USA > New Jersey > The Catholic Church in New Jersey > Part 50
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God alone knows, and He alone can adequately reward, the privations, the trials, the sufferings which the few scattered Cath- olics heroically sustained during the period which elapsed from the day of their coming to New Jersey in the reign of James the Second, until the advent of their first resident bishop. When he arrived among them, the prospect which greeted him was not en- couraging. "He found," says the late Archbishop Corrigan, "a diocese with twenty-five priests and as many churches, but unpro- vided with a single house of learning, with no religious orders, and no charitable institutions except a small frame building rented as a temporary orphan asylum under the care of five Sisters of Charity. The field was large and inviting, but not only was the harvest not ripe, the seeds were hardly yet planted. Situated be- tween two great cities, the new bishopric received the surplus of an overflowing tide of immigration, rich indeed in prospective blessings, like the inundations of the Nile, but bringing also mul- titudinous wants demanding instant attention. To meet and direct the rising flood it was necessary to multiply the number of devoted laborers and to introduce religious orders as auxiliaries, so that churches, schools, hospitals, asylums might everywhere be erected."
At that time Catholics were not only destitute of worldly means, they were a despised race, often contemned by their neigh- bors and persecuted by fanatical bigots. But they were of ster- ling character, unimpeachable in morals, loyal to the faith of their fathers, and anxious to cooperate by every means in their power with their new chief pastor in promoting the interests of their holy religion, for which he and they were willing to suffer, or if need be to die.
It is scarcely necessary to inquire what results were accom- plished by those who sowed in tears that we might reap in joy. The answer is evident in the glorious record of fifty years of apos- tolic zeal, of unswerving fidelity, of sublime devotion worthy of the earliest and most saintly adherents of the Christian faith. So astonishing was the growth of the Church in this diocese that a single parish had to be divided eighteen times in as many years- thirty-six priests doing duty in a district where a few years previ- ously only three stood watch and guard over the interests of souls.
The territory in which Bishop Bayley and a mere handful of priests labored so zealously for the glory of God and the salvation of souls now comprises two large and flourishing dioceses. In fact, it is difficult to realize the almost incredible achievements of Bishops Bayley, Corrigan, and Wigger and of their faithful and devoted priests and people, the worthy successors of the heroic confessors of the faith, whose spiritual needs were ministered to by Fathers Farmer, Beeston, Keating, Graesel, Malou, Bulger, Brennan, Conroy, Pardow, Donahue, and Herard. We can only marvel at the goodness of God who has blessed this portion of
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his vineyard so abundantly. The monuments of their piety and zeal may be seen in every section of the State, the churches, col- leges, schools, orphanages, hospitals, and other institutions of benevolence in which the divine virtue of charity blossoms and bears its life-giving fruit. The 25 churches of 1853 have so mul- tiplied that to-day there are in the Diocese of Newark 155 and in the Diocese of Trenton 114, a total of 269 in the State. The number of priests has increased from 25 to 387. In the two dio- ceses there are now 150 parochial schools, with an attendance of nearly 50,000 children. The religious orders, too, with their ven- erable traditions, have flourished and prospered among us, keeping pace with our development, and sharing in its rewards and bless- ings. To mention one instance, the little community of five Sis- ters of Charity, who came to this diocese from New York fifty years ago, has grown like the mustard seed until at present with nearly 900 members it spreads its benign branches not only over the dioceses of Newark and Trenton, but far away to the land of the Pilgrim Fathers in the dioceses of Boston and Hartford. The Benedictines, the Passionists, the Carmelites, the children of St. Dominic, St. Francis, St. Ignatius, and the various communi- ties of religious women are all arrayed in a compact and devoted phalanx consecrated to the spiritual and temporal welfare of hu- manity, and especially to the duty of training the minds and hearts of those of whom Christ said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
The first laborers in the vineyard who, with Bishop Bayley and his most efficient aid and counsellor, Bishop McQuaid, bore the burdens of the day and the heat, have in great numbers passed to their eternal reward. But while priests and people disappear from the earthly scene, the ever-living Church survives in undimin- ished vigor. There are at present in the Diocese of Newark alone 300,000 Catholics, of whom it can truthfully be said that nowhere in the world are they surpassed in loyalty and devotion to their faith, in the excellence of their charitable institutions, or in the thorough equipment of their schools and churches.
