USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > History of the diocese of Hartford > Part 23
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Father McMalion was with Foster at Newbern, with Burnside at Fred- ericksburg; with Pope at the Second Bull Run, and with McClellan at Antie- tam. He met the broken and defeated army after the seven days' fight at Richmond, and his regiment was one of the covering regiments of the rear guard just come up from the South, through which the beaten Army of the Potomac, just after the fight at Malvern Hill and the seven days' fight at Richmond, dashed to safety. At the Second Battle of Bull Run, Father McMahon's regiment, with a few others, held the pass through which the defeated army retreated, and here the General of the Division, the Brigadier- General, and two of the field officers were killed.
Father McMahon thus campaigned in four States, when and where the war was fiercest and inost bloody. Owing to the small number of Catholic
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chaplains, he was often the only chaplain in a division, and often in an army corps, and had to travel a distance of over fifteen iniles, compelled to take long rides on horseback, often through a dangerous and hostile country, to ininister to the scattered Catholic soldiers. The frequent change of camp, tlie continual forward and rearward movements, the strain of hard and continuous and saddening work (he was once, after one of the great battles, three days with hardly any food or sleep, attending the wounded), brought on an attack of intermittent fever, and he was sent to the army hospital at Washington, where for a long time he hovered between life and death. One day when he was a little better than usual and fully conscious, he playfully asked the at- tending physician if he could go to Boston. The physician replied : " If you go to Boston the journey will most likely kill you, and if you remain here you will surely die." He came north with some soldiers, and what little he could do for them he did willingly and cheerfully, rousing them from their despondency and giving them fresh courage. When he arrived at the bishop's house, which was only a short distance from the depot, he had just strength enough to pull the bell, and when the servant opened the door he fell on his face in the vestibule. He was carried to bed, from which he did not arise for eleven months. On his recovery, as his regiment was without a chaplain, lie rejoined his old comrades, and marched with them in the great review before the President which closed the war. For all this service in tlie ariny Father McMahon never received a cent of pay.
The war ended, Father McMahon was named the first pastor of Bridge- water, at that time a small country village twenty-eight miles from Boston. He had also two missions to attend, East Bridgewater and Middleboro, the one distant seven, the other ten miles from his residence. He had no assistant, and each Sunday he said two Masses ; he also attended the almshouse at Middleboro, and gave the same faithful service to those hapless ones as he had given to the parishioners and to the army. Partly from his work, which was highly prized by the officials of the almishouse, and partly by his subse- quent efforts, the State of Massachusetts gave open welcome by statute law to Catholic priests to officiate in all state and county institutions ; thus lie served to secure not only civil, but religious liberty.
From Bridgewater lie was sent to New Bedford. He found here a small, old church, which had been bouglit some years before from the Protestants. Of this congregation from one-third to one-half were Portuguese, tlie inen mostly following the sea for a livelihood in the whaling fleet. To discharge his duty to them, busy as he was, lie took up the study of Portuguese without a teacher, and learned it well enough to liear their confessions and their piteous tales of distress. For two years he wrote letter after letter to the bishops of Portugal, and to priestly acquaintances of some Portuguese parisli- ioners in the liope of securing a priest for liis parishioners of that nationality. One came, only to die in his house a short time after.
In the meantime Father McMalion set apart their small contributions, and when a priest came at last, lie built and turned over to them a large handsome churchi, well furnished and almost without debt.
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Later came the French emigration from Canada; he attended thein until he was able to procure a Canadian priest.
Meanwhile he began the erection of the French church, which was after- wards opened by the French pastor. For two years he was the only priest in that part of the diocese, liis jurisdiction covering the territory which stretched from New Bedford to Fall River, including the small town of Dartmouth, where there was a small sprinkling of Catholics, and on the ocean side to Nantucket, including the island of Martha's Vineyard, sixty miles distant. On one occasion when the steamer was not running he was summoned on a sick call to Nantucket, and so stormy became the weather that the boat was capsized when about half way to the destination, and if he had not been a good swimmer, he would never have reached land.
Father McMalion celebrated the first Mass said on Martha's Vineyard, which he did in a private house.
A short time after a French gentleman of New York City, living on Lexington avenue, gave him a plot of land for a new church, which was after- wards built.
