A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 126

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188

USA > New York > A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 126

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On October 30, 1853, old St. Patrick's Cathedral was thronged to witness a ceremony

that was very unusual in those days. Three worthy laborers in the vineyard of the Lord were to be elevated to the episcopate. They were Very Rev. John Loughlin, Vicar General of New York, for the new Diocese of Brook- lyn; Very Rev. Louis de Goesbriand, Vicar General of the Diocese of Cleveland, for the new Diocese of Burlington, Vt., and the Rev. James Roosevelt Bayley, Secretary to Arch- bishop Hughes, for the new See of Newark, N. J. Bishop Bayley was promoted to the Archiepiscopal See of Baltimore in 1872 and died in 1877. Bishop de Groesbriand had been a missionary and co-laborer of Bishop Rappe, in Ohio, and on the elevation of the latter to the See of Cleveland became his Vicar General and was laboring in that capacity when the Bulls came making him Bishop of Burlington. He died full of years and good works on November 3, 1899. The Consecrator of these Bishops was the Most Rev. (afterwards Card- inal) Cajetan Bedini, Papal Nuncio to the Brazils, and, at that time, on a special mission to the United States. The consecration ser- mon was preached by Archbishop Hughes. It was a sermon to be remembered, and it made a deep impression upon the Catholics of Brook- lyn, who rejoiced that they had now a Bishop of their own.

Bishop Loughlin lost no time in entering upon his new field of labor, and on November 9 his installation took place in old St. James', which he selected for his future Cathedral It would be difficult to describe the joy that filled the hearts of his flock as they prepared to meet their future Shepherd.

The ceremonies over, the Bishop lost no time in familiarizing himself with the needs of his diocese and his unusual capacity for man- aging affairs soon showed him the means for reaching those needs. It is interesting to note that among the first churches the new Bishop blessed in his diocese was St. Patrick's Church, which he worked so hard to complete. He at once began the work which before long gained for him the name of "the great church builder

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of America." He had a quickness in compre- hending the necessary growth of his episcopal city, and his promptness for recognizing and securing eligible sites for new churches is something remarkable. We have seen how poor the church in Brooklyn was when he became its Bishop, yet, on the occasion of the celebration of his golden jubilee, in 1890, he had acquired church property to the amount of $6,000,000. In the course of thirty-seven years he had built 120 churches and chapels, 93 par- ish schools, two colleges, nineteen select schools and academies, five hospitals, two homes for the aged, one home for newsboys, and lastly, as the crowning of them all, a mag- nificent seminary for the education of the priests of the Diocese.

Church of the Immaculate Conception .- His first official act as Bishop-elect may be said to have been the laying of the corner- stone of the church of the Immaculate Con- ception, at the corner of Maujer and Leonard Streets, on August 1, 1853. This church was commenced by the Rev. Peter McLoughlin, but his pastorate, like that of his successor, the Rev. Anthony Farrelly, lasted only one year. The church was a substantial brick building with stone foundation, and calculated to seat some 1,200 persons. Father Farrelly was succeeded by Rev. Andrew Bohan, who ministered to the wants of his people for more than ten years. Father Bohan became Pastor during the days of Know-Nothingism, and while he suffered affronts and insults from time to time his church was never attacked. Later on Father Bohan opened a parochial school in the basement of the church. During part of his pastorate Father Bohan was as- sisted by the Rev. John McKenna, who later on became the founder of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy. Father Bohan died in 1867. Rev. John Crimmins, who was Pastor from 1879 to 1883, made some improvements in the old church; and his successor, Rev. M. F. Murray, erected the present pastoral residence. The next Pastor was the Rev. James Taaffe,

brother of the Rev. Thomas Taaffe, of St. Patrick's Church. He took charge of the par- ish in 1888. Father James was born at Drom- ard, County Longford, Ireland, and completed his preparatory studies at Clongoes Ward Co !- lege, where he graduated in 1872. His ecclesi- astical studies were made in France, partly at the College of Ste. Marie, at Toulouse, and at the famous St. Sulpice, in Paris. He was ordained in 1878, and on his arrival in this country in 1879 was appointed as assistant at St. Patrick's. Here he labored with the zeal peculiar to his family, until his appointment as Pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, in 1887. Father Taaffe's first care was the erection of an academy, which was in due time placed in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who also teach in the parochial school. Father Taaffe also made a very ma- terial reduction in the church debt. His pas- torate here was not very long, as he was in a short time to succeed the Rt. Rev. P. J. Mc- Namara, as Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy. In less than a year afterwards, Father James Taaffe died of a cold contracted while in the discharge of his duties. The chief mourn- ers at his funeral were those who knew him best-the poor of the parish. He was suc- ceeded at the Church of the Immaculate Con- ception by the Rev. James F. Crowley, who on Sunday, December 29, 1901, burned the last mortgage (of $40,000) against the church, and now rejoices in a church free from debt.

