Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-11-10
NEWS.
BISHOP DE GOESBRIAND
Death OF Oldest Roman Catholic Bishop
in the United States.

Had Been at tho Head OF the Diocese OF
Burlington since 1888 and Was or
dained 70 the Priesthood 80 Years
Ago.
The Right Reverend Louis De Goes
BRAND, the venerable bishop of the Roman
Catholic diocese of Burlington, died at Bur
lington Friday evening He was the old
est Roman Catholic bishop in the United
States being SO years of age and having
been ordained 80 years. He was born at
St Urban, in the diocese of Juniper, in
the Catholic province of Brittany, France.
He was ordained to the priesthood in Paris
July 10, 1910, by the Ri. Rev, DR.. Rosati,
bishop of st. Louis, and, devoting himself
to the American mission, came to the
diocese of Cincinnati, where he exercised
the ministry from September, 1S4O, to
October, 1S47. On the erection of the
diocese of Cleveland, Bishop Rape made
the Rev. Mr.. De Goesbriand his vicar gen
eral and rector Of his cathedral which
positions he discharged zealously until
1858 when he was ordained bishop in New
York by Cardinal Bedini. He was i'm
mediately made bishop of the newly erect
ed see of Burlington. Catholicity had
made slow progress in Vermont, although
French fort and chapel we're built on Isle
La Motto as early as 1866. When Bishop
De Goesbriand took possession of his see,
Nov. 6, 1853 there we're in the whole state
only eight churches and FIVE priests, and
not school or an institution of any kind.
With his experience in the West Bishop
De Goesbriaud began the work of building
up diocese with all the zeal of chivalric
French priest. In 1860 there were 30
churches and 10 priests in the diocese of
Burlington. The next decade showed an
increase of Catholic population to "a, 900,
with 3S churches and % priests. In the
next 10 years the population had increased
steadily, the Catholic baptisms in 1888 be-
ing 2037 out of 1880 births in the state.
In the year the churches had nearly dou-
bled, numbering II in 1884, with 81 priests
and 10 pqrochial schools with 2S46 pupils
| On July II, $780, the 50th anniversary of
the bishops ordination to the priesthood
was celebrated at Burlington. At that
time prominent people, Catholics and OF
other faiths, gathered to do honor to the
man who had by his sacrifices and loving
disposition built up the church in Vermont
and won the sympathy, respect and love OF
all who came in contact with him. At that
time he received message from the pope,
blessing the ceremonies, and from others
| ne TeCelVeu large anu Ndiuhplc kilts'
Bishop De Goesbriand in 1858 was in at
tendance at the session of the vatican
council in Rome, when a number of inn
portant questions in the Catholic faith came
under consideration. His next visit to the
pope was made in June, 1893. when he had
conference with Pope Leo XIII and was
honored in a manner that has never fallen
to any other bishop in this country He
was on his way to Jerusalem and while in
audience with the pope was promised one
of the links of the true chain of st. Peter
which is one of the most sacred of all the
possessions of the pope. Upon his return
from Jerusalem the link was presented Il
him and he brought it to Burlington
where it is now held as a sacred possession
It is the only link of the chain in this coun
try.
In 1892 Bishop De Goesbriand on &C
count of il-health requested that coad
jutor bishop be appointed. In accordance
with this request, on June 30 Rev. j. S
Michaud was appointed coadjutor anc
since that time Bishop De Goesbriand ha
done no active work in the diocese. Hi
last public appearance was at the time o
the international convention of tn
Catholic order of Foresters at Burlington
last June, when he reviewed the parad
from the porch of the episcopal residence