Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-30
BISHOP CURTIS TO RETIRE
Will Soon Withdraw From the
Catholic Eplscopacy.
RELIEVED AT HIS OWN REQUEST
Not Yet Determined Who viii
IA Succeed Him.
His Age. the Failure. Of His Throat ana
tho Laboriousness of His Duties the
Reasons Given for His Retirement = His
Plans for the Future Not Perfected.

The Pope has consented to relieve
Bishop Curtis of the charge of the dio-
cese of Wilmington, which he has held
for nearly 10 years. The bishop will
continue in charge until his successor
arrives, which may not be for months.
Bishop Curtis was seen by reporter
OF The Gazette Wednesday afternoon
and asked in regard to report that he
had resigned. AS to that report he
said that in the church bishop cannot
resign he is subject to the action of
the Pope. The bishop went on to say,
however, that there was no use keep
Ing it secret any longer, that he had
been relieved. In January last, or
about that time, he had asked to be
relieved from the charge ON account of
his age and the righteousness of the
charge and on account of the failure of
his throat. Some weeks ago the Pope
consented to relieve him when his sue
cessor has been appointed and shall
have come to take charge. just when
that will be Bishop Curtis could not
say The bishop said that he had
hardly expected to remain in charge of
the diocese so long as he had. lie does
not know who the successor will be.
He had nothing definite to say regard
Ing plans for the future.
According to the Baltimore Sun "It
10 customary when see is vacant for
the clergy of the diocese to send to
Rome the names Of three persons whom
they deem worthy of the position
From these names the Pope may or
may not select bishop 1t is BY no
means certain that the future bishop
will be selected from among the clergy
Of the diocese. When the see of Wheel
ing was made vacant by the promotion
e Of Archbishop Kain, Rev. p j. Dona.
hue Of Baltimore, was appointed in his
place. -
The fact that Bishop Curtis asked
to be relieved instead Of asking for the
appointment of coadiutor Is looked
upon by the Sun as lending color to
the belief that he will not remain in
the diocese.
The Right Rev. Alfred Ambrose
Curtis was born IN Somerset county,
Nd. in 1883. In 1854 he began to
study for the Protestant Episcopal
ministry. He was ordained deacon
in 1856 and sent to st. Johns parish,
Worcester county. He was ordained a
priest by Bishop Wittingham in 1859
and went to Catoctin Furnace parish.
Accepting call to st. Luke's Church,
Baltimore, he remained there until
1864, when be went to Chestertown.
He was called to Mt. Calvary Church,
Baltimore, the same year and remained
there until 1870.
I, In 1871 he went to England and was
,eceived into the Roman Catholic
Church by Cardinal Newman. Upon
his return he studied at st. Mary's
Seminary and was ordained by Arch.
bishop Bayley in 1874. He was ap.
pointed the archbishop's secretary and
assistant at the cathedral. After j
years of work there he was created
bishop Of. Wilmington to succeed
Bishop Becker. He was consecratet
bishop on Novem her 14th, 1866, in the
cathedral at Baltimore by Cardina
Gibbons, assisted by Bishop Ryan o.
Philadelphia, Bishop Becker anG
Bishop Moore of Florida.
The diocese of Wilmington comprises
Delaware and the Eastern Shores O
Maryland and Virginia. 1t contains 81
churches, 12 stations and five chapels
besides schools, eeminaries and asy
y