St. Boniface's .- In the same year, 1853, St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Bridge Street, near Willoughby Street, was purchased by a new German Congregation and dedicated un- der the invocation of St. Bonifacius, on Jan. 29, 1854. Father Raffeiner, of Holy Trinity, who was at that time Vicar General for the Germans, saw the necessity for a new German parish, and, with the approbation of Bishop Loughlin, encouraged the work. The congre- gation was at once formed, and through the kindness of Father Schneller the basement of St. Paul's was placed at their disposal until

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the new church was ready for occupation. The new church property was purchased for $4,500, by a board of trustees, of which Mr. F. J. Glatzmayer was the leading spirit. The dedi- cation was performed by Bishop Loughlin, and his sermon on this occasion was pro- nounced by the local papers as "of great power and deep reflection." The first Pastor was the Rev. Moritz Ramsauer. The congregation numbered about 200, and the children of the new parish were cared for in a school opened in the basement and taught by a lay teacher. It numbered fifty pupils. Father Ramsauer was succeeded by Father Bonaventura Keller, a Franciscan, but, his health failing, he re- signed and joined the brethren of his order in Wisconsin. He was succeeded, in 1858, by Rev. Joseph Brunnemann, whose pastorate was very short. He in turn was succeeded by Rev. John G. Hummel, O. S. B., who admin- istered to the affairs of the parish for five years.

In 1865 Rev. Michael J. Decker became Pastor of St. Bonifacius'. Born in Germany Father Decker came to America at a very early age. In time he became a teacher in the school connected with the Church of the Holy Trin- ity, and later on entered the theological semi- ary and was finally ordained by Bishop Lough- lin. He was stationed for a time at St. James' pro-Cathedral. Father Decker was a man of business and was not long in seeing that the growth of his congregation made it necessary to build a new church. In 1867 he was able to purchase two lots on Duffield Street, be- tween Willoughby and Myrtle Avenues. It is a pity that he was not able to see the realiza- tion of his hopes. His health broke down and lie was obliged to seek a more congenial cli- mate. He was, however, successful in secur- ing the services of the Dominican Sisters to take charge of his parochial school. In 1868 Father W. Oberschneider took charge of the parish, but at the end of a year he went to St. Michael's Church, East New York, and Father F. Biffi became pastor of St. Boniface's. As

his name indicates, Father Biffi was of Italian extraction, but had been educated in one of the German cantons of Switzerland, and of course spoke German. During his short pas- torate the work on the new church had been going on steadily, and the corner-stone was laid by Bishop Loughlin. Father Biffi soon went to Ohio, and was succeeded at St. Boni- facius' by the Rev. P. De Berge. This zealous priest came to Brooklyn with a reputation as a church builder, from Wisconsin. He com- pleted the new church and had it dedicated in 1872. Father De Berge soon after purchased additional property for a convent and school for the Sisters of St. Dominic. After a suc- cessful pastorate of four years, Father De- Berge (in 1875) returned to his native land, and after a short sojourn there came back to America and again sought the scenes of his early labors in Wisconsin and died, near Mil- waukee. Father F. Schwarz attended to the parish for nearly a year, when he was assigned to other duties in the Diocese, and in 1877 Father J. B. Willman became Pastor. He soon tore down the old frame buildings on Willoughby Street and replaced them with substantial brick houses. One of these became the pastoral residence and the other is a school- house, on the upper floor of which is a large hall suitable for lectures, meetings and enter- tainments. The present Pastor ( 1901) is the Rev. George Feser.

Church of the Visitation .- The Church of the Visitation, on Verona Street, was founded in1 1854, by the Rev. Timothy O'Farrell. It was a brick building of modest proportions and was replaced in 1880 by a very fine struc- ture of blue-stone, seventy-five feet by ninety feet. This splendid church was finished dur- ing the pastorate of the Rev. John M. Kieley, and was dedicated in March, 1880, by Bishop Loughlin. Solemn Pontifical Mass was then celebrated by Bishop Corrigan, of Newark (now Archbishop of New York), and the ser- mon was preached by the Rt. Rev. J. F. Stran- ahan, D. D., Bishop of Harrisburg.