The old frame church purchased from the Protestants, bare, cheap and small, and not conveniently located, he found inadequate to the needs of the people of New Bedford. A small piece of land on County street had been bought by one of his predecessors for a new church; to this he added by pur- chase three times as much land, sufficient for church, house and school. On . a portion of this land he erected a magnificent granite church, and which was at that time the finest church in the diocese of Boston. This splendid edifice cost $150,000. The corner-stone was laid on November 1, 1866, and the church was dedicated in honor of St. Lawrence on August 10, 1871.
Fatlier McMahon also purchased a large piece of land, on which stood a commodious mansion of stone, which he opened as a hospital-the first institution of the kind in the city-under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy whom he brought to New Bedford, and who acted as nurses, while he furnished the funds for its maintenance and was responsible for its debts.
He was the first Vicar General of the Diocese of Providence, and in that capacity prepared the ground and had the basement ready when Bishop Hen- dricken returned from Rome to lay the corner-stone of the Cathedral.
In 1873 Fatlier McMahon received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Rome in recognition of his services to religion.
Owing to the feeble health and frequent indisposition of the Bishop of Providence, a large share of the administration of the affairs of the diocese fell upon Dr. McMahon. Between him and Bishop Hendricken there existed always the fullest confidence and respect, which continued until the death of Bishop Hendricken.
Dr. McMahon labored in New Bedford for fourteen years, and the many works accomplished were evidence at once of his zeal and of the strong faith of his people. The success that attended his labors was not unnoticed by his
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ecclesiastical superiors, and when the See of Hartford became vacant by the death of Bishop Galberry, the prelates of the province recognized in Dr. Mc- Mahon a priest worthy to be his successor. Accordingly, he was appointed Bishop of Hartford on May 8, 1879. On Sunday, July 20, 1879, he delivered his farewell address to his congregation of New Bedford. The scene was unusually affecting, and the concourse present manifested the great grief they experienced in the separation. Seldom, if ever before, was a parting between pastor and people so unanimously regretted. Dr. McMahon said in part : "The relations existing between us have been pleasant-pleasant to me and I hope pleasant to you. That they were pleasant to me is sufficiently proved by my long stay with you. Fourteen years ago last January, I came to New Bedford, and have been here constantly ever since, not having taken even a month's vacation. I found on coming here a great deal to do. I was told by iny ecclesiastical superiors that I should have a church to build and much work to do. But I found little difficulty in accomplishing what I undertook, because I had the people behind me ; I had something to lean upon. My work has been successful, thanks to your cooperation. Every man is satisfied to remain where his work succeeds; therefore I was satisfied to remain here, and looked forward to closing my life among you and mingling my dust with that of your people and of iny predecessors. But Providence has ordered otherwise. The great head of the churchi has seen fit to summon me to more laborious duties, and after careful consideration and taking counsel of those to whom I should look for advice, I can only believe that the voice of Peter is the voice of God. .
"In leaving you I am happy to say that the affairs of the church were never so prosperous in any previous time. I need not specify details, but I think there is scarcely a place of the same size in the United States where so inany visible works, evidencing the progress of faith, have been accomplished during the same time as has been the case in this city. And this has not been attained at the expense of the spiritual progress.
"And now, there remains but a parting word to be said. I thank you again most sincerely, most feelingly, for all your acts of kindness. I shall always retain pleasant memories of New Bedford, and whatever the vicissi- tudes of my life may be, I shall always look back to the years spent here with feelings of gratitude and pleasure. I shall be abundantly satisfied if I find as good people as I leave behind mne. May God grant you individually and collectively every possible blessing ; may He give you all the happiness and prosperity you desire, and I wish you from iny heart an affectionate farewell."
Bishop McMahon was consecrated Bishop of Hartford on Sunday, August 10, 1879, in St. Josepli's cathedral, Hartford, in the presence of a vast con- course of priests and people. Special trains were run on all the roads leading into the city. Seventy car-loads were brought from Waterbury, New Haven, Springfield, Willimantic and other cities. The celebrant of the Mass and consecrating prelate was the Most Rev. Arclibishop Williams, of Boston.
