The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-14
ARCHBISHOP KENRICk..
Interesting Sketch of One of the Leading
Feel sia sites In the Catholic Church.


buried at st. Louis, Mo-. Wednesday,
was born in Dublin. Ireland. Aug. IL,
1906. He was educated in his native
country and. after finishing his theo-
logical course, was ordained priest
about 1880 He followed his brother to
the United States in 1888, and was ap-
pointed assistant pastor at the cathe-
dral in Philadelphia. Shortly afterward
he also took charge of the Catholic
Herald. and in 1895 he became pastor of
the cathedral parish. he was then made
president of the diocesan seminary, in
which he also filled the chair OF dog
matte theology, and he was next raised
10 the rank of vicar general of the do
cese, and accredited by Bishop Brute
as his theologian to the third privincial
council of Baltimore in 1887. Bishop Ro-
sati of st. Louis demanded the appoint
ment of a coadjutor in 1S41. and Father
Kenrick was chosen for the post. He
was consecrated bishop of Drasa in
partibus infidelium In Philadelphia on
Nov. 80, and succeeded DR.. Rosati as
bishop of st. Louis, Sept. 25 1913. Bish-
Cd Kenrick found his diocese in finan-
cial trouble and with a large quantity
of unimproved real estate, but, as a re-
suit of his efforts, Ii was soon freed
from debt. IT comprised, when he be-
came coadjutor, several states and ter
ritories, from which so many new sees
were formed that at present IL en-
braces only the Eastern part of Mis-
souri,. Bishop Kenrick gave a great i'm
petus to the work of building churches.
He delivered a series of lectures in ST.
Louis on the doctrines of his church.
founded a magazine called the Catholic
Cabinet, and established various
schools. In 1S47 st. Louis was created
an archiepiscopal see by Pope Piux TX.
and DR.. Kenrick became archbishop.
t., ha In hannaGfC from
relatives in Ireland that afterward ena-
bled him to carry out successfully his
plans for endowing charitable and 9TH
err institutions in st. Louis. During the
civil war the archbishop devoted his
energies to the relief of the wounded
of both sides. When, after the war. a
constitution was adopted by the state
of Missouri one of whose articles re-
quired all teachers and clergymen to
take a stringent oath, he forbade his
priests to do so, and the oath was after
forwards declared unconstitutional. In
the Vatican council he was one of the
ablest opponents Of the dogma of papal
infallibility; but, as his objection was
not to the truth, but of the opportune-
ness of his doctrine, he at once accept
ed II when it was defined. Archbishop
Kenrick introduced into his diocese nu-
merous religious orders, which have
charge of four industrial schools and
reformatories and IS parochial schools,
with 1880 pupils. The cemetery of st.
Louis, laid out by him, is one of the
finest on the continent. Among his
works are THE Holy House of Loret-
to; an Examination of the Historical
Evidence of Its Miraculous Transla-
ton" and anglican Ordinations. He
had been in feeble health for several
years, and about two and half years
ago Bishop John j. Kane of wheeling
w. Va, was elevated to the archbishop
ric and appointed coadJutor Last year
Archbishop Kenrick's mind failed, and
it. was necessary to remove him alto
gether.
At the time of Archbishop Kenrick's
removal it was claimed. but without
good foundation, that the pope still
harbored malice against him for his
part in the Vatican council 30 years
ago. At that time Archbishop Kenrick
led the American party I'm the strong
opposition that was made against dog
matte declaration of the papal infalli-
bility. 1t was believed by many that
the st. Louis metropolitan not only led
the opposition, but was the actual Gre
ator of IL. Many supposed that he was
uncompromisingly opposed to the mat
ter of the dogma itself. This, as was
afterward explained, was not the case.
What the archbishop fought was the
position that the tim was opportune for
making the infallibility doctrinal or
dogmatic. 1t was said at the time that
Archbishop Kenrick was In reality not
at all satisfied with the dogma itself,
and that the doctrine and not the mop
portuneness of it's declaration was the
true cause for his positive argument
against its adoption. The tight was I'M
successful and papal infallibility was
pronounced dogma of the church. AS
the declaration carried further contro-
versy out of the council and out OF the
church too, the archbishop, of course.
was compelled to submit. The split on
this most important matter in the coun-
ell, however, created no end of opinion
among the laity. But the archbishop
certainly disappointed those who be-
lieved he would hold to heretical opin-
ion. on his return he refused to speak
of II except from the pulpit of his ca
thedral This he did in the sermon he
delivered the first Sunday after his ar
rival. The substance of his speech was
Peter has spoken; l bow TO his word.
Yet the incident left a wide and deep
mark in the minds of many of the
faithful who could not see clearly the
fine distinction their teachers drew be-
tween the archbishop's disapproval of
the dogma itself and his disapproval OF
the timeliness of its dinnition. III the
teaching was good. ii was contended
what mattered time? III IL were true
then II would have no more of truth al
any later convocation or other time
The archbishop was very careful to de-
fine his position on the dogma and on
the definition of the dogma, but fol
many wears after that of the Vatican
council there was unrest in many Cath.
Ole minds. That the affair was by nc
means forgotten was demonstrated am.
ply by the very careful reference thai
was publicly made to ii on the occa
sion of the Jubilee of Archbishop Ken.
rick. about three years ago. The aged
prince OF the church quietly repeated
his former words. and said no more.
In all the years of his administrators
ne tolerated no discussion or appea
| from his decisions. When pastor
not liking his appointment would seel
| for a change. the old archbishop would
| saw: 81 have decided that" and tina
settled IL.
The people of his diocese wished q
give him a reception on the day OF hi
| Golden iuhilee and he fatty refused q