The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-10-28
ARCHBISHOP GIBBONS.
Farewell Sermon to His Richmond Flock.
TOUCHING DISCOURSE BY THE DEPARTING
PRELATE.
Richmond. Va, Dispatch, October ! 6

Sunday was day long TO Ee remembered |
by the Catholic Community of Richmond, rs
we'll as by many of our citizens of other demo- |
limitations, as . day of general regret and eor-
row at the translation of Right Rev. Bishop
James Gibbons from this diocese to the arch
diocese of Baltimore, of which he has been
made the Archbishop, TO succeed Archbishop
Bayley, recently deceased.
Before half past ten O'Clock, the usual hour
for Sunday services, st. Peters Cathedral was
filed TO the utmost capacity by congregation
which em braced Catholics from the three par
ishes of Richmond aud many OF our oest non
Catholic citizeps, who were attracted tnlther
! to listen to the farewell words OF the departing
Bishop.
THE ARCBBIsHoP'S FAREWELL.
Immediately following tue Gospel, Arch
bishop Gibbons sscended the pulpit and pro
ceeded to deliver his farewell sermon. He took
his text from the epistle read in the Mass of
the day-ohapter 5 of tho Epistle of St. Paul
| to tue Hebrews-begiuning with the words
! For every high priest taken from among
| men," etc. He then said:
| "Dearly beloved brethren-I fear shall ad-
| dress you to- day under many embarrassing cir.
cumstances. / had hoped to have sufficient
| time to think of what l should say on such a
| trying occasion. But while in the presence of
death could not think of the living. Stand
ing by the body of the. recently deceased and
| greatly venerated Archbishop of Baltimore,
my attention was so much engrossed by pass
ing events that it entirely Impossible for
me to give any attention to the remarks have
to mako to-day. 1 know, however, you will
bear with me, and believe that what say
| comes from the depths of the heart.
| "When a man, holding n position OF respon-
sihlity and trust, is about to Surrender bis
Office, it is proper that before retiring he SHOULD
| render an account of his stew ardship. Called
az am without any concurrence or action on
my part, by the highest eccit siaatical autio.i-
ty, from this field of labor t. another OF still
greater responsibility, l deem it my dnty to
give you brief summary OF the present con-
ditiou Of this diccese"
Here the Archbishop gave relative state
meut of tha present condition of the diocese
| as compared with its condition ut the time of
his in nstal llatou-fve years ago almost to the
day, he having taken formal charge of the
diocese on the 20;h day of October, 1872 10
the course of hs explanation he took occasion
to show that not only was the diocese free
from debt, but also, among other things, be
showed the following healthy condition of
affairs as TO the rapid progress of religion At
the time of his advent in Richmond, the dio-
oese, which embraces the State of Virginia and
two or three points in West Virginia bordering
on this State, contained Is churches, as many
chapels and stations, II priests, and 16 paro.
chial schools with an aggregate attendance OF
l40O pupils. Now in the diocese of Richmond
there are 81 churches, about the same mber
of ch hapels and stations, a large number Of
ecclesiastical students preparing for the minis
try, and 26 soho with an aggregate attend
snGe of $3.50 children showing al increase in
five years of nine churches-chapels, stations
and priests in the same proportion-and nearly
1000 pupils in the parochial schools. He also
stated that the ecclesiastical property of the
diocese had augmented about $50 OOO of
which sum fully $l00 600 is credited to Rich
mond The only Indebtedness to which he re-
ferred small amount still due on the
new institution on Fourth street occupied by
the Sisters of Charity. IL will, therefore, be
readily that his sucoessor will not have
many troubles TO con tend with
DR.. Gibbons, continuing his remarks, SAID
From the day of my arrival among you and
my. installation in this Cathedral until the
moment l resigned my trust, can consci en-
tiously say that have devoted myself to the
interests of tbis diocese: aud have eudeavored
! to discharge my dnty az we'll as my limited
strength aad ability enabled me to do 50:
DuriDg that period my. mind and heart iDd
will have been corsecTated on yonr spiritual
advancement. Whenever l celebrated Mass at
tho altar not day has passed III which nav 9
not remem bered you before God in my prayers
l reioiced not only in your spiritual but also
r in your temporal advancement, and IN appeal.
ing to your generosity in the interests OF
charity and religion l ejoiced in the munih-
cence of your contributions, not so much on
account Of the lberality of The offerings them
selves buJ because these offerings afforded me
+ an evidence of your hearty cooperation and
good will. 1 know, indeed, full we'll that it is
not difficult to convince you of all this. What
, I apprehend IS not that you will withhold from
me any tribute of jastice TO which can lay
l claim but that your kind partiality may as
cribe to me more credit than really deserve.
desire, therefore, to disabuse you OF false or
exaggerated Impressions, by informing you to
whom and to what you are mainly indebted
for the healthy condition of religion IN your
midst, and the respectable hold which it has
attai ned in the community.
, lyon are indebted frst to God, secondly to
r the late Bishop McGil, thirdly to the clergy,
and fourthly to yourselves. Ever since took
charge of this portion of the Lords vine
yard God has singulsFly blessed US. :, : TO 70
. Him be all the honor and CORY. Every other
cause of success is secondary to HIM. To
, illustrate this 1 will suppose an example "a A
} captain takes charge of his ship under the
most favorable circumstances. He finds his
vessel in good order in every respect. He sails 4
! over q calm sea he has everything under the
! most perfect control. His crew are devoted.
ready andrwillipg to cooperate with him ! anG nfI
his voyage proves q complete success In all
: : things What credit is due to the captain
under such ciroumstancesf All he bad to d. dc
was to give the necessary commands and the
8 obedient response was prompt and elective
3 And this, my brethren, has been my situation
l with you. The winds and Heaven have favor
ed us. God has been with US. So to God alone
. is everything due: Z" Paul soweth, Apollo wa
terech, but God giveth the increase" Without
Him we would have sailed all day and made
no progress; we would have fshed all night
t like Peter, and caught nothing. The blessing
of God has been with us, and let US return
8 thanks to Him.