The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-23
PRIEST FIFTY=FTVE YEARS
DEATH OF FATHER LAWYER, STA
TONED IN NORTHWEST

special Correspondence of the Globe
SIOUX FALLS. S. d., Sept 2O-Fathe,
LAWYER. who died a few days ago at Al
exandria, was one of the most celebrated
Cathollc priests In the Northwest He
was ordained in 1916, ard had therefore
oeen priest for a period of fifty-five
years. When he was ordained there was
nut one archbishop in the country. and
only twelve or thirteen bishops He had
seen the church grow until one cardinal
fourteen archbishops, and eighty bishops
mad become necessary for the hundreds
ana thousands now members of the
church.
Francis Xavier LAWYER was born in
county Cavan, Ireland, June g. 1922 His
parents removed to Franklin county
New York, in 1924 He was intended for
the priesthood, and his education com
menced at an early date. The cradle of
the clergy st. Thomas seminary Bards-
town. KY, received him in 1886. He was
ordained subdeacon at the age of q
bis ordination to the holy PRIESTHOOD
Dec 70, 1915, at the age of %, was by
dlspensation from the pope, AMI he was
ordained by Bishop Flaget a man eeie-
brated in the history of the church He
was at once sent on missions, returning
IN lS41 to remain one year He was vice
president and manager of St Mary's
college, Marion, KY, for four years, and
AASAN q pOoAlAOll PISSlu0nl Oh Jn1Cr col
lege for four years. He took a short va
cation and was placed at Notre Dame
Ind. as master of discipline, where he
remained two years. He was then ap-
pointed superior to st. Plus seminary; in
Kentucky and remained a year At the
solicitation Of Bishop Luers he took
charge of the church at Laporte, Ird.,
remaining from 1859 to 1870
From there he went to Eogansport and
remained eight Years r,aStOr
health failed and his physician ordered
him to leave the country at once He
then went to Kansas, where ne officiated
as priest at Lawrence and other places
Bishop Marty and Mgr Lawler always
were warm friends. and when the former
was appointed vicar apostolic of Dakota
in 1880, arrangements were made with
Mgr. l1awler and Father Willard to come
to this portion of the Northwest which
they did early in 1881. Mgr LawIer
served in various capacities, but more
especially as superintendent of the Yank-
ton Indian school, until December. 1854.
when he removed to Alexandria Tss
first charge in the then territory of Da-
kota was at Emmett, Union county, and
| it was at that place that he chose to
be buried.
Mgr. LAWYERS golden jubilee was cell
ebrated- in the church of Our Lady of
Mercy at Alexandria, Wednesday, May
20, 1896, on which occasion he was in
vseted with the insignia of MS office Of
monSeigneur and domestic prelate to
his holiness Pope Leo XIII. Beside the
above he was vicar general of South Da-
| kota and one of the deans of the do
eese- He was man of great influence
| in the church, and his worth was recoe-
nized by all the members of the clergy.
During - Illness, when he realized thai
| the end was near, word was sent TO w
members of his congregation that he
| wished to see each before he died They
came by the hundreds. The old NAH and
| his wife, the aged and feeble. the mid
| dle-aged couples whom he had married,
| the children he had baptized and chris
| tened many fast approaching manhood
| and womanhood-an ever constant
/. stream. He saw each. called each hv
| name, and gave each his blessing No
one who was there will ever forget the
| last day on earth of Father Jawler
During the funeral grafton. which was
| delivered by Bishop O'Gorman, of Sioux
Falls, every business place in Alexandria
was closed as mark of respect to the
dead priest.