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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

St. Anthony's Parish, Greenpoint, now Seventeenth Ward, Brooklyn, has an interest- ing history. Its foundation goes back to the early years of Bishop Loughlin's episcopate. The first Mass in this section was celebrated in 1853 at the house of a Mr. Rider. Prior to this the Catholics of Greenpoint were at- tended by Rev. Sylvester Malone, of the Church SS. Peter and Paul, Williamsburg. In 1855 the Rev. Joseph Brunnemann, O. S. F., said Mass in a hall at the corner of Frank- lin and Eagle Streets. Father Brunnemann was a native of Bavaria, and after his arrival in America labored for a time at Newark, Ohio. Later on he came to Brooklyn, and, having been accepted by Bishop Loughlin, was sent to take charge of the new church at Winfield, N. Y. From here he attended Greenpoint and said Mass at such places as were then available, one of which was a hall at the corner of Union Street (now Manhattan Avenue) and India Street. In 1856 Father Brunnemann purchased two lots on India Street, and on Dec. 21, of that year, Bishop Loughlin laid the corner-stone of a new church which was thenceforth to be known as the Church of St. Anthony of Padua. The church was dedicated in 1858. For sixteen years the Catholics of Greenpoint worshipped in this church, but it had now become too small to accommodate the rapidly growing congrega- tion started by good Father Brunnemann while he was pastor of Winfield.

In 1858, the year of the dedication of the church, Bishop Loughlin sent Rev. John Brady to take charge of the parish. Father Brady was a man of energy; he had done service as Pastor of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Hartford, Conn .; and, after being adopted into the Diocese of Brooklyn, labored at the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, under the Rev. Sylvester Malone. His first care was given to the education of the children of the parish, and before the year was out he had established a parochial school of some five hundred children. In the fall of 1859 a pas-

toral residence was purchased on Manhattan Avenue (or Union Avenue, as it was then called), not far from India Street. Here Father Brady resided until the day of his death, which occurred on March 4, 1872. He was succeeded by Rev. William Lane.

Bishop Loughlin, who seemed to have an eye on every lot in his diocese that was suit- able for church purposes, seeing the growth of the Seventeenth Ward, purchased from Sam- uel J. Tilden a piece of ground on the east side of Manhattan Avenue, at the head of Mil- ton Street. Here was to be built a group of buildings, church, school and pastoral resi- dence, and an additional piece of ground was purchased from Mr. Edward Crawford. This gave the church property the full depth of the block extending from Manhattan Avenue to Leonard Street. In the meantime Father Brady had gone to his reward, and Father Lane took up the work. The corner-stone of a beautiful new church, a model of Gothic architecture 164 feet by 72 feet, was laid on August 24, 1873, and by March 8, 1874, the work on the new St. Anthony's had so far progressed that Bishop Loughlin had the hap- piness of celebrating the first Mass said within its walls, in the basement. On June 13, fol- lowing, the feast of St. Anthony, the new church was dedicated, and to-day its graceful spire, the cross on which is 240 feet from the street below, may be seen even from the great metropolis across the river. In October fol- lowing Father Lane moved into the new pa- rochial residence adjoining the church.

Father Lane's pastorate was not without trials. He took the parish with a debt of $10, -. 000. The ground that he inherited from his predecessor had cost $23,000, and only $10,000 had been paid upon it. Then it became neces- sary to add more ground to the property, and the purchase had to be effected at the time, if it was to be made at all, and it was necessary that it should be made. Thus Father Lane found himself confronted with a debt of $32,- 000 for ground alone. The church was now

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commenced, but hardly had the contracts been given out when a commercial panic came upon Greenpoint. Oil works, sugar refineries and factories of various kinds were obliged to "shut down," and employees were placed on half time. Father Lane saw himself in sore straits. His church was half built; to stop would injure what had been done, if not de- stroy it altogether; to go meant additional burdens upon his people and renewed heart- aches and responsibilities upon himself. Young and vigorous and full of hope, he looked for- ward to more prosperous times in the near fu- ture, and he decided to complete the work. But church building, at best, is not a thing of joy. Father Lane struggled on heroically for six years, then, broken down in health and spirits, he applied to his Bishop for a removal,and was transferred to the Church of the Visitation. During his trials he did not forget the educa- tion of the children, and in September, 1875, he succeeded in obtaining four Sisters of St. Joseph to take charge of the school which, up to that time, had been conducted by lay teach- ers. These good Sisters were first domiciled in a small frame house on Manhattan avenue, and their school was the original St. Anthony's Church on India street.

