionc to call our own. Eveil in our own tinie and génération, ^vhen collèges hecame nuraerous in the States, many ol" our parents still chose to send their sons hère, where they might be well grounded in the sciences, and above ail, in religion, and we who are the alumni of Nicolet, thank God that they did so.
«This collège gave us the Foundation of ail that we are and ail that we hâve. She opened up to us ail the ways of learning, and solidly planted in our soûls and niinds, by her teaching and by the eminent example of zealous, pious and holy prolessors, that faith and love for Holy Church which marks in an eminent degree the life of every faithful son of Nicolet.
« On every page of the history of Lower Canada, for thèse 100 years, may be tound the name of some son of Nicolet who has donc honor to his country by some noble act of patriotism or religion, and I may be pardonned if I say, that from the beginning of the influx of american students into this sanctuary of learning and piety, they too hâve tried to emulate the example of their canadian confrères by their zeal in the cause of country and religion, and hâve always striven to bring greater honor to the home of their mother.
«Many hâve gone to their reward, but the names of such as the éloquent Barry, and the gifted and talented Howard, and many others whom I might mention, will long be remembered in New-England as men who added lustre to the glory of the church in that région.
« Among the living, there are many occupying most prominent positions in clérical and lay circles. The name of F. Murphy, of Chicago, is synonymous with
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leaiTiing, zeal and hospitality, both East and West. D. Stafïbrd, called the niost éloquent of the priests of the United-States, bas tbe most important parisb soutb of tbe Mason and Dixon Line.
« Aniong tbose wbo hold tbe most bonorable clérical positions and most important parisbes in tbe New- England States, may generally be lound tbe names of men wbo owe to Nicolet the éducation and tbe virtues requisite to fill tbose positions, sucb as our learned secretary, Fr. Colbert, FrsLeeDelany and a bost ofotbers. One tbere is in tbe diocèse to wbicb I bave tbe bonor to belong, wbo is beld by many to be wortby, because of bis modesty, bis piety, bis ability and learning, to préside over tbe metropolitan see of tbat great city in wbicb be was born, tbat faitbful son of Nicolet, Tbomas Cusack.
« It is not well to praise tbe living, and yet it is but to praise our Aima Mater tbat we speak in tbis manner of ber sons, and wben we stand bere on tbis ground so dear to us, and wben we look around on tbis bome of our bappiest years, a flood of memories come rusbing over us, faces long since forgotten return, and if we do so love to tbink of tbose otber days, and to praise the bappiness of tbose days, and tbose wbo made tbem bappy, wby may we not be pardoned if we feel like praising tbose wbo bave ever and always been witb us ? Tbe memory of tbose days bring back so many ; tbey bring back tbe memory of tbat man wbo was first to greet me, over tbirty years ago, as for tbe lirst time I came to tbis collège, tbe gentle, pious. big bearted, and well beloved Joseph Biais, tbat man among men wbo drew every beart to bim, wbo could draw order out of chaos, wbo did so impress himself upon tbe men of bis time tbat tbey praved God tbev might be like bim in
his sincerity, his honesly, his love for olhers, and his love for God ; and who can forget hils superior, tlie greal, admirable, learned, zealous, childlike, inaslerlul Thomas Caron !
« Another, too, cornes back, one whose young life was but ail too short, whose lew years added lustre to the glory ol this institution ; Irish by birth but Canadian in heart, Robert Walsh, who, had the Lord spared him, would hâve added another to the list of littérateurs who were proud to claim Nicolet as their mothei ; the gifted Maurault, the saintly Gélinas and so niany others, who from the place of their reward are joined with us to-day in this happy célébration. Three there are who still remain pf tliat noble band of thirty years ago, and the names of Douville, Bellemare and Proulx, will not only be w^itten in letters of gold in theannals of Nicolet, but they find an abiding place in the heart of every living son of this dear old collège.
«Nicolet bas given illustrions names to the hierarchy, and I would fail in my duty to-day, were I to forget to compliment and to congratulate the collège, and you my brother alumni, for having in our midst one who stands the equal of any, our friend and contemporary, Mgr Brunault. Boniim est nos hic esse.
« Yes tndy it is good for us to be hère, to visit thèse familiar places. Every inch of this ground, eveiy stone in thèse walls, is dear to us ; every face we see is near to us, for hère we meet as brothers, sons of a coinmon mothcr. It is good for us to be hère ; it renews our youth, it awakens memory, stimulâtes ambition, and opens up the wells of our affection. It brings back perhaps fcrgotten resolutions, it spurs us on to nobler endeavor. It is good for usto behere, where we passed our happiest days, where w e drank deep from the fountain
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ot" knowledge, and lived daily in an atmosphère of religion and truth. It is good for us to be hère — Brothers — to meet once more lace to face, to clasp hand to hand, lo mingle our common joys and sorrows, to go back over the old days, to tell of the years of séparation their success or failure, giving crédit for our success to Aima Mater and attributing our failures to ourselves.
« It gives us pleasure to be hère at the dedication of this magnificent chapel, which serves as a mémorial of thepast, and a sanctuary ofknowledge, truth and religion for centuries to corne.
« In a few hours we will take our homeward way, thanking God that we came, proud of our traditions, happy in our présent glory, having an enduring faith in your greath future, and praying the ail loving God to bless you, O Nicolet, and your sons until the end of time. »
