Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-20

that. as they were able and willing to
maintain a bishop, the State ought to
be formed into a separate diocese.
The See of Richmond WAS erected In
$50. and the Rev. Patrick Kelly. presi-
dent OF BerchfcId College. was Sc
lected as first bishop He was conse-
Grated at Kilkenny. on the Ath OF Au-
gust 1880. by the Most Rev. Archbishop
Troy of Dublin. and In January OF the
next year reached Norfolk. The re-
sources OF the Catholics proved TO have
been grossly exaggerated. and the learned
Bishop opened a school at Norfolk, I'm
order to maintain himself. the conyrega-
ton being unable to support him. He
struggled manfully 10 afford the scat
tered Catholics the consolation OF their
religion, but the difficulty OF travel and
communication at that period made II
no easy task to reach them. After
a years srduouS service Bishop KelIy's
health failed. and in July. 1922 he was
translated 10 the United Sees OF Water
ford and Lismore. which ne held TIL his
death. October S. 1879. leaving a repu-
tation for piety and earnest zeal in his
Episcopal functions. After the departure
of Bishop Kelly. the administration
of the Diocese of Richmond was COM
mitted TO the Archbishop OF Baltimore.
and his successors In that see: nor, was
II till twenty years later that the Catho-
lie body In Virginia had grown 30
large as TO require a resident bishop.
Right Rev. Richard Vincent Whelan. Sc
lected as the second Bishop OF Rich
inond, was born in Baltimore. on the 18th
day OF January. 1909. and was conse-
Grated Bishop of Richmond In the ca
thedral of Baltimore on the 2lst OF
March. lSu. Bishop Whelan lived to see
fcrty-eight churches and twenty-nine
priests where he had found two
churches and four priests. He died plous-
Iy at st. Agnes Hospital, Wheeling July
Z, 1874.
BISHOPS MGILL AND GIBBONS.
Right Rev. John McGil, third Bishop
% Richmond, was born in Philadelphia.
November 4, 1S9; was ordained priest
June -. 1895, and diel Sunday. January
Is, 1872. Under his administration
churches were erected and dedicated at
Norfolk. Fortress Monroe Richmond,
Fredericksburg Warrcnton. and at Fair
fax Station. His diocese was the great
battle-ground of the civil war and the
Catholic churches Jared i'll ut the hands
OF both armies. The church at Path was
destroyed by fire while used as quarters
by the Confederate soldiers. The north
ern troops stabbed their horses in the
church at Winchester. and utterly wreck
fore a heavy charge, but he formed
little seminary. and, after the war; in
troduccd the Visitation and Benedictine
nuns who gave Richmond fine acade-
mics. and Sisters Of the Holy Cross. who
established a similar institution at Alex
dria. He had fourteen parochal
schools--a large number for a Catholic
population of not more than 1900.
The fourth Bishop of Richmond was
Right Rev. James Gibbons ~. d. who
was consecrated August 16. 1868. as Bishop
Of Adraneythum and Nicar-Apostolic OF
North Cardinal translated TO the see Of
Richmond July 80. 1872; translated to the
see Of Baltimore October g. 1877. and since
then made Cardinal.
BISHOP KEANE'S WORK.
Right Rev. John J. Keane was the
fifth Bishop. He was born at Bally
Shannon, County Donegal. Ireland. on
the 18th OF September, 1922 He was
ordained in 1866, elected TO I'll the see OF
Richmond, 1878, and consecrated on the
oh OF August, the same year. He was
translated TO the see of Ajasso in August,
1855 and became rector OF the Catho-
lie University of America. which was
dedicated at Washington, d. c., Novem-
Der 10. 1854.
There was at this time in the diocese
2S secular and 4 regular priests. 80
churches and 20 chapels, . converts
academies with 400 Students: 80 parochial
schools. and 1000 pupils: charitable In
stitutions, and Catholic population OF
1900
The diocese contains at the present
time It churches. % chapels. 50 priests.
Q converts, 6 academies. orphanaSes.
! hospital, and Catholic population Of
$500.