The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-14


Let us ever hold in benediction the
memories of those men. All honor to
those few, self-sacrihcing and faithful
priests whose counsel to their people
to be law abiding, no matter how gross
and veXatious the prOVocatiOn, was
scrupulOuSly obeyed. With deep venera-
ton and gratitude we acknowledge this
morning, standing over the mortal re-
mains of their brother priest and CO.
laborer in the vineyard Of Jesus Christ,
the good that the priests OF forty and
fifty years ago bequeathed to us
worthy examples of honest priestly life,
true devotion to the duties of their
sacred calling, and loyal allegiance to
the government of their adopted coun-
try.
We come now to the most interesting
portion Of Father Cuddihys life, his
long and successful pastorate in Mil
ford. Here | feel that it might be proper
for me to bring this address to a close.
Are we not in the presence of and sur
rounded on all sides by the grand and
enduring monuments of his zeal, and do
they not tell more forcibly than any
human tongue the true character of the
faithful pastor who now lies cold in
death, and around whose bier are
I
children? Yet it is meet that l should
speak a word Of tribute this morning
| to the worth and zeal Of Father Cud-
daily as you, his beloved people Of Mil
ford. have known him.
On the death of the lamented Father
Farrelly in 1857, the bishop appointed
Father Cuddihy to take charge Of this
important parish, which then embraced
not only Milford, but also the towns Of
/ ~
boro, Cordayille and Ashland. Like
every true pastor he ever kept before
| his mind the solemn injunction of holy
writ: Look to yourselves and to all
the flock" He came here that he might
bring souls to Christ, and be himself
| sanctified by living a priestly life. The
great mental activity and constant
earnestness of Father Cuddihy never
kept him from attending to the saliva
ton of his own immortal soul. This was
the most serious thought of his daily
life. Never did he lose sight of the
divine character Of the priesthood with
it's sacred duties and responsibilities
No priest could be more faithful and
exact in the recitation of the divine
| office, and as long as he was able, he
stood every morning at the altar to
offer the holy sacrifice of the mass for
his people. Long too, even after he had
reached his eightieth year it was a. great
pleasure to him to visit the sick Of
his parish. who We're always conSoled
and encouraged by his kindly words.
What struck me as The special ten
dency of his priestly character was his
constant solicitude for the Christian
education Of the children of his parish
With the assistance of the reverend ia
theirs associated with him, he studied
| diligently in every possible way, to
make the Sunday school a success. He
was thoroughly in earnest, and like
many another honest pastor, he saw
too many advantages in the state
schools to warrant him in imposing on
his people and himself the heavy bur-
den of the expense and care of a pa
rochial school. Great indeed, are the
advantages and splendid the opportu-
mites that are offered to the children
and youth of our state in it's public
schools. as far as instruction to fit them
| for this world goes. These schools are
good, but the pity is that they stop
| just here below. and are not permitted
to educate the child for the life to
come, for God its maker. The paroch-
ial school of this parish is a lasting
monument OF Father Cuddihy's pas
toral zeal for the secular and spiritual
education of your children, and WILL 1
am sure, be all the more appreciated
by you from the fact that he would
never have put this burden on your
faith and honor did he not fear to
stand before his eternal Judge with
this grave duty unfulfille1. He could
not have done otherwise with the
warning words of the prophets before
him: Woe to you pastors of Israel and
priests of the Lord, who, instead of
conducting the people into the paths
of truth and justice, lead them into
precipices. Are not the fiocks fed by
the pastors? You have not labored to
fortify the weak, TO heal the sick. to
bind up the wounds of the intirm. You
have neglected to bring back the
strayed sheep, and to go in search Of
those that were lost, so that my flock
has become a prey to the wild beasts
of the field, through your fault. Woe,
therefore, be to We, o pastors of Israel
and priests of the Lord"
The oldest members of this parish can
well remember the frame church that
Father Cuddhy found here when he
you. Compare that with the one in
which he ends forever his pastoral
charge over you, this grand and mas
sive stone temple built by his efforts
and your cooperation, and say if any
other man could have done better. His
intense restless activity for the relig-
ious welfare Of the faithful entrusted
to his charge, is now stilled il death;
but his works remain with you,-a
church, school and a cemetery that
the diocese Of Springfield may well be
proud of.
What cannot be said of very few men
may well be said of Father Cuddihy;
he was as brave as a lion and as gem
tie as a lamb. His manly and indepen-
dent character took its life food from
an humble heart. True independence
is not pride, and Father Cuddihy was
anything but a proud man.
Indeed l will say that L have sell