Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-06
ST. MARY'S CHURCH.
The KECENT CHANGE Or PASTORS
Interesting services-Sermon by Bishop
Observation-Disclosures OF Rev. Or.
McCulIagn AS Pastor.

A very large congregation was in at
tendance at St. Mary church at 10 o clock.
Right Rev. J. F. Shanahan. bishop of the
diocese, was present in the sanctuary.
The mass was celebrated by Rev. DR.. Nc
Cullagh. At the close of the gospel lesson
Bishop Shanahan assembled the pulpit and
announced the change of pastors made by
him. He spoke in terms Of praise
of tho retiring pastor, Rev. Father Hickey,
whose many good qualities had won him
so many friends in St. Ma:y's parish he
sympa:hized with the people, and fully
shared with them the confidence and at
lection they had felt for Father Hickey,
ard no one regretted more than he the ne
cessity for the change which he felt it expe-
dent to make. What he had done was done
for the good of the church and the ad-
vancement of religion here and elsewhere,
and he hoped and believed his anticipation
of good results would be fully realized.
He then formally introduced DR.. Nc.
Cullagh, the new pastor, whom he had
appointed, with a strong conviction that III
his new relation he would more than justify
the high estimation in which he was held.
He asked for him the hearty support and
co operation of the people in the arduous
labors to which he had been assigned and
hoped they would extend him liberal aid
in carrying ON to completion the good
work before him.
Bishop Shanahan then preached an elO-
auent sermon, his theme being the finding
of the child Jesus in the temple disputing
with the doctors.
At the close of mass DIR McCullagh, the
pastor elect, assembled the pulpit and spoke
a. follows:
"Iappear before you to-day, my friends,
for the first time in 4 new capacity. An
uuexpected task is mine. A task would
gladly see some one else discharge, who
could do so without the embarrassment l
feel but cannot we'll account for. The
words am about to say shall be faithful ;
and, as far rs I have been able by silent
thought and mature reflection to make
them, the clear expressions Of the feel
ings and fears, and hopes, l felt my
self forced or induced by the nature of my
now position to speak in your presence.
They shall be brief and plain and earnest
| words for time like this is not in my
| Judgment Il fit occasion for vague speech
| or empty rhetoric. And that they may
| not fall short of my intention, or go be-
yond my purpose also, that the uncer-
certainty of u memory, naturally distract
| tracted ut a time like this with many
strange images, may not Illustrate the end
| have in view, | have thought it better
to put what wish to say on paper, and
| ask your patient attention while read it.
A change has taken place that few, If
any, of you, am sure, would wish or con
sent to, were your consent asked or your
wish consulted. And | can say myself in
connection with it, that there is not one OF
you who was more surprised than was
| - - Of y<,lr
who would be more unwilling than to do
or say anything that might bring about
such a change. One who has served you,
and whom you have known for many years;
whom you all respected, whom very many
of you loved, and who deserved both the
love OF his friends and tho esteem of all
who know him or had to do with him, has
been suddenly, and, as far as you are con
cerned, unexpectedly, called away from
you by the voice OF an authority that
neither inc nor any other good priest can be
deaf or disobcdicnt to, no matter how great
the sacrifice be that such obedience may
require. And another has taken his place
at tho bidding of that same authority,
and without any word or wish on his part
another whom few OF you know as you
knew his predecessor, and whom you all
must regard for sometime at least with
the cautious suspicion that is the only
attitude to be reasonably taken toward
inexperiencc, especially when it is, as i'll
his case it is indeed, coupled with ignOr-
ance of mauy things necessary to the sue.
cessful discharge Of the duties that have
fallen upon him and that other is myself.
| am now, and shall continue to be, in
effect, your pastor, till it shall have pleased
the authority that has conferred the honor
and the responsibility on me, to take
them both back. | have, and shall continue
during the Rt. Rev. Bishops good pleas.
urc to have and to exercise, all tho ordi-
nary privileges and rights and duties of a
pastor within the limits of this parish {;
that is to say, shall consider myself and
shall feel that others have a right to con-
| slider me responsible for the proper care
| and management of all matters pertaining
to the spiritual, and, as far rs the Rt. Rev.
| Bishop shall from time to time see fit, to
| the temporal interests also of the cOnSre-
CATION of St. Mary's church. And trust
your generous cooperation with me i'll my
efforts to discharge those duties which
cannot DO we'll discharged without it, will
| enable mo to meet and to bear as l would
wish to meet and to bear the responsibility
| that belongs to my Office. trust you will be
L
know already, at least in some measure,
what that is you know enough of me and
Of my capabilities not to form any expec-
tations in my regard that would be sure to
meet with disappointment. Therefore
| will mako no promises, give no pledges,
excite no vain hopes. All l can say at
present-and this much do say with the
sincercst purpose of acting up to it's this,
that will do all can, in every reasonable
| way and time and circumstance, TO give
you rs much satisfaction as 1 can give
without displeasing God or forgetting the
rights of my own Office and character. If
the discharge of my duties, as far rs
shall know and be able to discharge them,
can gain your favor or merit your approval,
think may promise myself both these
rewards, for | sincerely intend and hope
to deserve them. And when shall have
done my best. be that ever SO insignificant,
ever so far below your just expectations,
shall throw myself with the confidence of
struggling weakness on your generous in
diligence, and shall hope that you will
take my wishes for the deeds that may be
beyond my power.
You know there is difficulty at tho
very threshold of my new career it is
one whose magnitude l realize, perhaps
too wildly, and which the diffidence that
arises from inexperience as we'll as the fear
that springs from ones knowledge of his
weakness tends to exaSgerate. 1t is one l
have naturally as little inclination to meet
as have strength to conquer. 1t is one l
would shun if I could and dared without