Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-03-25

which was then the only metropolitan
province Of the United States; all the
bishops in this republic being SUI
fragan prelates of its incumbent. To-
day, when there are fourteen metro
politan provinces in the country, it
may appear rather odd that but one
province existed from April, 1903, I'M
til May, 1886; and yet such is an his
torical fact The See of Baltimore had
been founded as a simple bishopric it
self on November 6, 1889, at which
time the Catholics of the United States
belonged, nominally speaking, to the
Bishop of London's jurisdiction;
though the English prelate never Wis
tied these shores.
Following the close of the American
revolution in 1884, native priest OF
Maryland, Father John Carroll, was
appointed local superior of the Cath
Ollie Church in this country, who, five
years later, became first Bishop Of Bal
timore. 1t is by reason of this found
alton that the Baltimore See takes pre-
cedence among all others; since it not
only ante-dates the rest as a simple
bishopric, but likewise as an arch
diocese; having become metropolitan
See, April s, 1S08-a position which it
held alone under the starry flag until
ST. Louis, Mo-, rose to similar rank
after the council of 1916.
Rev. Richard Vincent Whelan was
conversant with the glorious traditions
of his native archdiocese, when Arch
bishop Eccleston, who ruled its desti-
MES from 1884 until 1851, brought his
name prominently forward as a candi-
date for the vacant bishopric of Rich
mond at the fourth provincial council
of Baltimore, held in May, 1910. The
See of Richmond had been founded as
far back as 1920, but owing to its
scanty resources the prelate first ap-
pointed to govern it, Ri. Rev. Patrick
Kelly, D. D., resigned his Office less
than two years after assuming its in
cumbency, and for twenty years after
wards, it remained but nominal do
cese, administered in turn by Drs.
Marechal, Whitfield and Eccleston,
successfully Archbishops of Baltimore.
At length, however, in 1910, the pre-
lates of the land deemed it opportune
to place another incumbent at Rich
mond. and, acting on DR.. Ecclestons
suggestion, Father IWhelan received
it's mitre and crozier. His consecra
ton occurred at the Baltimore Cathe-
dral on March 81, 1S41-just SO years
ago last Wednesday-and without de-
lay he repaired to the field of labor
assigned him.
To trace his ministry in Virginia and
West Virginia from 1S41 until 1874,
would fill more pages than the reporter
has paragraphs available. Suffice it to
say, that after he had planted the en-
blem of redemption firmly in the soil
of his diocese and made his name a
household word within it's boundaries,
he relinquished the crozier of Rich
mond into another prelate's hands and
became Weddings first bishop on July
10, 1850. The pastor that succeeded
him at Richmond was Rev. John Nc
Gill, D. D., Vicar-general of Louisville,
KY, who ruled the See until his death
in January, 1872, and whose success
ors, in turn, have embraced Drs. James
Gibbons, (now Cardinal-Archbishop of
Baltimore) John Joseph Keane and
Augustine Van de Vyver, the present
incumbent.
When Bishop Whelan entered
Wheeling as it's Catholic superior for
the first time. in the fall of 1850, he
was no stranger to the older settlers;
for, as Bishop of Richmond, many Of
them had known him in other days,
and all alike were grateful that such
a self-sacrifieing pastor had concluded
to live among them. During quarter
of century this heroic man of God
moved through the See of Wheeling
like an Apostle, planting monuments
of love and mercy upon every side and
endearing himself to thousands ev-
erywhere. He was not an eloquent or
ator, whose words could entrance list
ening multitudes; but the expeditions
way in which he was always able to
cheer the hearts of those who mourn
ed and uphft churches shrines and in
situations heaven-ward, is indelibly
traced on the annals of the See.
St. Joseph's Cathedral, Wheeling, is
his noblest monument, where through
changing seasons some of the children
whom he baptized in the long ago;
some of the twains he joined in we'd
lock and whose departed kindred he
aided to a bright eternity, yet breathe
his name with reverence and love-
This stately church contains the chair
on which he sat and the altar at which