The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-05-18
DR.. NJ. A. Corrigan, Bishop of Newark, N.
CONDENSED from the Freeman's Journal

Sunday. May 4th. Feast of the Patroci-
mum of st. Joseph, was, beyond question,
the liveliest Sunday that Newark ever
knew. There was, already, great gather
ing tlither and on the morning, the roads
leading to Newark were thronged with
carriages.
1t was to witness the first Episcopal con-
secraton ever performed in the State of
New Jersey. Thirty years hence; IL the
world lasts, and the Catholic Church pro-
crosses as she has done in this land for
| thirty years past, Newark will be Metro
politan See, with Suffragan Bishops at Jer-
sey City, Trenton, Camden, and, perhaps,
Paterson. But May hh, Patrocnium of
st. Joseph, a. d. 1873, is forever fixed in
the records eff the Church, rs the date of
the first conservation of n Bishop on the
soil of New Jersey. Archbishop Bayley,
the first Bishop of Newark, was consecra-
ted in 1853, nearly twenty years ago. But
he was consecrated in the Metropolitan
church OF New York, as the canons give
the right.
DR.. Corrigan, last Sunday, was consecra-
ted as the second Bishop, in point of sue
cession, of Newark. BY courtesy of Arch
bishop McCloskey, the conservation took
place in the Cathedral of Newark. And it
was an appreciated courtesy. DR.. Corrigsn
was consecrated at his own birthplace, and
among those that had known him, and re
spected him from his childhood, and who
Oh lalGcE ycuTSJ nave t6kSEeu Nun LOT Ills
sacred character, and for the way in which
Ii } has borne himself, in the heavy trusts
already committed to his keeping. We
witnessed very touching evidences of the
personal affection shown towards him by
men not of the Catholic faith, along with
an unbounded affection on the part of those
who are his spiritual children in Newark.
Bishops are not elected by the clergy and
people of the Dioceses.e 1t would not work
well oftentimes, if it were the rule. But
it is not out of place to note that, if there
were to have been vote On the eve of his
election, in the Diocese of Newark, we be-
lieve that DR.. Corrigan would have re-
cese, and of almost, if not altogether, ev-
cry layman in the communion of the
church.
Under such circumstances begins the
Episcopal career of the. youngest Of the pre-
| lates of the United States. DIR. Corrigan is OF
only the latest consecrated, bat he is the
youngest in age, of all our prelates. Bish-
op Gross, consecrated week before, was
| in his thirty seventh year. Bishop Corri-
gan has not yet completed his thirty fourth
If he lives to be an old man, he will see
terrible trials, and a fierce persecutian OF
the Church in this land. 1t may be even
to blood L; but great will be the reward of
those who endure to the end.
There was something inexpressibly
| touching in the ceremonial that imposed
the heavy yoke of the Episcopate on such
young shoulders. Those present, nom
Catholics as well, were affected by it.
When Saul found himself among the sons
of the prophets, in Old Testament times,
he too, prophesled. 1t was an awful, and
a soul-moviDg action. The high soul of
the pure young priest-one who hitherto
had been occupied with the sublime duties
of the hierarchy in tue second order, the
riesthOod-seemed, in HIS gentle body, to
sink beneath the weight of the Episcopate
For it is an Unreasonable weight. Woe
be to any, loaded with it that is not aus
tanned by Him that Is-the Infinite, the
God made Man!
Among the more aged, and among the
young that attended the ceremonies, there
was a common feeling that great things were
| yet to come from the conservation of this
young priest. He is learned, he is gentle
and meek in spirit; and the vigor 81 bis
youth is with him, as the dew of the morn
ing. His record is with him that he will
do, as we'll as teach-after the pattern of his
Divine Master: facere ct docere.
There were present two Archbishops
ftteen Bishops and about one hundred and
fifty priests.
The grand ceremony of Conservation was
very much as described in the case of the
new Bishop of Savannah, Most Rev. DR.
McCloskey of New York being the conse.
| orator.