The New York herald., 1877-12-24
A GOLDEN JUBILEE.
FIFTILTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF
FATHER FIrIoN--sKETCH OF LADoRIoUs
LIfE-sERMoN nY BISHOP HEALEY, OF
D-CoNGBATuLATaoNs AND TEsT1-
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

RECOMMENDATIONS AND TEsTI-
MoN1ALs.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HgRALD.1
BosroN, Doc 23 1877.
The rare evoEt Of golden jubilee celebration 70
commemorate the fhie.h anniversary Of tho priest
hood OF the Rev. Father Futon of the Church Of tho
Holy Redoemer In lst Boston. observed In that
cathedral to-day. The ceremonies incidcat to the
occasion were strkngiy beautiful and impressive aud
shared in by gathering nearly three thousand
people, including among The number, besides many
leading Catholics, large number OF prominent rep
resentntivcs OF other denominations 1t Is doubtful
ii Father Fton is not the oldest priest OF country
who was and reared tho United States, and 1t
Is that therc living or deceased who
have been longer and moro conspicuously identified
with the growth OF the Church in the New England
States.
FATHER FirToy.
He born in this city in 1S03 and baptized In the
old Fran kiln Street Church, the first Catholic house
Of worship ever erected In this section OF the coun-
try, aud is well remembered by old Bostoniaus as a
promising aud clever schoolboy In one Of the Tow
schools then existing in tho Old crown OF Boston, ~
He educated Ia part under the pioneer Bishop (a
forward CardinaD Chevefus, and half q century ago
to-day was ordained w the late Bishop Fonwick and
Immediately became actively engaged in tho noble
eminent and tho late Bishop Fitzpatrick.
From the single church III Franklin street the
venerable and respected father has lived to see
tue OF magnificent cathedral and upward OF
thirty Catholic churches In Boston alone. With a
MISSION that reached from the Indians OF Maino
tho north to the sctttered Catholics OF Long Island
NJ " on the south, with Hartford, Conn.,, as ce
point he has lived to find the New England States d.
vded six doccses, with Boston metropolitan
see. He the founder Of the first periodical OF his
Church. the Catholic Press, at Hartford; also the loun-
dor oil the College OF tho Aoly Cross ut Wor-
cester, and churches In nearly all tho principal
cities aud towns IN tho Now England states.
he is bale and hearty and gives promise or many IL.
turc years ot usefulness An evidence OF his pdustry
and vigorous mind Is furnished IN tho lac tnat, be-
sides attending to the duties Of his parish, he has
lately furnisheda history OF the Ch1rcu In Now Eng.
land and also prepared ono OF tho most complete
prayer books ever published.
ExERcIsKs THE CELEBRATION.
Previous 10 the ceremonies incident to the golden
jubilee mass was celebrated uy the venerable lath n
himself. Among those seated within tue railing OF
the altar were Archbishop Williams aud Bishop
Heaiey OF ihe Portisnd tMe) diocese, and eleven
priests from different sections oi the country ho
years past had served as sanctuary boys Tor Father
Fitton
Following mass an appropriate and impressive SER
mon was dohvcred BY Bishop Heaey. OF Portland, who
took or his lex. sns pnsssgs tnou arr Priest ,or
MY years ago to-day The temple in which they
assembled would havo con,ained all tho CaihoI,cs
there were In New England, and there wero not
many pre- Is Ia all the pro, inces were
bcd within tho sound OF his In referring again
10 the changes which time had wrought tho B,shop
revealed the tact that tho worthy iathcr whom
they were now honorng was the only ono
@ ,eis ., who was priest In, IN New Eas!and
outside OF its illusions TO The occasion that the
priest speaks from God; that the children OF the
they Tho priest lhcy love God and II they despise
the priest they despse God. The priest speaks Tor 4
or tho nation, and none nre TOO grca, or Too elevated
but they must bow 10 the teachings oi God as spoken
BY the priest. His power IS not assumption. but Is
conferred ~ God anu all must abide by II.
Toward the cnu o his discourse tho Bishop referred
again 10 the event and memories OF the day, con-
graduating, ia an eloquent and feeling manner tho
venerable father on the good fortune OF being spared
~ witness the effects oi his early Zeal, 10
such places ss Portland, Springfield, Northampton,
Worcester, Providence, Hartford a. d Boston tho
cathedraIs AID churches WHICH are Tue monuments OF
all tnas his early youth could even have dreamed
mont IN yhis world moro noble than those
reared by our iriendy But, added the Bishop,
TO tho rewards oil that tor which our venerable
brother seems already ripc, anu when the beloved
pastor upon wnom GOD has bestowed SO many years
land TO rest may our grateful tears and hearts io.
low him.
CONGRATULATIONS AND TESTIMONIALS.
Father Fition nov mado u brief address OF thanks
TO Archbishop Williams and Bishop Hcacy for tneir
presence. aud then followed series oil interesting
presentations from sources. The OF tkcso
was gold chalice IRON the Archbishop, and then
came a sct OF vcstmonts and parchment testimonial
from the sanctuary boys or Father Fitton, have
since become priests. The present and past sanctuary
boys followed with miniature yacht, uaastcd with
300 gold dollars and this was supplemented by pres
ents OF KINDS from tho young men OF Cath
oc Lyceum tho scholars OF The school OF Notro Dnmo
md the Sunday school children Tho prcscn In
behalf oil tho latter was mado in very pretty manner
by Miss Ag2ie Balou, and when she had finished tho
scholars presented each OF tho bishops and priests
with hand bouquets ASIDE from all or the foregoing
thero was general testimonial from tho parish Of
81, 500 In gold.
Father Futon In returning thanks Tor tho kindness
shown the occasion was worry much affected ands
to ALL Individually ana collectively, and assured thom
that tho money gius would 60 back 10 them in tho
shape OF Catholic hall which he was lahoring TO havo
erected In central part OF East Boston. In con-
cudlng his thanks the venerable father asked for The
continued good will OF hts trends white living, and
when dead he hoped his funeral would be without
display and that be would be committed to the earth
In rude pine coffin. Hc desired no pagoantry or
dcmonstration-only a few pine boards and the
prayers Of those WHO surriYel him.