Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-03
BISHOP 7. A. RECKER DEAD
Passed Away Saturday Night,
After a Brief Illness.
WAS A NOTED CAT HOLIC PRELATE
First Bishop of the Diocese OF
Wilmington.


Bishop Thomas A. Becker of the
diocese Of Savannah died at Washing
ton, Ga, Saturday night. He went to
Washington recently, to take charge of
the summer school during tho absence
of Father Riley, who is in Europe.
The bishop was taken seriously i'll last
Thursday Father Kelley, formerly of
this city but now Of Savannah, ad.
ministered the last rites. The end was
peaceful.
Bishop Becker's funeral took place
Monday morning. The services were
held in st. Patrick's Church, Savannah.
Bishop Becker was born in Pitts
burg, Pa, December Both, 1882, of
German Protestant parents. Having
joined the Catholic Church, he began
a course of theological studies prepara-
tory to embracing the priesthood. He
was associated with Cardinal Gibbons
at tho cathedral in Baltimore when
they both were priests and before this
country had q cardinal. Father Becker.
as he was then called, was about 30
years old. He had originally been q
Presbyterian, but while on visit to
Rome had become SO impressed with
the services Of the Catholic Church
that he Joined Ii and entered the
Propaganda College, in Rome, to study
for the priesthood. He was ordained
by Cardinal Patriza in 1862, and re-
turned to this country and took charge
of mission at Martinsburg, W. Va.
He was soon removed to Baltimore,
where he became secretary to Arch
bishop Spaldins. AT the time of his
conservation as bishop he was
assistant to Bishop .McGill, at st.
Peters Cathedral, Richmond, Va.
Father Becker had been succeeded as
secretary to Archbishop Spalding by
Father Gibbons in 1866.
On August 18th, 1868, they were
both consecrated bishops, Bishop
Becker was given the new diocese Of
Wilmington, Del, and Bishop Gibbons
that of North Carolina. At this time
Bishop Becker had apparently the best
claim for preferment, for, while the
diocese Of Wilmington was new, it was
opulent; the diocese of North Caro-
lima, on the other hand, being very
roor. Indeed. it is said that there
were at that time only seven Catholic
priests in the State of North Caro-
lima. Archbishop Sralding showed no
preference, but installed them on sue
cessive Sundays-o ut Wilmington,
Del, and the other at Wilmington,
N. @.
In October, 1860, the pope sum-
moned the Ecumenical Council of the
Vatican, and Archbishop Spalding
took with him Bishop Gibbons, while
Bishop Becker remained at home to
administer in the absence of the arch
bishop. Thus, for the space of year,
Bishop Becker had charge of the re-
ligious services of the see of Baltimore,
and the impre sion became current that
ut some future time he would be made
the archbishop. From the return of
Archbishop Spalding, in 1870, until
his doath, in 1872, Bishop Becker was
called upon frequently to assist HIM,
and was present at his death, Bishop
(now Cardinal) Gibbons was at this
time in Richmond, Va, where he had
gone to assist and afterward succeed
Bishop MoGill, retaining at the same
tina the SEQ of North Carolina. He
kept up his relations with the arch
bishop, however, and on his death was
a candidate, with Bishop Becker, for
his position.
To the surprise OF all, it was found
from Rome the appointment OF his
personal friend, the Right Rev. James
Roosevelt Bayley, bishop of Newark.
N. j., as his successor. The install
latinn of Bishop Bayley. as archbishop
OF Baltimore, took place in October,
| 1872. and week later he installed
Bishop Gibbons as bishop of Rich
mond. The friendship which sprung
up between the two at that time never
cooled, and before Archbishop Bayley
died he had Bishop Gibbons appointed
his coadiutor. in August. 1877. TIVE
months later Bishop Gibbons succeeded
him. This closed the friendly rivalry
between the two bishops, which had
lasted for over 10 years. From that
time on Bishop Becker had always
been of inferior rank to the cardinal,
although it has made no difference il
their personal relations.
One of the principal causes why
Bishop Becker was not chosen, instead
of Bishop Gibbons, to succeed Arch
bishop Bayley was the formers cele'
brated dispute with the Jesuits of the
Eastern Shore Of Maryland. In 1871
the Rev. Edward Henchy, s. j., rector
of the Queenstown church, in Queer
Anne's county, became involved in a
dispute with his provincial, the Very
Rev. Joseph E. Keller, S. J. Father
Henchy resigned from the Jesuits ant
entered the secular priesthood, being
retained by Bishop Becker at QueonS
town. The action Of Bishop Becker il
taking sides with Father Henchy pre-
cipitated trouble with the Jesuits o.
the Eastern Shore of Maryland, an6
vexatious litigation followed, which
resulted in an appeal to Rome. The
matter was finally settled by the
Jesuits resigning all their missions
and property in the Wilmington
diocese, except those of Cecil county,
which they still retain, into the hand,
of Bishop Becker.
In 1886, some years after this trouble
with the Jesuits had been finally
settled, Bishop Becker succeeded thu
Rt. Rev. William Henry Gross as
bishop of Savannah, the latter having
been made archbishop of Oregon.
Bishop Becker was succeeded in tht
diocese of Wilmington by Bishop
Curtis, aud the latter by Bishop
Monaghan. bishop Becker labore6
with great success in this diocese
and it was largely due to his effort;
that St. Paul's, Sacred Heart, st
Patrick's and ST. James Churches
were built. He was the founder of thu
protectory at Reybold.
Bishop Becker was one of the mos
erudite men in the hierarchy, being
especially noted as linguist. Durini
the Civil War, he was prominent il
the Valley OF Virginia. Having beer