Needless to say, these facts are not recalled in a vain spirit of pride and boasting. God forbid! They are mentioned with a pro- found sense of our own unworthiness, but with deep and heartfelt sentiments of gratitude to God. They should be for us of the present generation an inspiration and incentive to continue with increased zeal and energy the good works of religion and charity so nobly begun by those who have gone before us. The results hitherto accomplished have provided for our essential needs. But there is one very important requisite of a well-organized diocese still in abeyance. To crown the magnificent edifice we have erected and to complete the task assigned us by divine Provi- dence, it is necessary for us to continue the work, inaugurated by my predecessor, of building a cathedral-a temple to the living God worthy of his divine presence, typical of the grandeur of our
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religion, a fitting embodiment of our united faith and zeal, and a centre from which the blessings of episcopal guidance and author- ity may radiate to every portion of the diocese.
From the very beginning of our history as a distinct diocese the thought of this urgent duty has been kept steadily in view. But its fulfilment has been deferred until recently, so that all other needs might first be supplied. When every parish had been am- ply provided for, in all that concerns its spiritual progress, Bishop Wigger concluded that the time had arrived when we could, with- out injury to any local interest, devote our energies to the realiza- tion of the grand diocesan idea so fondly cherished by Bishop Bayley and his successor in the See of Newark. Four years ago the work was begun. Nearly three hundred thousand dollars have already been contributed by priests and people, and the gen- erosity thus far manifested justifies the wisdom of the undertaking and proves our ability to carry it on to successful completion. The glory of God, the honor of the diocese, the welfare of religion, all demand that we make every effort to attain that end as speed- ily as possible. How can we celebrate more fittingly the golden jubilee of our diocese or furnish a more convincing proof of our gratitude to God for his innumerable blessings during the past fifty years than by an earnest endeavor to raise the funds still re- quired for the execution of a design so creditable to our faith, loyalty, and zeal ?
If all the Catholics in the diocese would contribute for this purpose in proportion to their means, the question of the necessary funds would be answered during the coming year. There are among us many devoted children of the Church who have been endowed with an abundance of worldly means, and it is to them more particularly we appeal to manifest their fidelity to the faith and traditions of their fathers by their generous subscriptions. The total amount required could be donated at once by the wealthy men of our diocese, without imposing on themselves an excessive burden or diminishing to an appreciable extent the sources of their income. From God's goodness they have received all they possess. Will they not for his honor and glory bestow upon his Church a portion of that abundance which they owe to him? If their fathers were so generous in spite of their scanty resources, what may we not expect from those who have accumu- lated wealth? They know well that their liberality will merit a bountiful reward. Whatever they give to God will be returned to them a hundredfold either in temporal or in spiritual blessings. In a few years at most they must relinquish the treasures of this world, for life is short and the approach of death inevitable. But the benefits of religion which they can foster and increase by a generous use of their wealth will continue from generation to gen- eration, and will build in immortal souls the noblest of all monu- ments to the memory of those who have employed their riches to promote the glory of God.
Were it possible for me to do so, I should visit personally dur-
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ing the coming year all those who can easily afford to contribute generously to the cathedral fund, and appeal to them to assume their proportionate share of this necessary expenditure. But as my manifold duties will not permit me to undertake this personal visitation, I have appointed a committee for the purpose, consisting of the Very Rev. Vicar-General, Father Sheppard, the Very Rev. Dean Flynn, and the Rev. Dr. Kelly. They have kindly con- sented to visit in my name all the prominent and more prosperous Catholics of the diocese, to appeal to their generosity and public spirit, and to afford them an opportunity of making an offering of thanksgiving to God for the blessings we have all received during the past fifty years. In their visitation of the respective parishes the members of the committee will be accompanied by the rev. pastor, and I trust that he will in every instance heartily cooper- ate with them and endeavor to secure the fullest measure of suc- cess for their efforts.
