USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > History of the diocese of Hartford > Part 44
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boys' school is Mr. Patrick Morrissey. These accomplished instructors were educated in Ireland, their native country."
The child who went through the ordeal so successfully, was Miss Nellie McGuire, for many years a teacher in the public schools of New Haven, and leading soprano singer of St. Patrick's choir.
On May 12, 1852, four Sisters of Mercy, of whom Sister M. Camillus was Superior, arrived at New Haven from Providence, brought hither by the Rev. Edward J. O'Brien, pastor of St. Mary's parish. They assumed charge of the girls' school, while Mr. Morrissey continued in charge of the boys' until July 20, 1860. The first home of the Sisters was on George street, near Broad. They remained here until the summer of 1854, when they took up their residence in a new convent adjoining old St. Mary's church on Church street. In the summer of 1875 they took up their abode in a house near the new St. Mary's. In July, 1860, the Sisters assumed charge of both boys and girls. The basement of the new St. Mary's church became the school in the fall of 1875, and in the following year a dwelling in the neighborhood was secured in which the school was continued.
The first Catholic cemetery of New Haven was a part of Christ's church lot, near the corner of York street and Davenport avenue. Here the Catho- lics of New Haven were interred until 1851. On June 28th, of this year, Mr. Bernard O'Reilly purchased from Mr. Gerard Hallock, at one time editor of the New York Journal of Commerce, a parcel of land near the "West Bridge," avowing it as the intention to dispose of it in small lots. The "small lots" proved to be cemetery lots, to the chagrin of Mr. Hallock, who was noted for his hostility to the Catholic church. This tract of land was blessed as St. Bernard's cemetery on September 1, 1851. In 1858 an additional tract of eighteen acres was purchased, which, with a small piece of land secured in August, 1876, made a cemetery of about twenty-five acres. On November 22, 1887, the deeds to the Bronson farin were conveyed to Rev. John Russell, who had purchased it for cemetery purposes in the name of the corporation. This tract of land contains fifty-two acres and lies southwest of the city and town boundary line in the town of Orange, and the price asked was $10,000. On June 22, 1888, the new cemetery received the name of St. Lawrence's cemetery; it was solemnly blessed on Sunday, October 4, 1890, by Bishop McMahon, Rev. B. W. Bray preaching the discourse.
In the summer of 1851 the Rev. Edward J. O'Brien 1 became the pastor of St. Mary's in succession to the Rev. Philip O'Reilly. He had as assistants the Rev. Bernard Tevin, Rev. John Sheridan, who had been commissioned to build St. Patrick's church, and Rev. Matthew Hart. On April 18, 1858, Bishop McFarland visited St. Mary's church and administered the sacrament of Confirmation to over 300 persons.
In 1868 negotiations were begun for a site for a new church. The old church had become the centre of commercial firms, and in consequence had become ill suited as a place for divine worship. A number of sites were in-
1 Father O'Brien was the first priest of the diocese to receive ordination at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Md. He was ordained by Archbishop Eccleston in 1850.
ST. MARY'S CHURCH, New Haven, Conn.
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
spected, among them one on the corner of Elin and High streets, another on Meadow street, and a third on the corner of Elm and York streets. The first of these was almost purchased, but Bishop McFarland's objection to the location brought the negotiations to an end. The site on which the church was subsequently built was then secured in a manner thus related by a local writer :
" There is some disagreement as to the circumstances attendant on the purchase of the lot on which the church was in reality afterwards built. According to one story Mr. John Kennedy, of Branford, had something to do with the negotiations. Another, which is worth giving in detail, is to the following effect : As soon as Father O'Brien learned positively that he could 11ot obtain the Elm street lot, he sorrowfully turned his steps towards the City Hall, where he met City Clerk William Downes, who was the only Catholic lawyer in the city at the time. He told Mr. Downes his story. The latter thought a while, and then turning to the priest inquired, 'Why don't you buy that lot on Hillhouse avenue, next to Dr. Hillhouse's place ? It is the prettiest spot in the city for a church, and not many years will pass by before it will be one of the inost convenient for the Catholics of St. Mary's.' Father O'Brien answered that there was no sense in talking of that lot, for the residents would not perinit the erection of a church there. Mr. Downes suggested that they go over to the avenue and look at the lot. They agreed upon its desirability. 'Now,' said Mr. Downes, 'you agree to take the lot if I secure it?' Father O'Brien so agreed. The city clerk immediately approached the agent who had the sale of the lot. The agent inquired whether Mr. Downes intended to build immediately, and was answered in the affirmative. The price was agreed upon. Mr. Downes drew up a deed, brought back to the agent $100, and thus sealed the bargain."
