The Catholic bulletin. [volume], May 30, 1914, Image 15

About The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
Need for Orphanage.
As the city grew new problems
arose. Need for a Catholic orphanage
began to be felt. There was no place
in Minneapolis where dependent chil
dren could be cared for. In 1876 it
was decided that Minneapolis should
take care of the orphan boys of the
diocese and, accordingly, on January
27 of that year, they were sent to the
old Winslow Hotel, where they were
taken care of. The congregation of
the Immaculate Conception, both men
and women, took keen interest in the
unfortunate children who had no
parents to watch over them.
Thanks to the zeal of Father Mo
Golrick, who was young and ener
getic, the parish thrived with the pass
ing years. During the year 1878 the
Catholic Benevolent Society and the
St. Vincent de Paul Society were or
ganized. These societies brought the
people together and strengthened the
bonds of the parish by uniting all in a
common work.
The obligation of educating the
young was one which was never over
looked by those in charge of the
Church of the Immaculate Conception.
They realized that on the schooling of
the young depends the welfare of the
church of the future. Thus it was
that in 1882 there arose a new educa
tional institution in the parish—Holy
Angels Academy, which also served as
a residence for the Sisters teaching in
the parish school. It was placed in
charge of Mother St. John.
Three years later, 1885, the problem
of taking care of the orphan boys of
the diocese was permanently solved
when it was decided to build an or
phan asylum costing $30,000. Mr. La
velle was chosen as architect and
when the building was completed
Mother Xavier was placed in charge
and under her management the insti
tution prospered.
Father McGolrick Made Bishop.
The time had now arrived when
the first pastor of the Church of the
Immaculate Conception was to be call
ed to another field of labor. St. Paul
had been made an Archdiocese on May
4, 1888, with the Most Reverend John
Ireland as its first Archbishop. Ever
solicitous for the welfare of the Cath
olics under his spiritual jurisdiction,
he saw the need for another diocese
in the northern part of the state. Ac
cordingly, the Diocese of Duluth was
established on October 3, 1889, and
Father McGolrick was called to pre
side over it. He was consecrated on
December 27, 1889. Thus, after twen
ty-two years of devoted service in
which he endeared himself to every
member of his parish, the first pastor
of the Church of the Immaculate Con
ception was transferred to a new field
where he would have wider scope for
the exercise of his ability.
The departure of Father McGolrick
marks the close of the first epoch in
the history of the Church of the Im
maculate Conception—the second
church to be established in Minne
apolis. Too much credit cannot be
given to the pioneer Catholics, many
of whom passed to their reward long
ago. It was their devotion that laid
the foundation for the present pros
perous condition of the Catholic
Church in Minneapolis and at the same
time had much to do with the success
and progress of the municipality.
There are names closely associated
with the early history of the Immacu
late Conception parish that cannot be
overlooked in any history of Minne
apolis. Anthony Kelly, Angus Mc
Dougall, Thomas GafEney, Daniel Sulli
van, P. N. Tobin, Terence Connolly,
Thomas Gavin, M. W. Nash, Thomas
Quinn, Henry Prendergast, Timothy
Corbett, Roger Vail and a host of
others were a credit to the community
in the development of which they
played an important part.
Only one who was full of zeal and
enthusiasm for his work, coupled with
energy and executive ability of no
mean order could build up a struggling
parish as Father McGolrick built up
the Immaculate Conception parish. He
gathered the young and old about him.
He trained them to partake of his
vision of the future Minneapolis and
to become better citizens of the com
munity. He was loved as only one
a massive, white granite structure, im
pressive and grand.
can be loved who makes the welfare
of others the work of his Ufa From
the Church of the Immaculate Concep­
tion he went to his new field with de
termination to do his duty as he had
done it in Minneapolis. The history of
the Diocese of Duluth is a further
testimony to his ability, self-sacrifice
and devotion.
Father Byrne Takes Charge.
Rev. James C. Byrne succeeded
Bishop McGolrick as the second resi
dent pastor of the Church of the Im
maculate Conception. Father Byrne
had received his early education In
the parish school. He had been raised
in an atmosphere of devotion and
piety. He had served as altar boy
for the the priest whom he now suc
ceeded. At an early age he showed
signs of a vocation to the priesthood
and was sent to Rome to pursue his
theological studies, and was ordained
in the Eternal City on February 18,
1883. On his return to Minnesota he
was appointed assistant to Father Mc
Golrick where he remained one year.
For the next six years he was secre
tary to the Most Reverend Archbishop
Ireland, and on the elevation of Father
McGolrick to the episcopate he was
appointed his successor.
Father Byrne's pastorate was brief.
He spent only two years in the Im
maculate Conception parish but dur-
ing that time he did a great deal to
ward removing the church debt.
From the Immaculate Conception,
Father Byrne was transferred to the
presidency of the College of St.
Thomas. He was succeeded by Rev
erend James J. Keane, now Arch
bishop of Dubuque, Iowa.
Father Keane Made Pastor.
Father Keane was born on August
26, 1857, at Joliet, Illinois, and edu
cated at St. John's University, Col
legeville, Minn. and at the Grand
Seminary, Montreal. He was or
dained to the priesthood in December,
1882, and was appointed assistant pas
tor of St. Mary's Church and later pas
tor of St. Joseph's Church, St. Paul.
