The Irish standard., 1888-02-25
SURE DEATHS DEFAMATION.
OF Boston's Priesthood of Forty
two Years Ago Only Two
Are Left.
)ME OLD FAMILIAR NAMES.
The Olergynen Who Served tbs New
England Catholics
of l846.

England Catholics
of l846.
from the Boston Republic.l
In the late Father Fitton's "Sketches
of the Establishment of the Church in
New England" is given list of the
clergymen who were affiliated to the
Boston diocese in the year 1S46, cogeth--
or with catalogue of the churches to
which they were attached. How rapid
ly CathollcitY has grown here IN New
England can be cleaned from COM
parison of the statistics given in that
list with those contained in the Catholic
directories CT this year. In 1S46 all
New England, with the exception of
Rhode island and Connecticut. belonged
to the see of Boston. The diocese OF
Hartford was erected in 1914; Portland
was not made a bishopric till 1855, two
years after Burlington had become one,
and the other New England sees, Man-
chester, Providence and Springfield, are
Of still more recent creation, in the
Boston archdiocese. AS that now stands,
.Jhis years directory places 32S priests,
whereas, in Father Fitton's list, the
Boston diocese, as it then existed, had
only thirty-seven clergymen. The
came relative growth is also evident in
the number of churches, ecclesiastical
students, colleges, academies, religious
institutions and Catholic population.
The most striking feature, perhaps,
that is to be seen in the comparison of
the two lists referred to, however, is
that of the thirty-seven clergymen
whom Father Fitton mentions as be-
longing to the Boston diocese in lS46.
only two are alive to-day. and OF these
two only one in the active ministry.
Thus, for instance. in 1916, the Boston
cathedral was served by Bishop Fen
wick aud his coadjutor, Right Rev.
John B. Fitzpatrick, who had under
theu Reys. z. f. Lyndon, Ambrose
Nanailan and John j. Williams. In
the present worthy archbishop the
only surviving member of this cathe-
dral staff of forty-two years ago is to
be found, and, singularly enough, Che
archbishop is the only Boston cleric of
1916 who is to- day IN the active exer-
else of the holy ministry. Old st.
Mary's Church OH Endicott street was
then served by Revs. z. Flood, who
was its last secular pastor, and James
O'Eeilly, both long since gone to their
reward. St. Patrick's, the old ediice
on Northampton street, at the South
end, was mlnistered to by Rev. Thomas
Lynch, whose memory is still green in
the minds Of the elder generation Of
Roston's Catholics. SIS. Peter and
Paul, over in South Boston, had for
pastor Rev. Terence Fitzsimmons, who
was transferred thlther the year pre-
Gicusly from old st. Augustine's on
Dorchester street, which up to that
time served the peninsular Catholics
for parish church. The well-remem-
bered Father uaskins was then rector
of what was known as St. Johns Free
Church, situated On Moon street, at the
North end Father Nick O'Brien, Of
pleasant memory, presided over st.
Nicholas Church in East Boston, and y
Franciscan friar, Rev. Alexander Mar
thu, had charge Of the German congre-
CATION that worshipped at the Holy
Trinity in Suffolk street. st. Au.
gustine's, South Boston, was va
cant. These we're then all the
Catholic priests in Boston. Roxbury,
not yet annexed, was served by Rev. p.
O'Beirne, the predecessor of the pres,
ent pastor Of st. Joseph's, and Charles
town had but one church, st. Mary's,
the clergyman of which were Revs. G.:
j. Goodwin aud M. McGrath. Outside
Of Boston. Rev. Bernard Caraher was
pastor Of the old st. Mary's Church in
the West end Of Quincy; Rev. James
Strain had charge OF Waltham and sev
eral adjacent villages, and Salem only
counted one priest. Rev. James Con-
way, located at St. Mary's. Lowell
boasted of two parishes, st. Patrick's,
presided over by the Rev. James Nc
Dermott, and St. Peters. the rector of
which then, Rev. Peter Cruden, died
only few years ago in the Spindle
City. Fall River was entirely subject
to Rev. Edward Murphy, then pastor
.oe %ho n13 81 Tohn tha Rantiat'a Church
and, up to his recent death in Ireland,
presided over the splendid new St.
Mary's of which Rev. G. Hughes is the
present rect,r. Rev Thomas Men ulty,
who afterwards became pastor of Mil
ton and remained such till his death,
was, in 1846,,pastor of both Sandwich and
New. Bedford, and. as the. former place
boastedta church while the latter did