It is not my intention, however, to limit this diocesan offering to those who are wealthy. The great body of the people will also be invited to contribute to a special collection which will be taken up in all the churches of the diocese and of which due notice will be given hereafter. Thus all without exception will be expected to share in this pledge of our gratitude and this testimony of our faith. Never before has the whole diocese been called upon to exert all its energy in a general movement of this kind. But in union there is strength, and with cordial good will on the part of all, both priests and people, there can be no doubt of a happy result.
This is one of the methods, adopted after mature deliberation, which I have deemed most suitable for the proper celebration of the golden jubilee of our diocese. Our whole history in the past affords me the assurance that this appeal will not be in vain. I am confident that the Catholics of the present day will prove themselves on this occasion worthy descendants of the heroic and self-sacrificing pioneers who in the face of almost insuperable ob- stacles preserved and handed down to us unimpaired the priceless heritage of our faith.
That our efforts may not be fruitless and that the celebration of our jubilee may be a source of increased graces and blessings to every Catholic in the diocese, I desire that all the faithful, rich and poor, young and old, shall make the coming year a season of special prayer and thanksgiving. To this end, I request all the pastors to assemble their people in their respective churches at least once every month during the year for the recitation of the Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; and to join with them after Mass every Sunday in reciting the prayer to St. Joseph for the temporal and spiritual welfare of the diocese. I would also suggest that from time to time during the year an ap- propriate sermon be preached recalling the most important events in the history and development of the Church in this State. By this means the present generation will be reminded of what their
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fathers willingly suffered for the faith; they will learn to appre- ciate more fully the blessings which they now enjoy; they will see more clearly that the secret of true religious progress and success in the future, as in the past, is to be found in fervent prayer, in devoted self-sacrifice, and in humble fidelity to the teachings and commands of the one true Church founded by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Wishing you every blessing, I am, Yours sincerely in Xto, JOHN J. O'CONNOR, Bishop of Newark.
The great structure, now rearing aloft its towers and clere- story on the commanding summit of Branch Brook Park, is un- doubtedly a great undertaking, but one to which the Catholics of the peerless Diocese of Newark are committed. Their numbers, their wealth, the wonderful growth and prosperity of the episcopal city, the thorough equipment of the diocese in churches, schools, convents, hospitals, orphanages, and homes-in a word, with every requisite for the spread and maintenance of religion-all demand that this one void shall be filled and that the diocese must have its cathedral. There is not wanting a cavilling spirit, which seeks to cloak its meanness in complaints regarding the location. These objections have always been raised, and time has proven their futility. A cathedral is not built for a day, for an age. It is built for all time. And who will dare predict the magnitude of Newark twenty-five and fifty years hence? It seems but yesterday that its population was but 20,000, that its Catholic churches numbered only four, that its northern boundary was the stone bridge and its southern Lincoln Park; that little evidence of dwellings was seen in the west beyond Roseville, and the gas-house beyond the rail- road was the last landmark on the east. There were then no Sunday trains, no horse-cars-the trolley was not even dreamed of. Newark was then a drowsy city, a suburb of New York, too listless to afford a decent hotel to the buyers of its wares. But how changed ! And how great and far-reaching will be the changes when the diocese will celebrate its centenary !
Following the circular of the bishop the committee sent out in advance of their projected visit the subjoined :
The enclosed circular of the Rt. Rev. J. J. O'Connor, D.D., Bishop of Newark, will fully explain the object of this note. Our task has been called stupendous, herculean, and we realize that it is not easy; but the kindness with which we have been received, and the opportunity afforded us to meet our co-religionists, not
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only abreast with the most successful of our business men, but in many instances leaders in their spheres of industry, has encouraged and cheered us, and, above all, has been for us a source of gratifi- cation.
