The Catholic University of Louvain has just been deprived by death of
its first Rector, Mgr. Peter Francis Xavier de Ram. This illustrious
prelate was called to the reward of his useful life on Sunday, the 14th
of May, and his demise has caused a vacancy, not only in the University
over which he presided with so much prudence and energy for over thirty
years, but also in several other learned bodies, of which he was a most
distinguished member. His death has been a severe loss to his native
land and to the Catholic Church in Belgium. Let us hope the great work
for which he lived will long continue to be a prolific source of every
blessing to Catholic Belgium.
On hearing of the death of Mgr. de Ram, our Catholic University, which,
in obedience to the advice of the Sovereign Pontiff, has ever looked on
that of Louvain as its model and elder sister, hastened to hold a
meeting of the Academic Senate, at which the following letter of
condolence was unanimously agreed to:--
Illustrissimo et adm. Rdo. Dno. Vice Rectori; Illmis. D.D.
Facultatum Decanis; et perillustribus D.D. in Universitate
Cath. Lovaniensi Professoribus ornatissimis,
Universitas in Hibernia Catholica S. D.
Paucis abhinc diebus pervenit ad nos tristissima notitia
mortis Illmi. et Rmi. D.D. Francisci Xaverii de Ram, istius
Universitatis in Belgio Catholicae Magnifici Rectoris. Haud
certe sine maximo cordium nostrorum dolore nuntium istum
accepimus. Siquidem et inclytam Universitatem Vestram
praecipuo lumine et ornamento destitutam conspicimus, et
Supremo Capite et primo Rectore orbatam, qui res nascentis,
imo potius renascentis Academiae summa humanitate,
ornatissimus homo, est moderatus: qui miro ordine ita omnia
paravit et instituit, ut antiquae illius in vestra civitate
Universitatis decus et in scientiis laudem nova aemularetur,
imo et superaret.
Ad consolandum igitur vos in casu isto, quo est gravissime
afflicta Academia Vestra, Universitatem hanc nostram urget
et communis fides, et praecipua dilectio qua nos complecti
dignati estis, et nomen ipsum Universitatis Catholicae. Nam
et inclytam vestram Academiam haec nostra haud passibus
aequis insequi conatur, et vester proinde dolor, aerumnae
vestrae nobis vobiscum sunt communes. Itaque et inter hos
dies nostrum erit clarissimi viri, vestri quondam Rectoris
Magnifici animae piaculari Sacrificio opitulari, publicisque
Ecclesiae officiis, et illi requiem et ipsius Operi,
Universitati scilicet Vestrae incolumitatem et in dies
provectus adprecari.
Ex aedib. Univers. in Hib. Cath.
Datum Dublinii V. Kal. Junias, 1865.
BARTH. WOODLOCK, Rector Univer. Cath.
THOMAS SCRATTON, A.B. a Secretis Universit.
The Vice-Rector of the University of Louvain has returned the following
answer:--
Louvain, de l'Universite Catholique, le 9 Juin, 1865.