Father Lane's successor was the Rev. Michael J. Murphy, who was transferred from the pastorate of the Church of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, at Far Rockaway, L. I., on October 1, 1879. Father Murphy was not in the most robust health when he assumed the pastorate of St. Anthony's. Financial difficulties stared him in the face; added to this was the work of busybodies who always know more than anyone else and whose loose tongues are al- ways ready to make trouble. Misunderstand- ings, and wrong notions as to what was really being done to put the parish on a solvent basis, created distrust, and distrust tightens purse- strings. Father Murphy was greatly beloved by his people, the better element of whom helped him even beyond their means. But the good Pastor's health was failing, and finding 52

that the work in hand was beyond his strength he resigned his parish on January 27, 1883. Father Murphy's first assistant was the Rev. John Loughran, D. D. ; and, as the Bishop was not disposed to appoint a new Pastor for St. Anthony's, Dr. Loughran took charge and ad- ministered to the wants of the people until July 22, 1884, when the Bishop sent one of his own household, the Rev. Patrick F. O'Hare, to lift St. Anthony's out of its difficulties.

Rev. Patrick Francis O'Hare was born near Newry, County Down, Ireland, February 17, 1848. He was brought to this country . when only four years of age, his parents set- tling near old St. James', Brooklyn, and later on moving to New York. His early studies were made under the Christian Brothers in New York, and for one year in Ireland. In September, 1862, he entered St. Francis Xavier's College, in New York, from which he graduated with honor in 1868, and was accept- ed by Bishop Loughlin for service in the Dio- cese of Brooklyn. He immediately repaired to St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, to pursue his ecclesiastical studies under the Sulpitian Fa- thers. On March 19, 1872, he was ordained to the priesthood in old St. James' Cathedral by Bishop Loughlin. He said his first Mass and preached his first sermon at St. James' Church, New York City, at the invitation of his old friend, the Rev. Felix Farrelly. Bishop Loughlin formed a strong attachment for the young priest,-an attachment which lasted until the end of his life,-and he at once made- him a member of his own household. Father O'Hare remained at old St. James', Jay street, for seven years. While here he attended the- Catholic sailors and marines at the Navy Yard, for whom he said Mass Sunday after Sunday.

After the death of the Very Rev. J. F. Tur- ner, and the transfer of the Rev. John M. Kiely to the Church of the Visitation, Father O'Hare became the senior assistant at the Cathedral, and thus came in more direct con- tact with the people than formerly. He soon gained the confidence of the parishioners, and

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friendships were formed which terminated only in death. Bishop Loughlin rejoiced in the prudent and judicious career of his pro- tege, and when the new Cathedral chapel, at the corner of Clermont and Greene avenues, was opened, on July 12, 1879, Father O'Hare was appointed its Rector. He immediately set to work organizing the new parish. He insti- tuted societies for various purposes, put a suit- able organ in the chapel, inaugurated a move- ment to establish a Purgatorial Society for the priests of the diocese, arranged for the plac- ing of new and beautiful stained-glass win- dows in the Cathedral chapel, and was largely instrumental in starting the movement for the erection of the present episcopal residence.

On July 22, 1884, Father O'Hare, by order of his Bishop, severed his relations with St. John's Chapel and went to St. Anthony's Church, Greenpoint. His new post was not one to be envied, but he has made it so to-day, by his tact, perseverance and devotion. He found St. Anthony's overwhelmed with debt and almost under the Sheriff's hammer. He rescued it and made it one of the most prom- inent parishes in the diocese. One of his first cares after redeeming the church from its fin- ancial difficulties was the education of the chil- dren of the parish. The parish school had been held for some time in the old church on India street. Father O'Hare at once replaced it by a suitable two-story building capable of accom- modating 700 pupils. But this was only a tem- porary arrangement, for he already contem- plated the erection of a building capable of meeting the growing needs of his people. The church edifice was sorely in need of renova- tion, but the means for doing it were hard to get, especially after the many calls made upon the poor people and their generous response. But the good Pastor was not discouraged, and God sent him a way out of his trouble in the person of Mr. John Good, one of his former parishioners at St. John's Chapel. He offered to meet all the expenses of the renovation of the church and of a suitable organ for so fine a building. On Sunday, Jan. 24, 1885, the

renovated church was opened, and the people of St. Anthony's rejoiced in the good work in which they had taken a most. creditable part. Bishop Loughlin, Bishop J. F. Shanahan, of Harrisburg, and a large number of the Brook- lyn clergy took part in the ceremonies. In April, 1885, Father O'Hare purchased five lots adjoining the church property, and in these, in time, he erected a spacious parish hall, which later on gave place to a magnificent school building with a frontage of one hundred and fifty feet on Leonard street, and costing over $60,000, exclusive of the ground.