We find, however, that to enable us to cover the field and carry out the purpose of our bishop within a reasonable limit of time- and to enable those upon whom it is our privilege to call to deter- mine just how generously they will respond to the appeal of their first pastor-it is imperative to advise them in advance of the time of our visit.
We beg then to inform you that we will have the honor of call- ing on you. and hope that you will be prepared to give substantial aid in a work which is to prove to the world the loyalty and gratitude of the Catholics of the Diocese of Newark.
The committee pursued their quest for nearly a year, and if their hopes were not fully realized, they were at least successful in bringing the leading Catholics of the diocese into line with the action of the bishop and convincing them of the necessity of cooperation in this great work in which the honor of the diocese was at stake.
As the day of the jubilee approached, Bishop O'Connor ad- dressed another circular, in which he appealed to the diocese in general to make a thanksgiving offering to be devoted to the cathedral fund. A prompt and generally generous response to this circular realized $34,645.71.
BISHOP'S HOUSE, 552 SOUTH ORANGE AVE., SOUTH ORANGE, N. J., Oct. Ist, 1903.
REV. DEAR SIR: In November of last year you received a let- ter, a copy of which is herewith enclosed, in regard to the celebra- tion of the golden jubilee of the diocese. As stated at that time, a committee, consisting of the Very Rev. Vicar-General, Father Sheppard, Very Rev. Dean Flynn, and Rev. Dr. Kelly, was ap- pointed to visit the more prosperous and wealthy Catholics of the respective parishes and request them to contribute generously to the fund for our new cathedral.
You will be pleased to learn that the efforts of the committee have been repaid with considerable success. The members of that committee are deserving of our heartfelt gratitude. To them and to all who responded to their appeal the whole diocese is deeply indebted. They have performed a service of permanent value, and in a spirit of genuine charity and self-sacrifice have materially diminished the weight of a heavy burden.
It is scarcely necessary to say, however, that we are far from having obtained the amount required to permit our proceeding at
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once to the completion of the cathedral. Yet the duty of press- ing forward in this work is the most imperative that at present demands our attention. To interrupt in its present stage an undertaking so important and already so far-advanced would be highly discreditable to the diocese and might involve serious injury to the partly finished edifice.
In view of these facts it has been deemed advisable to have re- course to a special collection for the cathedral fund as a means of overcoming our present difficulties. This collection will take place in every church of the diocese on the third Sunday of Octo- ber, and you are most earnestly requested to exert yourself to the utmost in persuading your parishioners to be more than usually generous in their offerings to this collection. If its object and importance be clearly explained to them, they will doubtless be willing to make an extraordinary effort for this purpose as a fitting recognition of our golden jubilee and as a timely response to a most urgent and pressing need.
The completion of the cathedral would be such a source of re- lief and of gratification to all of us, and such an honor to the entire diocese, that you will certainly make this appeal as forcible as words will permit. It would be a bitter disappointment if the re- sult of this collection should fail to be worthy of the occasion.
There is every reason to believe and expect that the sum real- ized in each church will at least be equal to that of a Christmas collection.
This expectation will be more than fulfilled if all the pastors will take effective measures in advance to secure the success of the collection. A mere announcement of the date on which the jubilee offering is to be made would of course doom it to certain failure. But if every pastor will devote himself to promoting its success, with the energy and earnestness employed on extraordi- nary occasions of parish needs, the results will beyond doubt be very gratifying. You will please therefore, at all the Masses on the two Sundays preceding the collection urge your people to make a supreme effort, reminding them that this is a jubilee offer- ing and the only one of the kind in the history of the diocese.
To each of the churches a number of envelopes will be sent, corresponding to the number of adults in the congregation as indi- cated in the annual financial statement. Kindly have these enve- lopes distributed to every household in your parish during the week preceding the collection. This can be easily accomplished through the children of the parochial school or the members of the sodali- ties-provided the parish be properly districted for the purpose.