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Assistant Consecrators, RIGHT REV. BISHOP LOUGHLIN, of Brooklyn, and RIGHT REV. BISHOP O'REILLY, of Springfield.
Deacon of the Mass, REV. M. MORAN, Boston. Sub-deacon, REV. WM. DALY, Boston.
Deacons of Honor, REV. M. MCCABE, Woonsocket, and REV. PHILIP GRACE, D.D., Newport. Assistant Priest, VERY REV. THOMAS WALSH, Meriden.
Notary, VERY REV. JAMES HUGHES, Hartford.
Masters of Ceremonies, REV. M. A. TIERNEY, Hartford, and REV. M. F. KELLY, Windsor Locks, Chanters, the REV. FATHERS CAMPBELL, KENNEDY, JOYNT, BRODERICK, O'KEEFE, FAGAN. MCCABE, SHEFFREY, W. ROGERS, B. O'R. SHERIDAN and E. GAFFNEY. Mitre Bearer, REV. J. COONEY. Crozier Bearer, REV. L. J. O'TOOLE. Censer Bearer, REV. J. ROGERS. Candle Bearer, REV. T. T. McMAHON. Acolytes, REV. P. LAWLOR and REV. P. SHAHAN. Book Bearer, REV. J. A. MULCAHY. Assistants at the Faldstool, REV. E. VYGEN and REV. M. LAWLOR.
The preacher on the occasion was Riglit Rev. Bishop Healy, of Portland, Me. His text was drawn from the fifth chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews: " Called by God a High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedec, of whom we have much to say and hard to be intelligently uttered." The Bishop said in part : "The priest exerts an authority compared to which that of the early dis- ciples seems to be almost nothing. Who can estimate the dignity of the priesthood ? Kings and princes must bow to his authority. Recently, over the seas, there has been a bloodless but cruel persecution against the priest- hood because they claim an authority beyond this world and reaching even to heaven. They rule the souls, others the bodies. The priest is an ambas- sador, occupying a middle place between God and man. Consider lest you judge us too severely. There must be an angelic life. We bear the mysteries of God. The priest represents none other than Christ Himself. What can be beyond that ? Yet there is another glory and dignity conferred upon man, the collation of which you have just seen. You have seen how the church surrounds this dignity with elaborate ceremonial; the solemin examination of the candidate ; the building up in vestments of wonderful variety ; the giving of a staff to represent that he is a shepherd; the ring, signifying that he is the spouse of the church ; the book of the Gospels, laid like a burden upon his neck; his head anointed, signifying that he is a king among men; his hands anointed, because from them are to flow the most wonderful blessings of God. But the supreme moment was the placing of consecrated hands upon his head and the words, 'Receive the Holy Ghost.' The Christian is the temple of the Holy Ghost ; the Christian can bring his fellow-men to the por- tals of the church, but no further ; the priest can confer miraculous favors upon his inferiors ; both the simple Christian and the priest have limited authority. For the perpetuation of the people of God there is a necessity for another one who can go further. 'The Father is greater than I,' said Christ. I want to make it plain that if the priest be another Christ, the bishop is the representative of God himself, and can produce others like unto himself. Then is it wonderful that the church, by her ceremonies, endeavors to make this truth more evident? This father must possess a dignity of grace higher than
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the tongue can describe. When our Saviour came up out of Jordan, the Holy Ghost descended like a dove, and the voice came from heaven : 'Hear ye Him !' When this candidate arose from his prostrate condition, and the consecrated hands were placed on his head, may it not have been that the heavens were indeed opened, and that a voice came, 'This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him?' Now, this one having risen and possessing the divine pre- rogative, every blessing and peace flow from his hands: the ruler among those who have rule and authority. Let me stop here, leaving the impression that the pontiff represents to you none other than the Father in his original and divine fecundity. Remember what responsibility he bears, and endeavor by obedience and prayer to hold up the fainting heart that bears so great a burden."
Bishop Healy concluded his sermon with an address to the newly conse- crated prelate : " To-day you have the Te Deum chanted in this church of Hartford, which has been so often widowed. I thank God that you have wit- nessed the apostolic lives of those who have ruled you. And you, venerable brother, just now inducted into the office of the episcopacy, bear your author- ity tempered with mercy. May you rule many years, and bear this authority and sway as one who represents God the Father. Let us all unite in prayer that this power may continue for many years (multos annos) and for a crown and everlasting glory in heaven."