. This lot had been transferred by Dr. Hillhouse to Chauncey O. Crosby on February 1I, 1867, with this proviso in the deed : " This deed is, however, on the express condition that said Crosby, his heirs and assigns, shall not here- after at any time erect or maintain dwelling houses or buildings for manu- facturing purposes upon that part of said land which fronts upon Temple street, nor more than two dwelling houses upon that portion of said land which fronts upon Hillhouse avenue." The records show that the property was transferred by Mr. Crosby to William Downes on June 13, 1868, with tlie. above provision, and that he conveyed it to St. Mary's parish on June 15, 1868, the conditions remaining the same. The price paid was $16,000. A build- ing committee, comprising Charles Atwater, Francis Donnelly, John and Patrick Maher, P. Wood, M. Fahy, J. Mclaughlin and Edward Downes was immediately organized, and the services of James Murphy, architect, secured. The ground plan of the church was accepted on June 27th. The sentiment of the neighborhood was opposed to the erection of the church. It was fcared that the seclusion it had so long enjoyed, and which was so much desired, would be broken in upon by the crowds who would attend divine worship, and so powerful was this influence that many Catholics so far yielded as to suggest other sites. Wiser counsels, however, prevailed. At a meeting, 011
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
September 15, 1868, at which Bishop McFarland presided, it was decided that not more than $120,000 should be expended on the contract. It was a stupendous undertaking for the parish, and fears were entertained as to the success of the enterprise. It was the wish of some of the parish that the administration of affairs be placed in the hands of a religious congregation, and, on May 8, 1869, Judge William Robinson suggested to Bishop McFar- land, Father Hecker and Father O'Brien the advisability of the Paulists being called to assume charge.
The construction of the church began under the supervision of Father O'Brien, and the corner-stone was laid on September 22, 1870, by Bishop Mc- Farland in the presence of thirty priests from this and neighboring dioceses and of several thousand spectators. The preacher on the occasion was Very Rev. I. T. Hecker, of New York. Among the prominent guests were the Rev. Dr. Bacon of Center church, President Woolsey of Yale College, Judge Bradley, Charles Atwater, Mayor Lewis and ex-Mayor Welch. The assemblage contributed $906.
The work of construction then ceased by order of Bishop McFarland. The magnitude of the work discouraged Father O'Brien, and knowing his want of capacity as a financier, he urged the Order of Preachers, the Dom- inicans, to take charge of the parish. In May, 1872, Father O'Brien relin- quished the heavy burden, and the Rev. Patrick A. Murphy became the pas- tor of St. Mary's. In July of that year work on the church was resumed, the people co-operating enthusiastically with the new pastor. A series of monthly collections inaugurated brought into the parish treasury over $1,000 a month for some time. At length the church, one of the finest in New Eng- land, was dedicated on October 25, 1874. At this time there were five Catho- lic parishes in the city, St. Mary's, St. Patrick's, St. John's, St. Francis' and St. Boniface's. Following the ceremony of dedication, Pontifical Mass was celebrated by Right Rev. Bishop O'Reilly, of Springfield. The assist- ing clergyinen were Very Rev. James Hughes, who, after the death of Bishop McFarland, had been appointed Administrator of the diocese, assistant priest; Rev. Hugh Carinody, deacon; Rev. James Fagan, sub-deacon; Rev. Edward J. O. Brien and Rev. Matthew Hart, deacons of honor; Rev. Thomas Griffin, of Springfield and Rev. Francis O' Keefe, inasters of ceremonies. The bishops and priests in attendance and assisting at the ceremony were:
Right Rev. Bishop O'Reilly, Springfield, Mass. Lynch, Charleston, S. C. Very Rev. James Hughes, V. G., Hartford. " Wm. Quinn, New York. Rev. Dr. Carmody, James Finnegan,
Matthew Hart.
Frank O'Keefe,
Patrick H. Murphy,
New Haven.
P. Mulholland,
James Fagan,
John McMahon,
Thomas Lynch,
E. J. O'Brien, Middletown.
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
Rev. Thomas Griffin, Springfield.
" . J. F. Campbell, D.D., North Manchester.
T. Synnott, Bridgeport.
Patrick J. O'Dwyer, Ansonia.
