The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-26
Ct. bis duties here, IS Vicar Apostolic ii North

Carolina. =. - s,.,.,s sF+-,:sst
After the conservation and Installation
the resident and visiting clergy dined to.
gether. ut the Episcopal RESIDENCE - .'ssex
The Archbishop and Bishop .bad tasted
for twenty-four hours previous to the conse-
Grafton and installation ceremonies. 80 =
i ~ = History OF tile Dfocese. a'5s
= lii stA Memoranda OF the History Of the
Catholic Church in Richmond Since the
Revolution" prepared,by Hon. A. III. Kei-
ley and published several years ago, it IS
Claimed that Virginia. I" as a part Of the
Spanish province Of Florida, was Catholic
before she was Protestant; that the beau
tIal Day which washes our shores was first
named by Catholic discoyerers, IN honor OF
the Blessed Virgin. Santa Maria Bay, sand
| tnat there was log chapel dedicated. under
the protection OF the Immaculate Mother OF
God, ,-on the banks OF the Rappahanriock;
more than three centuries aao--a third Of q
century before the first successful landing
was made at Jamestown ...'.t..i.7
- - THE FIRST MASS HERE. :. ~
In the winter OF 1912. Father. Dubois
visited Richmond, bringing letters OF intro
duction to some Of our most eminent citi-
zens, and the General Assembly being in
session, he was invited to celebrate Mass in
sent capitol having Just been completed, and
there was offered the first Mass ever offered
| IN Richmond.
.Fiye,ors six years afterwards a mission
was established here. Thenceforward the
growth OF the Church was steady il not
rapid. = =.
In 1920 the Catholics OF Norfolk, then
more numerous than those OF all the rest OF
| the State, having petitioned for the erection
OF an Episcopal See in Virginia. Pope Plus
VII, by letters apostolic, dated July IL.
1920. created the Diocese OF Richmond, and
appointed Rev. Patrick Kelly, then presi-
| dent OF Birch6eld College near Kilkenny,
Ireland, its bishop; and on the oath OF Au-
gust he was consecrated in the parish
chapel of st. Mary's, Kilkenny. January
10, 1921, he arrived in Norfolk, formally as
sumed control Of the diocese, and appoint
ed the church OF Norfolk his cathedral. !, !.
In July, 1922, Bishop Kelly being per.
I.suaded, and having satisfied Rome, that the
erection OF Virginia into tisboprlc was
premature. was translated to the diocese OF
| Waterford and Lismore, and Virginia was
replaced under the administration Of the
OF Baltimore. The fourth Pro
vincial Council OF Baltimore, which assem-
bled May II, 1910, recommended that Viz
ginia should be erected into q separate di-
ocese again, and the Holy Father approving
the proposal, letters from the College OF the
Propaganda, dated December 19, 1910, an
nounced that the Archbishop OF Baltimore
would cease to administer this diocese, and
that his Holiness had appointed Rev. Rich
ard Vincent Whelan bishop OF Richmond.
On the 2lst OF March. 1S41, Bishop Whe-
Ian was consecrated at Baltimore, and i'm
mediately thereafter came to Richmond. -
BISHOPS M'GILL AND GIBBONS.
The seventh Provincial Council of Balti-
more, May, 1S49, recommended the division
OF Virginia into two sees. On 9th August.
1850, the Pontifcal Brief was forwarded
creating the diocese Of Wheeling, accompa-
MED by bull dated July 23d, 1850, ap-
pointing Rev. John McGilI, Vicar-G General
Of the diocese of Kentucky, Bishop OF
Richmond.
Bishop McGill was consecrated in Baltl-
more in November, 1850, and arrived in
Richmond the following month. January
14th, 1872, Bishop McGil died. Rt. Rev.
James Gibbons, the Vicar Apostolic Of
North Carolina, was Immediately appointed
administrator OF the diocese, and the usual
steps having been taken to invoke the deci-
sion of the Pope, the Pope added to his du-
ties as Vicar Apostolic OF North Carolina
the full charge OF this diocese.
THE VACANCY. 80
In consequence OF the ill-health Of Arch
bishop Bayley and the desire Of bis. physi-
clans that he should 60 to Europe and have
q lengthy rest from official cares, Bishop
Gibbons was, in May, 1877, appointed Co.
adjutor Archbishop. In the summer OF
that year the Archbishop returned to Amer
iooF NM Shon n
was then created Archbishop, and was con-
secrated at Baltimore in October, 1877.
Thus the bishopric of Richmond became
vacant. ..s..-. as.s., 1:.ta. "-t-.'
Rev. Father Keane was chosen to succeed
Bishop Gibbons. The Rev. Father JAMS
sens administered the affairs Of the diocese
from the time Bishop Gibbons was called to
Baltimore to this date, and earned the COM
mendation OF his superiors and greatly in
creased the veneration and love OF bis bro
ther clergy and flock.
FAcTs AND FIGURES.
+ The annual record gives the following
figures in relation to the entire diocese:
Churches, %; chapels and stations, %;
priests OH the mission, %; clerical stu
dents, -; female religious institutions, 9;
female academies, 5; male parochial schools,
IA; male pupils, 957; female parochial
schools, IA; female pupils, 1885; orphan
asylums, 9; number Of orphans, 107; be-
neyolent and charitable institutions, 4. OF
the charitable institutions in the diocese,
Richmond possesses two-St. Joseph's Or
phan Asylum, 81 orphans, and St. Sophia's
Home for the Aged, under the care Of the
Little Sisters OF the Poor, having 20 inmates
and sisters. Norfolk has the other two
an orphan asylum and hospital-both un-
der the care OF the Sisters OF Charity. !,
Catholic population, 1900; communions
during the year, 52,8S6; children attending
Sunday schools, 2,59S; parish schools, 2,012;
academies, 23l; baptisms- = adults, 81; in
fants,, $50; combinations, 5S6; marriages.
112; membership OF eonfraternities, 1928;
Of societies, 1928; burials, 292.
Bishop Elect Keane.
Rev. John j. Keane was born in Bally-
shannon, County Donegal, Ireland, Seplem-
ber -, 1889. He is now in his thirty-ninth
year. In 1S47 his father, Mr. Hugh Keane,
with his family bade adieu to the shores OF
Erin to seek a home. for himself and chill
dren in America. Having lived eighteen
months in st. John, New Brunswick, his
parents immigrated into the United States
and settled down in Baltimore, Md, where
they continued to reside until their death,
loved and highly esteemed by all who knew
them. The mother died in 1868. The
father died on the 10th OF September, 1877,
In the seventy-second year OF his age.
After having received an English educa-
ton during seven years. training at Calvert
Hall, under the care OF the Christian bro
theirs, John Keane's first ambition was to
become q merchant His parents, who,
from his earliest boyhood, had desired and
prayed that lie might become priest OF