Archbishop Bedini, the Secretary of the Propaganda, was another hearty friend.  Our older readers will remember that he had paid a visit to America a few years before the time we are considering, and that his presence here was made the occasion for some of the more violent outbreaks of the Know-nothing excitement.  He knew our country personally, therefore, and was acquainted with very many of our clergy; his assistance to the Roman Court in this case was of special value.  He became so demonstrative in his friendship for Father Hecker that the Pope was amused at it, and Father Hecker relates in his letters home how the Holy Father rallied him about the warmth of his advocacy of the American priest’s cause, as did various members of the Pontifcal court.

At that time and for many years afterwards Doctor Bernard Smith, an Irish Benedictine monk, was Professor of Dogmatic Theology in the College of the Propaganda; he is now the honored abbot of the great Basilica of St. Paul without-the-walls.  How Father Hecker came to know the learned professor we have been unable to discover; but both he and Monsignor Kirby, of the Irish College, became his firm friends and powerful advocates.  Without Doctor Smith’s advice, indeed, scarcely a step was taken in the case.

An unexpected ally was found in Bishop Connolly, of St. John’s, New Brunswick.  He had been robbed on his way between Civita Vecchia and Rome, and that misfortune gave him a special claim to the regard of the Pope, with whom he soon became a favorite.  The Holy Father admired in him that energy of character and zeal for religion which distinguished him in after years as Archbishop of Halifax.  On hearing of Father Hecker’s case he studied it on account of sympathetic interest in the aspects of Catholicity in the United States, part of his diocese being at that time, we believe, in the State of Maine.  How ardent his friendship for Father Hecker soon became is shown by his exclamation:  “I am ready to die for you, and I am going to tell the Pope so.”  He even offered to assist Father Hecker in paying his personal expenses while in Rome.  In a letter to the American Fathers of December 18 Father Hecker writes: 

“Another recent and providential event in our favor has been the friendship of Bishop Connolly, of St. John’s, New Brunswick.  By his extraordinary exertions and his warm friendship for us he has succeeded in giving us the vantage ground in all quarters where we were not in good favor.  I told you in the last note that he had spoken to the Holy Father in favor of our cause, but I had no time to give you the substance of what was said.  Bishop Connolly is a full-blooded Irishman, but, fortunately for us, not implicated in any party views in our country, and seeing that the Propaganda regarded our cause as its own and had identified itself with our success, . . . it being friendly to us as missionaries, he exerted all his influence in our favor.  His influence