He became president of the College of
St. Thomas in 1888 and held the posi
tion until 1892, when he was appointed
to the charge of the Immaculate Con
ception parish, where he remained for
ten years, or until his consecration as
third Bishop of the Diocese of Chey­
MOST REVEREND ARCHBISHOP KEANE
TFTTE CATHOLIC FITNXFITFN, MAY 30, I§I4. 5
enne, Wyo. His elevation to the
episcopacy took place in the old Cathe
dral, St. Paul, on October 28, 1902.
Nine years later, on August 11, 1911,
he was promoted to the Archieplscopal
See of Dubuque, which position he oc
cupies at present. Archbishop Keane
has not lost interest in the church
over which he presided in the early
days of his priesthood. Last Novem
ber when a course of lectures was giv
en in the new Pro-Cathedral on the
occasion of its civic dedication he was
one of the speakers.
There is a special reason why he
should be interested in the welfare
of the Immaculate Conception parish.
It was during his administration that
the idea of a new and larger church
on a different site had its inception,
and before his consecration as Bishop
of Cheyenne he selected and purchased
a site for the proposed church. It was
afterwards decided that the new loca
tion was unsuitable for church pur
poses and it was sold. Bishop Keane
was succeeded in the pastorate of the
Immaculate Conception Church by the
Rev. Thomas E. Cullen.
Father Cullen Appointed.
Father Cullen was born in Charlotte
town, Prince Edward Island, on Sep
temper 20. 1874. He completed his
mmm
••HI
Illali
iisliil
ecclesiastical studies at St. Paul Sem
inary and was ordained by Archbishop
Ireland on November 8, 1901.
Shortly after the departure of Bish
op Keane the Immaculate Conception
Church was declared a Pro-Cathedral
and Father Cullen was appointed rec
tor. About this time the project of
erecting a new church was begun.
On Christmas Day, 1903, Archbishop
Ireland attended the late Mass at the
Immaculate Conception Church and
announced the plan for the new edi
fice. The undertaking was large. It
meant a large expenditure of money.
But the need for a new church was
evident to every parishioner. The old
edifice, besides being old, was too
small to accommodate properly the
thousands who worshipped within its
walls.
Two years from that day Mr. Laur
oace S. Donaldson, a member of th»
congregation, presented the parish
with the site on which the Pro-Cathe
dral now stands. It cost $45,000. Soon
after it was announced that the Cath
olics of Hennepin county would not
be called upon to contribute to the
building of the new Cathedral of St.
Paul, but would be asked to contribute
toward the Pro-Cathedral building
fund instead. This plan was heartily
approved by all the churches and
thenceforth the work of raising funds
progressed rapidly. Assessments
were levied on the various parishes
according to their means and gradual
ly the funds came in. Ground for the
new structure was broken on August
7, 1907, and the cornerstone was laid
on May SI, 1908.
EVENT8 IN THE HISTORY OF
THE PARISH OF THE IM
MACULATE CONCEPTION.
1866, December 28—Rev. John
MeDermott, pastor of the Church
of St. Anthony, East Minneapolis,
bought two lots at the corner of
Third avenue and Third street
North, to be used for church prop
erty. They cost $800. Father
Tissot, who succeeded Father Me
Dermott, built the first parochial
school in the Immaculate Concop*
tion parish.
1867, August—Rev. James Mc
Golrick, ordained June 11, at All
Hallows College, Dublin, Ireland,
arrives In St. Paul.
1868, October—Father McGol
rick appointed to West Minneapo
lis, to form a parish and and con
tinue the work begun by Father
MeDermott and Father Tissot.
In a short time an extension It
built on the rear of the school
erected by Father Tissot, on the
property at Third avenue and
Third street North. This served
as the first Church of the Immacu
late Conception.
1871—The cornerstone of the
present Immaculate Conception
Church laid.
1872, December 8—First Maat
celebrated within the wails of the
new church.
1873, January 1—Dedication of
the new church. Rev. John lrt»
land preaches and blesses the
church. Father Tissot and Father
Venn present. Patrick Danehy
and James Byrne are altar boys.
1875—Total Abstinence Society
formed. Also a cadet society and
band. S
1878—Catholic Benevolent Soof
ety and St. Vincent de Paul Sod*
ety formed.
1882—Holy Angels' Academy
established with Mother St. John
in charge.
1885—Plans made for new
Boys' Orphan Asylum to cost $3JV
000, and be a home for orphans
first housed in the Winslow Hote^
and later in a building near th#
Immaculate Conception Church.
1886—Mother Xavier in charge
of the Boys' Orphanage.
1889, October 3—Diocese of Du
luth erected.
1889, December 27—Rev. James
McGolrick consecrated first Blstt*
op of Duluth. At same ceremony
Rev. John Shanley was conse
crated, Bishop of Jamestown ana
Rev. J. B. Cotter, Bishop of Wi
nona.
1890—Rev. James C. Byrne be
comes second pastor of Immacu
late Conception parish.
1892—Rev. J. J. Keane, now
Archbishop of Dubuque, made pas
tor.
1902—Father Keane consecrat
ed Bishop of Cheyenne, Wyo.
Rev. T. E. Cullen appointed pas
tor of the Immaculate Conception
Church.
1903, Christmas Day—Archbish
op Ireland outlines plans for the
new Pro-Cathedral.
1905, Christmas Day—Mr. L. 8.
Donaldson donates the site on
which the Pro-Cathedral of 8t.
Mary now stands.
1907, August 7—Ground broken
for the foundation by Archbishop.
Ireland and members of the Build
ing Committee.
1908, May 31—The cornerstone
laid in the presence of a most im
posing gathering of clergymen
and laymen.