¥ Peter Smith, Norwalk.
Dr. McGlynn, St. Stephen's church, New York.
James Lynch, Waterbury.
Charles McCallian, Ansonia.
H. Brady, Naugatuck.
E. Gaffney, Thomaston.
The sermon was preached by Right Rev. Bishop Lynch, Charleston, S. C. Taking his text from Hebrews xiii. Io, the preacher began by compliment- ing the people of the parish on the beauty of their church and the generosity and faith they had manifested in building it. All had done their part-their late pastor who had the courage to begin the work, and the younger man, his successor, to whom he had transferred the task of completing it. All liad con- tributed of their means. The widow had given her mite, and the little chil- dren what they could bring. The day was a joyful one for them now that they took possession of a church which was more beautiful than any other in the diocese. The preacher then said that sacrifice was the crowning act of all true religion, and had been so from the earliest times. Prayers could be and were shared by others than God, but to Him alone could sacrifice be offered. Sacrifice was the distinctive mark of the Church, and therefore from the earliest ages, in the Catacombs, in the far East, every church liad its altar. Though nothing could add to the dignity of that sacrifice, which was the same under the dome of St. Peter's as in the rude chapel of the poor mis- sionary, it was nevertheless fitting that beautiful churches should be built. In an eloquent passage, the preacher spoke of the myriad stars that adorned the heavens, and were to us as we gazed upon them lamps of lights; so to the saints and angels in paradise looking upon the world, foul and dark with sin and evil, the churches appeared like stars amid the blackness.
In the evening, Right Rev. Bishop Lynch was celebrant at the vesper service. The Rev. Dr. McGlynn, of New York, was the preacher. His text was the following: "Truly this is the house of God and the gate of heaven."
After the erection of the church, the work of completing St. Francis' Orphan Asylum devolved upon Father Murphy. He had charge also of St. Bernard's cemetery. "But while liis youthful energy was laughing at the heat of the fray, and while great and delicately manipulated real estate trans- actions were on his hands, there came the great financial panic. The sources of the church's income almost dried up. His ability was of 110 avail. His eyes lost their lustre and his chieeks paled. Night and day for some years longer he struggled with the frightful incumbrance of debt, then about $165,000."
Father Murphy died on May 19, 1879. The impressive funeral services were held in St. Mary's church on the 21st. The officiating clergymen were : Rev. Father Lynch, of Thorndike, Mass., celebrant; Rev. Fathers O'Keefe,
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
Harty, O'Connell and Dougherty as deacon, sub-deacon, and masters of cere- monies, respectively. Rev. L. Walsh, of Waterbury, delivered the panegyric.
The successor of Father Murphy was the Rev. Patrick P. Lawlor, who assumed charge of St. Mary's parish on Sunday, June 29, 1870. Father Law- lor was an exemplary and energetic priest. Few priests in the diocese pos- sessed greater executive ability. He was immediately confronted with an enorinous debt. He was no visionary, or dreamer, or sentimentalist. Of an exceedingly practical bent of mind, he employed all his energies to the dimin- ishing of the indebtedness. The first step to this end was the gentle forcing of the bankers to reduce their rate of interest from 7 to 5 per cent. Every year witnessed a diminution of the financial burden. But the weight of seven years of arduous and exacting labor brought his pastorate and his life to an end. Father Lawlor died on March 20, 1886. Funeral services the most imposing were held in St. Mary's church on the 23rd. Bishop McMahon pre- sided at the ceremony. The officers of the Mass of requiem were :
Celebrant-Rev. J. Cooney, New Haven. Deacon-Rev. P. Mullholland, New Haven. Sub-Deacon-Rev. J A. Mulcahy, Waterbury. Master of Ceremonies-Rev. J. B. Dougherty. Chanters-Rev. T. Kennedy, Rev. John Fagan, Rev. J. Joynt.
The Rev. M. A. Tierney, of New Britain, preached the funeral serinon, of which the following is a brief extract :
" I have known Father Lawlor for nineteen years, ever since his ordination. The first of his priestly labors were spent among you in St. John's parish. Many of you here to-day remember him and know him as well as I do. I need not speak to you of his labors in Mystic, Rockville, and New London. The same noble characteristics which marked him here ever followed him throughout his sacerdotal life.
