The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-02-02
DEATH OF THE BISHOP OF RAPHoE.

We announce with deep and most sim
cere regret the death of the Most Rev.
James McDevitt, the we'll beloved Bishop
of tie ancient See of Raphoe. The mourr-
full intelligence will come upon many as it
came upon US with appalling euddenness,
for it seems but short time ago since his
lordship was giving evidences of his accus-
toned zeal and more than ordinary promise
of long, prosperous and fruitful epis-
copate. Rich as the roll of the Irish pre-
lacy has been, and as it ia, in men of great
heart and willing mind, it never coald
boast of one with larger spirit OF kindl-
ness, and reader will to do all that his
lofty office required, than the gentle, gen
erous and unassuming Bishop who has just
passed to his reward from amongst people
and epot that were dear to his soul as the
very apple Of his eye. Donegal-classic,
historic and picturesque Donegal-the
cloister land of the Four Masters, and the
nesting place of memories that are sacred
to the Catholic heart of Ireland-has never
given to the Irish Church a truer, a more
loyal. or a more devoted son thao that
latest of its bishops who closed his too
brief career on Sunday night. DR.. Nc
Dewitt had barely attained his fiftieth year
and had reached to only his seventh year
in the Irish prelacy. He was born in Don
egal, and spent in it the best years of his
life. He was educated in the Diocesan
Seminary of Raphoe, and passed from that
to the College of Maynooth, which he
entered in the year 1850. His college
course, if not very brilliant one, was
marked by diligence, and by considerable
successes, and was so satisfactory that at
it's close he received, il We mistake not,
the reward of an appointment to the Dan
boyne Establishment. As student he
was held in the highest estimation by his
superiors aud professors, ard won. without
an effort, the trnst, esteem aod affection of
all his comrades He was the very soul of
honor and geniality, and bis word was a
law in the little councils of his follow stu
dents. From Msynooth he passed to the
College of All Hollows, at Drumcondra, and
there devoted mis- fine abilities and his great
knowledge to the holy work of training
Irish priests for preaching the Gospel to
the nations that sull sit in darkness and in
the shades of death. His work in All Hal
lows Ia one of the blessed memories of the
place, and it will be long before the tradi.
tions of the life and labors of Father M'De-
witt fade away from out its records He
was peacefully pursuing bis teaching in All
HalIows when in 1871 he was summoned
by the Holy See to take into his hands the
pastoral staff at st. Eunan of Raphoe. The
old See had been just vacated by the trans
ference from it to the primatal See of
Armagh ofone whose heart had been bound
up in bonds of golden love with Donegal
and all its belongir ga from the moment of
his birth, and who must have felt the part
ing as bitterly as though it had been the
very rending of his life. A congenial sue
cessor to the Most Rev. Daniel Gettigan
was found in the holy but humble profee-
sor of All Hallows, and in the Most Rev.
James MDevitt the people of Donegal re-
ceived prelate whose coming made them
almost forget the prelate they had lost For
the eight years of his episcopate DIR. M'De-
witt has labored for his flock with a truly
splendid devotedness, and has participated
with the heart of an Irish bishop in every
joy and in every sorrow that, from his con-
secration to his death, has fallen on the
county and on the people to which he was
80 warmly attached. There is wailipg for
him day in the wilds and on the hills of
holy aud historic Donegal, and there is not
a spot of this land of ours where his name
and his worth we're known that the mourn ;
ing of his children will not meet with a
sympathetic echo. A great bishop, gen
uIne lrishma6, constant and a large.
hearted friend has passed away 4; and in
the person of DR.. James M'Devitt our poor
old country has lost son whom, at this
jnncture, she can badly epare.-Du6tin
Freeman.