Father O'Hare is a man of strong convic- tions, as evinced in his war upon the illicit liquor traffic, upon intemperance and upon the violation of the Sabbath day. His temperance society is one of the largest in the diocese, and his Holy Name Society one of the most exem- plary. He has also found time to do good work in the field of controversy and of literature.

We cannot follow Father O'Hare's work at St. Anthony's in all its details. Suffice it to say that when he took charge of the parish in 1884 he had to face a debt of $140,000. He not only reduced this debt to less than $50,000, but he has increased the valuation of his property to $350,000. He has built a new parochial resi- dence, giving the old one to the Sisters of St. Joseph for an academy. He has more than once renovated the church, introduced magnif- icent stained-glass windows, erected costly marble altars, provided a chime of bells of great power and sweetness of tone, organized societies to meet every necessity of his people and tending to their spiritual and temporal welfare.

In March, 1897, Father O'Hare celebrated the twenty-sixth anniversary of his ordina- tion. The occasion was, to his devoted people, one of great rejoicing. St. Anthony's stands out to-day as a lasting monument to the work of a devoted Pastor and to the generosity of a self-sacrificing flock. In June, 1901, he was honored with the degree of Doctor of Laws by Villanova College.

St. Peter's .- The corner-stone of St. Pe-

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ter's Church, Hicks and Warren Streets, was laid by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Loughlin on Sept. 4, 1859. The task of building this church was entrusted to Rev. Joseph Fransioli, then an as- sistant to Rev. Dr. Pise, at the church of St. Charles Borromeo. Father Fransioli was born in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, on November 30, 1817, and, after making his studies at two famous seminaries in Italy, was ordained, in 1840. He labored in Ticino for some time and afterwards became Director of the Government Normal School at Milan, where he did much to advance the cause of education. After a career of sixteen years of almost unbroken labor his health failed and he came to America and offered his services to Bishop Loughlin, who assigned him to the Church of St. Charles Borromeo, in December, 1856. He immediately set to work to master the English language, and such was his suc- cess in that direction that in three years (1859) he was entrusted with the formation of a new parish. The wisdom of the confidence placed in him by the Bishop is manifested today in the beautiful church, the flourishing schools with some 2,000 children, the kindergarten, the parish library, the splendid hospital, the pub- lic hall and the endless societies for old and young, for males and females, with which Father Fransioli's energy and foresight have adorned the parish.

After a pastorate of nearly a third of a cen- tury, during which he gained golden opinions from all who knew him, whether Catholics or Protestants, Father Fransioli passed to his eternal reward, in October, 1890, while the Catholics of Brooklyn were celebrating the golden jubilee of their honored Bishop. A grateful and loving congregation erected a magnificent monument to his memory, but his greatest monument will ever be the grand in- stitutions he erected for the honor and glory of God, for the education of youth, and for the alleviation of human misery.

St. Ann's .- Hardly had St. Peter's been erected in South Brooklyn when it became

necessary to erect another church in the vicin- ity of old St. James'. On August 20, 1860, the Rev. Bartholomew Gleeson broke ground for the erection of St. Ann's church, at the corner of Front and Gold Streets. This ground was not obtained without some little trouble. The owner had decided objections to selling his property for the erection of a Cath- olic church, even when offered a good price for it. Other ground was available, but the Bishop had set his heart upon having this corner. The services of Mr. Henry Breslin, a business man of the neighborhood, was en- gaged to obtain the property, which he did, purchasing it at a very low figure, and at once conveyed it to the Bishop. The first Mass was celebrated in St. Anne's on Christmas day, 1860, but the dedication of the church did not take place until Sept. 8, 1861. St. Anne's is a brick building 130 feet by 60 feet, surmounted by a tower 135 feet high, and has a seating capacity of 1,100. In November, 1869, a parochial school was opened in the basement. In 1871 it became necessary io erect a separate school building, which was formally opened in September, 1872. This building will accommodate 1,000 pupils. The female department was placed in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and the male de- partment was entrusted to the Franciscan Brothers. Father Gleeson resigned in 1875 and was succeeded by Rev. J. J. McMeel, whose kindness and genial disposition is still held in greateful remembrance. He was as- sisted by Father James J. Durick, a gentle- man who not only proved a valuable assistant to his pastor, but who took a great interest in the young men of the parish. On the death of Father McMeel, Father Durick succeeded io the pastorate of St. Anne's.

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A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 126

Author: Ross, Peter. cn Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1188

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188