Wichita eagle., 1888-02-11
THE WICHITA SEE.
C0NV0CATION OF CATHOLIC BISH-
OPS TO NOMINATE Al NEW
PRELATE.
The Names Of Three Priests Sc
lected and Forwarded to Rome
leather Casey Considered
the Successful Can
didate.
st. Louis Globe Democrat, 9th.

st. Louis GlObe-Democraf 9th.
The convention of Bishops of the
Archdiocese of st. Louis met yesterday
at the residence of the most Rev. Arch
bishop Kenrick, III North Sixteenth
street, for the purpose of selecting three
names from which the Propaganda at
Rome will chose bishop for the See OF
Wichita. Only four of the eight bishops
OF the province were present. These
were Bishop Bonacum of Lincoln, Fink
of Leavenworth Scanned of ConcOrdia
and OConnor of Omaha. Of those alb
sent, Bishop Burke is in Rome and was
not notified of the meeting: Bishop Cos
grove. of Davenport, was detained home
/ by sickness, and Bishops Hennessy. of
Dubuque, and Hogan, of Kansas City,
had important business matters
/ to look after which pre-
vented their attendance at the conven-
ito. These bishops represent the prov
ince over which Archbishop Kenrick pre-
sides-a province embracing the states Of
! Missouri, Iowa, Kansas. Nebraska and
the territory of Wyoming. The diocese
of Wichita was erected August 2. 1897.
| 1t is one Of the three new dioceses which
have been recently established. the 9TH
ers being the Lincoln and Concordia do
| ceses. The Wichita and Concordia
dioceses were erected out of the territory
of the diocese of Leavenworth. which
was considered too large. The bishop
elect for the Wichita See was the Rt.
Rev. JAS. O'Reilley, but he died July 26.
1887. before the conservation. Since the
death of Father O'Reilley the chief ex-
ecutive of the Wichita diocese
has been the Rev. Michael
Casey. who was appointed administrator
of the diocese October 10, 1887 In real
ity, the diocese of Wichita has never had
bishop. The diocese comprises the
southern part of Kansas. and includes
the following counties: Greeley, Wichita,
Scott, Lane, Ness. Rush, Barton. Rice,
Mcpherson, Hamilton. Finney. Seward,
Hodgman, Ford, Pawnee. Edwards.
Comanche, Stafford. Pratt. Barber
Reno Kingman, Harper, Harvey. Sedg-
wick. Sumner. Stanton, Gray, Meade,
Stevens, Grant, Morton, Haskell, Clark.
Kiowa. Kearney and Garfield. Two of
the bishops. O'Connor and Scanned. ar
rived in the city yesterday morning
barely in time for the meeting. Bishop
Fink arrived on Tuesday night. and
Bishop Bonacum has been in the city for
nearly week past. During their spare
hours Bishops Fink, O;Connor and Scan
nell were the guests of Father Hennessv.
of st. Johns church: and Bishop Bona
cum the guest of Father Cha. les ZiegIer.
of st. Malachy's.
At 10 o'clock the distinguished prelates
assembled at the archbishop's residence
Reporters and all others not having the
power of vote in the proceedings were
denied admittance. and the business be-
fore the convention was transacted in the
utmost secrecy. Bishops Hogan. Cos
grove and Hennessy. who were absent.
all voted by proxy, but Bishop Burke,
being in foreign land. had no voice in
the proceedings. By noon the conven-
ton had selected the three names which
will be recommended to the propaganda
at Rome. These names are recommend
ed as dignas. digniOr, dignissimus. or
worthy, worthier worthiest. From the
three names selected by yesterdays con-
ventiOn, the propaganda at Rome
will choose the one which will
receive the appointment. The authori-
ties at Rome will make known their de-
cision some time before next June What
three names We're selected at yesterday
conference is only matter of con eCt-
ture, except with the bishops who voted
on the names proposed. After the selec-
ton the names were written out. sealed
and sent directly to Rome. The bishops
present were pledged to secrecy by Arch
bishop kenrick. who babe them in no
way whatever to reveal to outsiders the
particulars of the business transacted |
Many priests of the city feel sure that |
Father Michael Casey, of Wichita. was !
one of those recommended. as he is an |
able man, and has practi- |
cally mode the Wichita diocese as strong !
as it is. He began at Wichita as an |!
humble priest, when the Catholics had |
little property and small following, /
but IN a few years erected !
churches and educational institutions. /
and built up of a strong membership. |
winning golden honors on every hand |
He is a young man, and has many useful |
years before him. Another name prom
inently mentioned is that of Father J. j. |
Hennessy, of ST. Johns church, this city.
His ability is unqueStioned. and he is
one of the most popular priests in the
of st. Louis. the close friend
of Archbishop Kenrick and an intimate
of all the bishops of this
province. He is vet in the thirties. He
is splendid specimen of physical being
Yet there is a great uncertainty about
Catholic appointments to the Episcopacy,
and this fact is considered by
all who are interested in the
result of the convention. The
duties of bishop call into exercise GER
tain ability which few priests possess. and
a learned or eloquent rector of a parish
might make failure as a bishop, who
must be equipped with business talent,
prudence and administrative ability.
After the bishops had completed the
session they dined at the resi-
1ence of the archbishop. and engaged in
. social and recreative time until after 3
o'clock
Bishop O'Connor left the city last
hight. and Bishop Fink and Scanned will
lepart for their homes this morning.
Bishop Bonacum Will remain in the city
lntil Sunday night spending the time
With his friends.