" When it became necessary for some one to take charge of this church, there was not a priest in the diocese who was willing to take upon himself the burden. You may then judge for yourself of Father Lawlor's priestly character when he was willing to respond to the call of God, leave a comparatively comfortable life, which he had made so by his indefatigable labors, and come here to St. Mary's, upon which such an enormous debt rested. For the last seven years, therefore, he has labored among you with a success that few men could attain. His one ruling thought was to liquidate this debt. Is it any wonder that he succumbed under this heavy load? Many there are who look upon a priest from a worldly point of view. They look to his oratorical powers, his talents, etc. But few there are who look to the inward life of a priest. He has his sorrows and his joys. His heart is filled with heavenly comfort when he beholds the flock intrusted to his care following out the truths which are expounded to them. He is filled with sor- row when he sees the little ones growing up without faith, and when he knows that before God he is responsible for them. In conclusion, I would ask you to pray for the repose of the soul of Rev. Father Lawlor, because of the awful responsibilities that were his. But I would have you pray not without hope."
After the death of Father Lawlor, the Rev. Michael Daly, now of Thom- aston, administered the affairs of the parish until the arrival of the Dominican Fathers on May 16, 1866. On that date, St. Mary's passed under a new regime, a new era in its history was entered upon. On the feast of St. Joseph the sons of St. Dominic began their career in New Haven. Their first
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
public service was a solemn High Mass, with the Rev. Father Hartigan as celebrant, the Rev. Father Kent as deacon, and the Rev. Father O'Connell as sub-deacon. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Father Lilly, and was in part as follows :
"Last Sunday, my friends, it was announced to you by your acting pastor that the Bishop had given over this church and parish to the Dominican Fathers, and that they would make their first public appearance among you to-day. In accordance with that announcement we are here to-day to take formal possession of the church and to begin the work of our spiritual ministrations in the parish. We have been called here by your Bishop, not for the purpose of remedying any defect in the administration of previous pastors, for no defect has ever been attributed to them, except perhaps an excessive zeal which sapped the foundation of their health and brought at least two of them to prema- ture graves. But if this be a fault, surely it is a noble one in a priest. How can the change be construed into a reflection on the temporary government of your late acting pastor, for all the evidence goes to prove that he worthily emulated the energy and zeal of his predecessors and discharged the delicate functions of his vicariate with rare tact and prudence. Far be it from us to utter any words on this occasion other than those of commendation of the zealous and worthy men who have gone before us. On the con- trary, the very first duty that we would inculcate among you is that of constantly and gratefully remembering the arduous labors of those devoted priests.
"No, my friends, the presence of a religious order in New Haven is not due to any such narrow-minded views as those to which I have referred. The counsels that called us to this diocese and to this parish were cast in a larger mould. Catching his inspiration from the encyclicals of the Sovereign Pontiff himself, your chief pastor has concluded that it would be to the interest of religion in his diocese to secure the co-operation of another religious order, whose members would hold themselves ever in readiness to assist him and his devoted clergy in the great work of caring for the souls committed to his charge, and in making his choice amongst the different religious organizations, I hope I may be pardoned the seeming egotisin in asserting that he chose wisely in selecting that grand old order, whose record during six centuries of the church's history has gained for itself the proud distinction, the glorious title of ' The Order of Truth,' upon whose teach- ings the greatest of modern popes relies to bring back the world from the mazes of extrav- agance and error to the pure, simple, yet sublime, precepts of the Gospel. Whether for weal or woe, however, the choice has been made, and though there may be some who might doubt as to whether your Bishop has chosen wisely, there is not, in the diocese of Hartford, an individual, knowing the man, who would dare assert that he has not chosen conscientiously. And though we are comparative strangers to you here in New Haven, we are well known in other portions of the diocese. During the last two decades our Fathers have been called by various pastors to assist them in their labors by giving mis- sions amongst their people, and I am vain enough to believe that our position amongst you to-day is in some measure at least an acknowledgment and a recognition of the work that we have done.
" Your Bishop has been frank enough to declare that lie expects 'great results ' from this new foundation of the Dominican Fathers in his diocese. Henceforward it will be our highest aim and our chief ambition to bring those hopes of our common Father to their fullest and inaturest realization. But to succeed in this we need tlic co-operation of the people ; and in assuming the burden to-day-for we do not conceal from ourselves the fact that it is a burden wlose weight is charged with having borne two of your pastors to untimely graves-in assuming this burden we are sustained by the glowing reports which come to us from every quarter of the admirable disposition and spirit of the people of this parish."
