The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-18
HIS VOICE GONE.
Result of a Surgical
Operation on Rev.
J. f. Mundy.
HOLY CROSS GRADUATE.
One of the Most Effective
Preachers in the
State.

Word has just been received from
Bellevue hospital, New York, that the
Rev. John F. Mundy of St Mary's par
ish, Cambridge. who is regarded as one
Of the most effective preachers among
the clergy of the archdiocese of Boston,
has almost wholly lost his power Of
speech as the result of a surgical oper-
alton which he underwent on Friday
last.
The operation necessitated the remov-
al of portion of the PATIENTS tongue.
! While Father Mundys life is not de-
| SPARED Of at the present time, his ply
! sicians state that he is still in grave
| danger. They trust that his vigorous
! constitution will pull him through.
| Father Mundy is well remembered in
| Worcester He was born 80 years ago
in county Armagh, Ireland. He was
| brought to Quincy, Mass, while in his
| infancy. In this place he was educated
in the public schools, after graduating
| from which he entered and matriculat-
| ed from Holy Cross college, Worcester.
Among his classmates at this latter in
stitution was the Rev. Dr. Thomas j.
| Conaty, president of the Catholic uni
versity of America at Washington, be-
!
has at all times existed the warmest
! friendship.
For some time past Father Mundy
! has been a sufferer from growth in his
| throat and on the back portion of his
! tongue. The trouble, it is said, origin
! ated from an liberated tooth His con-
| dit!on finally became so alarming that
his physician, DIR. Eugene Mccarthy of
Cambridge advised his entering Belle
| hnGnitn1 II
treatment. His condition was not
known outside a small circle of friends
in fact, his parishoners did not know
| that he was in the hospital until the
news of the result of the operation
spread rapidly through Cambridge yes
| terday.
The physicians at Bellevue hospital
state that Father Mundy's power of
speech has been irreparably impaired
for life. The news of the clergyman s
misfortune has come as a severe shock
TO many especially to those who have
known him intimately during the quar-
ter of century of his life Of usefulness
in Cambridge.
Father Mundy is one of the best
| known clergymen in the diocese. For
over a quarter OF century he has la
| bored zealously at ST. Marys parish
| Cambridgeport a dozen years ago h
u,
but so much was his heart and sou
buried in the work of ST. Marys, Cam
bridge, which is one of the best estab.
hshed and most flourishing parishes ir
the country, that he resigned his pas
torate and returned to serve as curatt
under the Rev. Thomas Scully.
1t is generally admitted in Cambridge
that in conjunction with FIR. Scully
FIR. Mundy helped vastly to make no.
Ia u,
hand with clergymen of the Protest
ant denominations, these two laboret
zealously in the cause of temperance.
FIR. Mundy has always been an ad.
mirer of manly sports, and his zeal anC
interest in them has been of manifold
benefit to the Cambridgeport gymna-
SUM, which is one of the parish insti-
buttons, and which has produced sew
eral athletes of national celebrity, in
| Guiding Joe" Kelley, the famous left
fielder of the Brooklyn nine
! With his well-known and energetic
! pastor, FIR. Scully, FIR. Mundy is among
| the pioneers in the founding and de-
veloping Of parochial schools in New
England. When FIR. Scully and FIR
! Mundy, rs years ago, first attempted
the establishment of a parochial schoo
in St. Mary's parish, Cambridge, the
opposition which they encountered on
| t4&C PehA I VI lllFii petilSultleIS was dD-
| palling. The situation grew so serious
| so powerful were the opponents of the
clergymen, that ST Mary's church was
threatened with financial embarrass-
ment. The controversy reached such
a stage that it attracted the attention
| of the press far and wide, even outside
of New England. The ringleaders were
finally attacked openly from the pulpit
and were later elected bodily from the
church, which resulted in their perma-
n2nt withdrawal from st. Mary's par
| ish.
FIR Mundy was ordained at LIE
Grande seminary Montreal, in 1872
shortly after which he took up his la
bors as curate in st. Marys parish,
Cambridge. With the exception of one
year, his life since ordination to the
priesthood has been spent in the par
ish.
Two years ago his silver jubilee was
celebrated by the parishioners. During
this celebration he was presented with
a substantial testimonial, which, it is
said. he Immediately distributed among
the poor and needy of the parish to the
very last cent.