The Patriarch's 'Pignatta'

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 43, 22 October 1903, Page 18

The Patriarch's ' Pignatta '

He must indeed be a good man that is acclaimed as such by enemies and friends alike. An Italian Government journal (quoted by the Boston ' Transcript ') describes Pius X. as ' the man who smiles.' It waxes enthusiastic over his humility, his simple tastes, his love of music, his ready wit, and his abounding charity, which was ever aching to soften the asperities of the existence of the poor. When Patriarch of Venice, his kindly pleasant face and open hand brought sunshine and hope into many a dingy tenement in the city of the hundred isles. He ' not alone made it a point,' says the Italian paper referred to above, ' of answering personally all the letters and communications and requests for help which he received in numbers untold, even from the poorest parishioner of his jurisdiction (his handwriting is small, neat, and remarkably legible in a way), but also he made it a point to see whoever wanted to see him, anid to talk to whoever had something to say to him. Needless to add, that such a system had the effect both on the familiar and the official budget of the Patriarch, but "God will provide " was his motto. One fine morning the sister of his Eminence, on returning to the kitchen after a short absence, found that the earthen pot containing the daily beef tea had disappeared from its- lawful place on the stove. The poor woman ran to the Cardinal, who was busy in his study, and sorrowfully related the extraordinary case. " Well, my sister," quoth his Eminence, " evidently it was the cat." <( But the cat would not have stolen the pignatta (earthenware

cooking vessel), and everything, pignatta and all, has gone ! " remonstrated the poor woman. " Have patience," insisted the Eminentissimo, smiling, " the fault was yours ; you went off and did not watch, and some sinner who evidently tries to catch others in fault, took the pignatta while the cat took the meat ! " Finally the mystery was solved : A poor man had come to the Cardinal with a pitiful story of a sick wife and hungry children who had nothing to eat and no one to make dinner for them, and seized by a sudden inspiration, his Eminence had hit upon the clever plan of sparing to the poor man even the trouble of going to buy the broth with the money, of which he had given him, besides the pignatta, a considerable sum* to provide for many future meals.'