As you are aware, the hopes entertained by the late Bishop Wigger of obtaining for the cathedral fund $ 100,000 every year by assessments and other similar means have proved futile. Six years have elapsed and only $332,000 have been received; and of this amount more than one-fourth has been subscribed by the priests of the diocese from their own personal income. When the clergy have so liberally borne their portion of the burden, it is
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surely not unreasonable to expect that every adult among the laity will give at least one dollar to this collection. Doubtless the majority of the faithful will be far more generous, contributing on so noteworthy an occasion in proportion to the means with which God has blessed them.
It is true that every parish has its own needs which require constant demands on the financial cooperation of the people. But you need not be reminded that the one object for which all of us -bishop, priests, and laity-are laboring is the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Whether our charitable donations be directed to the local parish church or to a diocesan institution such as the cathedral, our motive is the same and with equal reason we may anticipate an abundant reward. Precedence over other works of zeal and charity is this year requested for the build- ing of the cathedral, only because it is a heavier burden and a more urgent need. The clergy and laity of this diocese have never been appealed to in vain during previous years. May God grant that they will now prove themselves worthy of the high esteem which they have always merited in the past, when called upon to make a sacrifice of earthly possessions for the interests of religion. Needless to say, their warm-hearted response to this appeal will be deeply and gratefully appreciated by
Yours very sincerely in Xto, * JOHN J. O'CONNOR.
Tuesday, November 3d, 1903, the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival in the diocese of its first bishop, the Rt. Rev. James Roose- velt Bayley, D.D., was celebrated in St. Patrick's pro-Cathedral, Newark, in the presence of his Excellency, the Most Rev. Dio- mede Falconio, Apostolic Delegate, the Most Rev. Archbishop Farley of New York, Bishop McQuaid of Rochester, Bishop McDonnell of Brooklyn, and Bishop McFaul of Trenton. More than three hundred priests, from the dioceses of Newark, Tren- ton, and New York, were present. The Mass was celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop O'Connor, with Monsignor Stafford as assist- ant priest, the Rev. Francis O'Neill deacon, the Rev. Isaac P. Whelan sub-deacon, and the Rev. Thomas A. Wallace master of ceremonies.
The sermon was preached by the venerable Bishop of Roches- ter, the only survivor of all the clergymen who took part in the installation of Bishop Bayley fifty years before.
Bishop McQuaid was the third rector of St. Patrick's Cathe- dral. His topic was the early history of Catholicity in New Jer- sey, going back to colonial days, he spoke of missionary priests in the early part of the last century, the formation of New Jersey into a diocese, the obstacles bishops, priests, and people had to overcome before the diocese became strong.
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Though he is eighty years old he talked for an hour. He was as eloquent as of old, but unfortunately his voice did not reach to all parts of the church. He said :
At all times the Christian praises God for blessings, and every day and hour we should thank God for what he does for us. We should pray to him in sunlight and darkness, success and failure. But a day like this, when the memory is filled with pictures of the trials of our diocese and its final success, we have special cause for joy and praise and prayer for God's mercy.
He spoke of a Catholic priest working in New Jersey in the seventeenth century, and he then told of Catholics in the eigh- teenth century settling at the iron mines in the northern part of the State. Two German Jesuit priests, Schneider and Farmer, men of God, who made every sacrifice to save souls, visited the people in the forest cabins. There was no bishop in the United States except in Baltimore, and there were no priests but mission- aries, who tramped from cabin to cabin.
But after New York obtained a bishop a priest was put in charge of northern New Jersey. He first went to Paterson. Father Bulger also trudged up to Madison and other places where a few Catholic families had settled. He did it in the coldest win- ter weather. Bishop McQuaid went himself over the same route as a mission priest. In 1805 a priest from New York sailed regu- larly in a sloop to Elizabethport, and then trudged up to Morris- town, Madison, and the mines to minister to souls.
Bishop McQuaid described the work of Father Powers and the Rev. Gregory B. Pardow in Newark more than a decade after 1820, and how Catholic immigrants began to settle in Elizabeth, Belleville, and other places. But as late as 1847 there were less than a dozen priests resident in New Jersey. Paterson had the first church, and Newark the first resident pastor.
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