The prelates present were : Most Rev. John J. Williams, D. D., Boston, Mass. ; Right Rev. John Loughlin, D. D., Brooklyn, N. Y .; Right Rev. Patrick T. O'Reilly, D. D., Springfield, Mass. ; Right Rev. J. F. Shannahan, D. D., Harrisburg, Penna. ; Right Rev. S. Chatard, D. D., Vincennes, Ind. ; Right Rev. T. Hendricken, D. D., Providence, R. I.
Immediately after his consecration Bishop McMahon undertook the legacy bequeathed to him of continuing the building of the cathedral. In this stupendous work he was not only wonderfully successful, but he lived to witness the consecration of the magnificent temple. He found it burdened with an indebtedness of $60,000, and his first labor was to liquidate this and then to bring to completion the plans of his predecessors. After thirteen years of unremitting attention and labor and anxiety, he had the happiness to witness the full realization of his hopes. The cathedral was erected at the sacrifice of his own income, and by the voluntary contributions of his diocesans, as no tax or assessment was placed upon any parish. Within ten years he expended over $500,000 in its construction and embellishment. In accomplishing this work Bishop McMahon not only sacrificed his means, but also his health. In the hope of restoring the latter he visited Europe in April, 1891, accompanied by the Rev. Thomas Broderick, rector of St. Peter's church, Hartford. He returned on Thursday, November 19, 1891, and never in the history of New England had a bishop been so enthusiastically wel- comed. The people requested that the cathedral be opened and illuminated for the first time in honor of the man whose untiring energy and business capacity had completed it. Although the seating capacity of the edifice is about 2200, there were nearly 4000 persons in the interior, and as many more
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on the outside. As the bishop looked from his throne in the sanctuary out into the vast enclosure and witnessed what had been accomplished during his seven months' absence, he could not fail to realize that he stood within one of the most gorgeous temples on the American continent. The organ was used for the first time to assist the chorus of 150 voices to chant the inspiring Te Deum in honor of the bishop's safe return to his diocese. Rev. William A. Harty, rector of the cathedral, delivered an address of welcome in behalf of the clergy and people, to which the bishop made a felicitous and feeling response.
But other works than the erection of the cathedral absorbed the time and engaged the attention of Bishop McMahon. Between the years of his conse- cration and the completion of the cathedral, he organized forty-eight new parishes, dedicated seventy churches, and established sixteen convents and sixteen parochial schools. He attended the Third Plenary Council of Balti- more, whose sessions were held in November and December, 1883. In 1880, when wide-spread destitution prevailed in many parts of Ireland, Bishop Mc- Mahon was among the first to raise his voice in an appeal in behalf of the suf- fering poor of that unhappy country. His was a practical sympathy as evinced by the following circular which he addressed to the pastors of his diocese :
"HARTFORD January 19, 1880.
"Rev. Dear Sir : You are doubtless not unacquainted with the reports which have come to us through the public press in reference to the alleged distress in the unhappy land whence most of us have sprung.
" The accounts which we have received from responsible parties would indicate that these reports have by no means been exaggerated, but, on the contrary, it is feared that all that our charity may be able to do will prove inadequate to the terrible necessities of the case.
" The sufferings of our fellow-men in any quarter of the globe should excite our warmest sympathies; but when we are called upon to rescue from hunger, sickness and death the unfor- tunate people of our own native land, or the land of our fathers and mothers, every considera- tion of religion and patriotism combine to render the call doubly imperative.
"In order, therefore, that our flocks may have an opportunity of contributing to so worthy an object, you will please to announce to your congregation that a collection will be taken up in all the churches of the diocese of Hartford on Sunday, February Ist, for the above mentioned purpose.
"As the necessity is a pressing one, you are requested to transmit as quickly as possible the sum collected to the chancellor of the diocese, in order that the money contributed may be sent to the Irish bishops of tlie distressed districts without any unnecessary delay.
" Yours truly in Christ,
"+ LAWRENCE S. MCMAHON, "Bishop of Hartford."
