Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-31
FATHER MULCAHY

Win Probably Leave Waterbury, AL though The Official Announcement Has Not Been Made.
 No official announcement has yet been made as to who will succeed the late Very Rev James Hughes as pastor ot St Pat rick's church in Hartford. Waterbury people are reluctant to believe that Vicar General Mnlcahy will be the choice of Bishop Tierney, although there is not much doubt that he will be requested by Bishop Tierney to go to Hartford and that he will be succeeded here by Rev Father Slocum of Norwalk.
 Vicar General John A. Mulcahy was born in Ireland and came to this country when quite a young man and soon afterward took course of studies at Britton & Strat- tons school, Hartford, where he was known as diligent, studious pupil, pos sessing more than ordinary intellectual talent. After finishing at this school he entered St Charles college, Ellicott. Md, remaining there six years, when he went to St Joseph's seminary. Troy, N. Y, where he studied theology and philosophy and was there ordained to the priesthood on May 2. 1873, by the Right Rev Bishop Mo- Nierney.
 His first appointment was assistant to the Rev Father Lynch. then pastor of the Immaculate Conception church, this city. It was while acting as curate in this city that Father Mulcahy laid the foundation of the love and veneration with which he has since been regarded by the people of this community. There were but few Catholic ! societies in Waterbury at that time, but the jealous priest made the most of the op- portunities at his disposal to come in con- tact with the youth of the parish, and many of our citizens can we'll remember the elo- quent and interesting discourses delivered by Father Mulcahy before the members of the Christian Doctrine society in the base ment of the old East Main street school when all the literary inclined young men of the parish were wont to congregate on Sunday afternoons
 When the Rev Father Lynch was trans ferred to St Patrick's parish, New Haven, Father Mulcahy accompanied him. There he labored until February IF, 1877, when he was appointed pastor at East Hartford This mission then included Glastonbury, l Wethersfield and Rocky Hill. Father Mul- cahy's work at East Hartford is eloquent evidence of his zeal and energy. He erected the parish church and St Angus tines at Glastonbury, liquidated the debt on the church lot at Wethersfeld and col lected funds for the erection of church at Rocky Hill
 In November, 1SS7 Father Mulcahy was transferred to Thompsonville. which mis- sion then included Hazardville and Broad Brook. For three years he labored in this portion of the diocese, during which time 1 new sites in Broad Brook and Hazardvllle were purchased, upon which he | erected substantial churches. His | success Tn Thompsonville is attested by the fact that the parish indebtedness was reduced $9,O00 during his pastorste | and the lot purchased on which the new | church now stands.
 On November l, 1881, we find Father Mulcahy in charge of the Sacred Heart parish, New Haven, and during his four years labors in that city the indebtedness was reduced $22 ,00O aud sufficient proper ty was secured for sites for the school and convent
 In January, 1886, Father Mulcahy es- sumed charge of the Immaculate Ooncep- tion parish in this city. The year follow ing he was made permanent rector and the same earnestness and zeal which had | chara cteriZed his labors in other place s | has been manifested here. The need of a parochial school was at once apparent and he immediately commenced the erection of St Marys school, which was opened in | 1SS6 having seating accommodations for | seven hundred pupils St Mary's convent ] adjoining the school on Cole street; St Pat rick's hall on East Main street; the pur- chase of strip of land on Division str, e: as a site for a church at some future day; the establishment of 8 library to which he donated several years salary; the opening of Calvary cemetery on the | Cheshire road; the organization of branch of the St Vincent de Paul society to look after the wants of the poor of the parish, and various other works which attest the energy of Father Mulcahy are the products of.his labor in the parish.
 Father Mulcahy took an interest in edu- | cational matters and IS conceded to re one of the ripest scholars and most profound thinkers in the community. He was a member of the town school board from 1874 to 1876. In 1887 he was electe a
 member of the board of education and has served with distinction since, with the ex- ception cf the term of 1889 and 1890 when
 he was succeeded by the Rev Hugh Treanor of the Sacred Heart church. In 1891 he
 was elected president of the board and it
 has been generally admitted that under
 his ruling the meetings of the board have | been Inducted in a most impartial man. | ner and its deliberation productive of the
 best possible results for the pupils of the | public schools. For years Father Mulcahy
 has been telling the people of Waterbury
 of the need of additional High school fail | lIes' EEom Iuo klAtlOEm anu tuEouSu
 the press in season and out he kept the idea
 constantly before the people and
 the magnificent structure which the tax
 payers have voted to erect on East Main
 street may truly be said to be the outcome
 of his agitation.
 Father Mulcahy put himself in touch
 with the different clements in
 the city It was nothing unusual
 to hear of hIm talking on "A Visit to
 the Eternal City," before the pupils of the
 convent of Notre Dame on Monday even-
 ing. treating the members of the Catholic
 Literary association to 8 discourse on
 "Primeval Man" the following night, act
 ihg as chairman of the board of education
 on another afternoon, giving a short talk
 on Charity" to the members of the St
 Vincent de Paul society on other occasions. and not unfrequently he could be found
 discussing some society problem at a
 meeting of the A. O. H of which order he
 is chaplain, as he is also of the Catholic
 Literary association. In all these places
 his discourses were marked by caution and | it has been said of him that he has never
 been known to utter an intemp. rate or
 indescreet sentence in his life.
 DROWNED IN THE RIVER.