Progress of the Catholic church in America and the great Columbian Catholic Congress of 1893 .. . ather, consti-tute but one great the same truth evi-dently flowed the burningzeal of the CatholicChurch, from the begin-ning, for the salvation ofsouls. Without glancing evenfor a moment at the mis-sionary spirit of the Catholic Church throughout the onward course of its existence,let us confine our attention to one or two instances that bear on the presentcelebration. It was this grand and inspiring motive of the value of the humansoul that, more than anything else, impelled Columbus
Progress of the Catholic church in America and the great Columbian Catholic Congress of 1893 .. . ather, consti-tute but one great the same truth evi-dently flowed the burningzeal of the CatholicChurch, from the begin-ning, for the salvation ofsouls. Without glancing evenfor a moment at the mis-sionary spirit of the Catholic Church throughout the onward course of its existence,let us confine our attention to one or two instances that bear on the presentcelebration. It was this grand and inspiring motive of the value of the humansoul that, more than anything else, impelled Columbus to tempt unknown seas inorder to spread the Gospel of Christ. Discouraged and despondent by manyrebuffs, Columbus turned his steps to the Convent of La Rabida. FatherJuan Perez, the hospitable guardian, was interested, it is true, in scientificdiscoveries, but his sacerdotal heart was still more touched at the possibility of leadinginnumerable souls to heavenly light, and he determined that Columbus should obtainthe aid necessary to promote his enterprise. King Ferdinand, cool and calculating. MOST REV. ARCHBISHOP CORRIGAN. WORLDS COLUMBIAN CATHOLIC CONGRESSES. 69 statesman that he was, could not be insensible to the manifold advantages that mightaccrue to Spam from the discovery of the new territories, yet he hesitated, waveredand delayed to act. Isabella listened to the selfsame story, and her instinct of pietvwas aroused, and she resolved that as souls might thereby be gained to God she wouldgive strong and efficacious help. Again, it is a striking fact, and one perhaps notgenerally known, that the flag of the Santa Maria in which the great admiral sailedwas no other than the white and green banner of the holy office. What, was Americadiscovered under the flag of the Inquisition ? Even so. And here, again, we find aluminous proof, not only that the Church did not retard the progress of science byforbidding, as has often been asserted, the belief that the earth was round but,
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