The result of this appeal was a generous contribution for the relief of Ireland's distress, the amount forwarded to the Irish bishops being $23, 764.81.
Bishop McMahon's exacting and unceasing labors to promote the welfare of his diocese, in the construction of the cathedral, in making frequent visi- tations of the parishes within his jurisdiction, preaching and confirming, and in personally attending to the innumerable and perplexing duties of a great and growing diocese, soon began to make serious inroads upon his health. He was not in robust health during the last few years of his life ; nevertheless he complained not, and attended to the manifold affairs of the diocese with
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scrupulous punctuality. No work was too arduous for him to undertake, though the body, a prey to disease, might rebel. He was a sufferer from uræmia, and with patience and holy submission to the divine will he bore his affliction. He may have had premonitions that his tenure of life was short; at any rate, the summons found him prepared to pass hence into the life be- yond. When the angel of death camne it was as a thief in the night, but the bishop resigned his dignities and his burdens in the same spirit in which he assumed them-a spirit of unalterable desire to comply with God's will.
The news of Bishop McMahon's death fell like a shock that affected all classes irrespective of creed. While for a few years previous it was known that he was not immune from disease, it was not thought that death would withdraw him from the scene of his activity so suddenly. But a few weeks before he had celebrated the fourteenth anniversary of his consecration in the presence of a large concourse of people and in the midst of his devoted clergy, who had assembled to do him honor from every part of his diocese ; so that when the information was received that the diocese was again bereft of its chief pastor, it was received with sentiments of incredulity. With the hope of securing relief from the sufferings incident to his ailment, the bishop set out for Saratoga Springs to take a course of the waters. But death overtook him on the way. Desiring to break his journey and thus diminish the dangers attendant upon fatigue, he stopped at Lakeville, Connecticut, where he in- tended to sojourn for a few days only. On August 17th, his illness had assumed a form serious enough to confine him to the house. The best ined- ical skill obtainable proved futile to prolong the life so precious to the dio- cese. He expired on the night of Monday, August 21, 1893, in the fifty- eighth year of his age. At the dying prelate's bedside were his devoted sister, Miss Rose McMahon, and the Rev. Fathers Leo, O. S. F., Shanley, Bannon and O'Connor.
The remains of the deceased prelate were brought to his episcopal city on the 23rd. As all that was mortal of Bishop McMahon was solemnly borne to the residence which he had left only a few days previously, many eyes were moistened, and many fervent, heartfelt prayers ascended to the Mercy Seat in behalf of him who had ever been to priests and people a father, guide and friend. Clothed in his pontifical robes, the body of the bishop was carried by anointed lands to the Cathedral where it was placed upon a catafalque before the main altar. His genius and executive ability had carried to completion the majestic pile which had become his mausoleum. Before the magnificent altar which he had solemnly consecrated to the living God fifteen months before, lay the lifeless body of as just, devout, unselfish and pure-minded a prelate as ever wielded a crozier. The splendid temple, the superb orna- mentation everywhere visible, the beauties of brush and pencil and chisel, all combined to make St. Josephi's a fitting resting place for the great heart that throbbed only with a father's love, but which was now silent with the still- ness of deathı.
The obsequies of the deceased bishop took place on August 26th, with the Most Rev. Archbishop Williams of Boston as celebrant of the Mass.
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Assistant Priest, VERY REV. Fr. LEO DA SARRACENA, O. S. F. Deacons of Honor, REV. FLOR. DE BRUCKYER AND REV. M. A. TIERNEY. Deacon of the Mass, REV. T. BRODERICK. Sub-deacon, REV. T. J. SHAHAN, D. D. Censer Bearer, REV. E. BRODERICK. Masters of Ceremonies, REV. A. HARTY AND REV. T. CROWLEY.
The panegyrist was Right Rev. Bishop Beaven of Springfield. He selected his text from St. Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians iv. 13: " And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful even as others who have no hope."
"To-day we feel ourselves in the presence of an occasion when neither voice nor expression attunes itself to the deep sympathy of the sorrowing heart. We find that some vibrations of the heart chords cannot be evidenced by word or sob. The trappings of death meet our gaze on every side, for he whom we loved is gone. The reward of his virtues awaits him. O ! Lord, give rest to liis soul.
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