When the Dominican Fathers assumed charge of St. Mary's parish in May, 1886, the indebtedness was over $150,000; on January 1, 1888, it was
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
$130,000 ; on January 1, 1889, it had been reduced to $120,000. In 1889 the old Church street property was sold for $55,000, which, being applied to the debt, reduced it to $65,000. After thirteen years of arduous and self-sacri- ficing labor the indebtedness has been reduced to $21,000. In the mean- time, the chapel property has been acquired at an outlay of $12,500, and is free from debt.
The population of St. Mary's parish is about 5,000 souls, chiefly Irish and their descendants. The priests who serve the parish are Very Rev. Hugh F. Lilly, O.P., P.G., Vicar; Revs. J. C. Gilroy, O.P., T. H. Justin, O.P., L. J. Lockingen, O.P., M. A. McClellan, O.P.
ST. PATRICK'S PARISH, NEW HAVEN.
T. PATRICK'S parish is a portion of the original mission established in New Haven by the Rev. James McDermot in 1832. The for- mation of St. Patrick's parish was the earliest division of St. Mary's, the eldest of the New Haven parishes. In 1851, the Rev. E. J. O'Brien, pastor of St. Mary's, in anticipation of the approaching needs of the lower part of the city, purchased the site upon which stand the present church, parochial residence and schools. The land having been secured, Bishop O'Reilly appointed the Rev. John Sheridan an assistant to Father O'Brien, but with the commission also to build the new church. The work on the church progressed rapidly, and the corner-stone was laid on August 31, 1851. A contemporary thus wrote of this interesting event :
"NEW HAVEN, September 1, 1851.
"Yesterday was a day long to be held in grateful remembrance by the Catholics of this city. The imposing ceremony of laying the corner-stone of a new church was per- formed according to the ancient usage and solemn rites of the church of God. At three o'clock in the afternoon, a large procession was formed at St. Mary's church, Church street, headed by a cross-bearer and numerous acolytes, bearing lighted tapers, followed by the children of the female and male schools, the Rev. clergy of the city, the choir of St. Mary's, members of the Hibernian and Montgomery Societies, and the Catholic population generally. It proceeded through several streets to the site of the edifice about to be erected, where was performed, by the Right Rev. Dr. O'Reilly, assisted by the clergy, the sacred rite of blessing the foundation and laying the corner-stone, in which were deposited several American coins of recent date, and a manuscript in Latin, of which the following is a literal translation :
"' In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ-Amen.
"'In the year of our Lord 1851, the thirty first day of August, the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, in the seventh year of the Pontificate of our Holy Father Pius the Ninth, in the first year of the Episcopacy of Bernard O'Reilly, Bishop of Hartford, in the seventy- sixth year of the Independence of the United States, Millard Fillmore being President of the United States, Thomas H. Seymour being Governor of the State of Connecticut, Aaron N. Skinner being Mayor of this city, (New Haven) ; this, the first stone of this new temple, was laid in honor of God, under the invocation of St. Patrick, by the afore- said Bishop of Hartford, James Fitton, Edward J. O'Brien, Bernard Tevin, John Sheridan, assisting priests-the members of the Hibernian and Montgomery Societies, besides a great concourse of Catholic people and others, being present .- Sidney M. Stone, of this city, architect.'
REV. JOHN D. COYLE.
REV. MICHAEL J. DALY.
REV. JOHN RUSSELL, P.R.
REV. JEREMIAH CURTIN.
REV. WILLIAM J. DULLARD.
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
"The ceremonies being over, the bishop and priests ascended the platform, and taking for his text the passage of Scripture embraced in the 10th to the 22nd verses of the 28th chapter of Genesis, the bishop preached a most eloquent and impressive dis- course. He observed that the passage he had read was the record of the first dedication of a place for the worship of Almighty God. He traced the historical records of the blessing of places and things to be used in divine worship as contained in Holy Writ ; it has been observed in the Christian church by sacred rite since the first dawn of freedom, in the same manner and form as his audience had witnessed on the present occasion. He explained the doctrine which will be preached and maintained in the temple about to be built. The religion which there will be taught, will be the religion which received its commission from the Son of God. The religion which alone of all others has converted and civilized the world with no other weapons but those of its Divine Master, Truth and Faith.
"But it would be impossible to give even a synopsis of his masterly discourse with anything like justice to the Right Rev. Prelate. It occupied about three-quarters of an hour in delivery, and was listened to with the greatest attention by the vast audience, which was estimated by good judges as near seven thousand persons.
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