Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-20

DIOCESE OF RICHMOND.
4 Brief History Of It's beginning and
Names of Its Bishops.

4 Brief History Of Its beginning and
Names of Its Bishops.
in the winter Of 1912 Father Jean Du-
bois, a Frenchman, who had landed at
Norfolk in July. J79l, visited Richmond,
bringing with him letters Of Introduction
TO some of our most eminent citizens, and
the General Assembly being in session he
was invited 10 celebrate Mass in the hall of
the House OF Delegates the present Capitol
having lust been built. and there was Of
fered the first Mass ever offered in Rich
m0nd.
A MISSION.
Five or six years afterwards Bishop Car
roll, of Maryland. % whose diocese Virginia
wasattached. established misslOnin Rich
mond and assigned to il French secular
priest named Father Xavier Michel. and IN
private houses, or in rooms temporarily
rented for the purpose. this pioneer in the
Richmond mission served the little flock
until 1913.
la that year Father Michel went to
Georgetown to enter the Society OF Jesus
and never returned.
THE FIRST CHAPEL.
There is no account of any resident
priest for the next five or six years. though
it is certain Mass was said here frequently
during that interval.
In the will OF Joseph GallegO, who died in
1918. is a codicil dated in June of that year.
in which he directs his executors If the
Roman Catholic chapel should be con-
tnued at the time OF his death " to pay
81 900 TO its support.
This chapel" was the southeastern pOr-
ton Of a building lately known as Har-
groves tObaccO-factory, on the south side
Of Main street near Iwenty-seventh; 1t
was, however. building erected by the
Presbyterians. who moved further uptown
and the vacated house was leased by the
Catholics and became the chapel TO which
Mr.. Gallego referred. Priests were sent
here at intervals from Georgetown and
Baltimore,
In 1921 Father James Walsh was sent here
TO look after the flock, and finding the
Rockets church much too large for the
congregation. rented "a room for chapel
on the ground floor of what was known as
the Southgate building, on heeastern side
of Eleventh street between Broad and
Capitol streets.
CHAPEL.
Amongthe beouests Of Joseph Gallego was
found a half square of land fronting on the
south side of Marshall street and extend
ing from Third to Fourth, and here in 1925
the Catholics (under Father Hore) built a
little wooden chapel. In 1894 the Catholic
community (under Father OBrien) laid
the cornerstone Of what Is now st. Peters
Cathedral-a building since enlarged
where to-day the new Bishop is to be con-
secrated and installed.
STATISTICAL.
During all Of the years since the founda-
tions of st. Peters were laid the Church
has thriyed in Richmond, and under its
patronage splendid asylums and schools
have been established, and on the lst OF
January, 1889. the Dispatch reported the
membership as follows:
St Peters Cathedral
ST. Pstrick's. ~
The Church OF the sacred Heart. 1000
ST. Josephs (cOlored). Observation-Disclosures. liO
BISHOPS OF RICHMOND.
The following have been the Bishops of
Richmond
/. Right Rev. Patrick Kelly. d. D., first
bishop. consecrated in 1921 translated to
Waterford and Lnsmore in 1922; died Dc
tober s, 1929.
9. Right Rev. Richard V. Whelan, second
bishop, consecrated March II. 1871; trans
lated TO Wheeling July %, 1850; died in
1874.
8. Right Rev. John McGill. d. D.. third
bishop, consecrated November 10, 1850;
died January IA, 1872.
4. Right Rev. James Gibbons, ID. d.,
fourth bishop. consecrated August IS, 1868,
Bishop of Adraneythum and Vicar Apos-
tolic of North Carolina: translated to the
See OF Richmond July 80. 1872; translated
to the See Of Baltimore October 3, 1877.
8. Right Rev. John j. Keane, ID. D., fifth
bishop, consecrated August 70, 1878; made
titular Bishop Of Ajasso and rector
of the American Catholic University at
Washington, ID. c., in 1887.