The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-19
REV. FATHER C. F. THOMAS.
Who May BE Made Roman Catholic
Bishop of savannah.

No confirmation has been received here
of the report that Rev. Cornelius f..
Thomas, rector Of the Baltimore Cathe-
dral. would shortly receive the appoint
ment to the vacant bshopric of Savan-
nah. Vicar General Kelley the admins
traitor Of the diocese is Ill with the grip
in New York, and no one here has any
Information on the subject.
While The preference of Savannahians
generally is for Vicar General Kelley, sat
isfaction was expressed among prominent
Catholics that II the appointment was 70
go to some one else. that so eminent nn
ecclesiastic as Rev. Father Thomas should
have been selected. The latter has been
for the last six or seven years rector OF
the Baltimore Cathedral, and in this ca
pacity has naturally been brought I'm close
touch with Cardinal Gibbons and other
digntaries of the church. He has been
prominently mentioned from the FIRST and
there is no doubt of the fact that his name
was among the number sent on to Rome.
According to the custom of the Catho-
lie Church, the consultors of the diocese
first obtained the views of the clergy OF
the diocese and then agreed upon three
names to be forwarded to Rome. In like
manner, the bishops of the province met
and agreed upon three names. The two
lists may have contained six different
names or some names may have been on
both lists. 1t is practically certain that
Father Thomas name was upon the list
sent by the bishops, and II is possible that
1T was also upon the list forwarded by the
consultors, as he is well known and es-
teemed in this diocese. Father Kelley
name was undoubtedly upon the consult
ors' list, but no intifna ton mas been given
as to whether or not it was included in
the list made up by the bishops.
Rev. Father Kennedy, assistant pastor
at the Cathedral is acquainted with
Father Thomas. the latter having been a
member of the graduating class at the
ST. Charles College in Howard county,
Maryland, in 1878, when Father Kennedy
entered that institution. After leaving st.
Charles, known as the Petit Seminaire of
the Sulpitians, where he spent six years,
Father Thomas entered st. Marys, or the
Grand Seminaire of the same order, in
Baltimore, where he spent five years, and
graduated with high honors as a theolo-
gical scholar After leaving the Grand
Seminary he became assistant rector of
ST. Stephens Church. at Washington, D.
c.. and was later pastor of the suburban
parish of Mount Washington, near Balti-
more. From the latter charge he was
transferred to the Baltimore Cathedral as
assistant rector, and upon the appoint
ment OF the rector, Rev. p J. Donehoo,
to the blshoporic of Wheeling, w. Va. in
1894, Father Thomas was made rector,
which position he has since filled.
Father Kelley has been absent about
three weeks. "A letter received from him
by Father Kennedy, written last
Tuesday stated that he had intend
ed leaving for Savannah the Sat-
urday before but having been at
tackled with the prevailing disease in
New York at present, he was compelled to
forego this intention. There was nothing
in the letter to indicate that Father Kei-
ley's illness was of a serious nature.