The Irish standard., 1888-02-04

6UOuC Cut jcdl IoCO. IlS w do u IauoACAAOd
to St. Roses Convent, near Spring
fbld, KY. The famous and sainted
Father Mathew Austin O'Brien was
Prior of the house. This truly holy
man, whose name and memory are still
reyerenced among the Catholics of
Kentucky aud Ohio, had known young
Byrne we'll from his arrival in this
country, and Immediately assigned him
place as teacher of the n0yices In the
convent. This was the hrst arduOus
burden imposed on the young priest
His first effort was successful. lie was
the III, del Of the entire community.
Dsveid of osteItation, devoted to the
strict observance OF the rules and Con
stitution Of his Order, his conduct and
his learning were an edidcation and a
treasure. Gradually advancing on the
strength Of his merits he successfully
filled every available office in Lis Order
from pedagogue to provincial. The
motto ia the coat. arms Of the DOM
inicans, "Contem pLari ct Predicare,'
was to him matter of more than Or
dinary significance. Whilst medita-
tion was the life Of the religious man,
it's fruits should be the property of the
people. Hence his desire to transfer
the spiritual treasures of the cloister to
the pulpit and confessional.
Soon after the close of the great re-
belllon, Father Byrne, with the permis-
SIGN of his superiors, determined to
found a house If his Order in the city
of New York. Without money or
friends he reached the great metropolis.
Permission was at once obtained from
the Archbishop to solicit aid for the oh
ject OF his mission III ali ths parishes of
the city where pastors were willing to
allow such course. Father Byrne had
al especial reverence for his patron
Saint, and to the pastor OF ST Stephens
Church, Rev. Edward McG lynn, y. D.,
he first applied for counsel and coop
Grafton. The young Doctor listened to
the Friar's story and gave him all the
assistance liz his power to advanced the
object OF his mission. In his own CAR
rlage he accompanied him from parish
to parish, introducing him to the clergy
and to the consideration Of the beneye~
lent laity. On Lexington Avenue.
between G5th and 66gh streets, q de-
sirablesi for the ecclesiastical plant
of the ardent dominican, was presented
but the apparently exorbitant SUM OF
seyenty-ome Thousand dollars was tbs
iuexorabla price fixed as Jne consider
alton of d conveyance Of che prem lses.
Iae contract had to De closed at once,
and SIX Thousand dollars were required
down as a first installment to bind the
bargain. Father Stephen immediately
solicited from his Dominican brethren
at Memphis, Tenn. q Lo;st OF SIX thou
sand dollars; this sum he obtained and
paid OH lhe property. The loan was
promptly repaid and t;le enormous
debt Of seventy yOne thousand dollars
Was llqu;dated. Sc. Vincent Ferrer's
Church and the adjoining conventnal
residence were erected and paid Ior by
tle, uutlring energy Of Father Byrne,
within few years after the purchase
Of the ground. DR.. McGlynn's kind
ness and services iii this counectio
were never forgotten. Last year when
the learned Doctors course Was So
yerely critlciz,d or unQualidedly as
sailed by tho Catholic press OF the coun-
try the good Prior would simply say, "I
am sorry for DR.. McGlynn; h5 is SO
charitable, SO unas5uming, SO honest,
l wish coul1 add, and so obedient and
submissive to legitimate authority.
He is too grand, too precious a
soul to perish. aud for reasons so triv-
ial. But / have conf dence that he will
soon abb jure his errors, confess his mis-
take andtre5u4 Il to the Church in whose
bosom he was nurtured. Pere Hya-
,cinthe aud DR.. DJlling er were, per-
haps, once greater men than he, but
now, WHO so low as to do them
reverence? There must be something
personal be5ween him and his good
Archbishop, Of whose nature the gen
eral public have not be informed.
But be is too wise a mau, too good
Catholic in spirit, to remtin long di
vorced from the body Of our holy old
Church. 1t is only another proof that
philanthropy aud Christian charity are
not the same; that a good philanthro-
pist may be bad Catholic"
Father Byrne Was subsequently in
strumental in foundinga a convent and
building the ehurch Of st. Antonius,
III Newark, n. j. He had charge of
this congregation and was Superior OF
the convent for many years. About
this time he had become acquainted
with the present illustrious Bishop Ire-
land, of 81. Paul. Bishop Grace Was
Dominican. Why not establish a
church and a house Of the order in the
diocese of st. Paul? Bishop Grace at
once approved the plan. and Father
Stephen with his active encourage