Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-07-01
THE FAITHFUL PRIEST TO
SEVER HIS CON.
NECTION
With Richmond and St.
Mary'S PariSh...HiS Fail.
ing Health COmpels Him
To Rest and Then Seek a
Lighter Field of Labor.
His life.WOrk.

The announcement that the Rev,
Father ID. j. McMullen is about to
leave st. Mary's parish, and this
city, for good, will be received with
deep regret by all, not only parishon
ers but those outside of the faith.
He is good man, q man of force and
ability as well as character, and will
be distinct loss. He announced
yesterday in his morning sermon that
next Sunday S sermon would be his
last in this city. A representative
of the PALLADIUM called upon
him this morning to ask his reasons
for this decision if there were any.
81 did not at first expect to make
the separation final, he said. ''but
feel now that it must be so. l first
asked for leave of absence which was
granted for four months; then find
my health, or rather my strength, is
waning very fast and l thought had
better give up. l feel that 1t is nee
essary. do not exactly know where
| will go. will go west somewhere,
out in the woods, for a vacation, a
rest; then when | feel rested l shall
come back east and go to work again
wherever they send me. | expect to
resume active work again, but not so
much work as there is here
Being asked if be could not remain
here and have an assistant hesa:d:
mo, it would not be SO well.
There is only work here for one priest
and | am not equal to the burden.
Being asked who would take his
place he said that was not known yet.
This is a privileged parish-that is,
the priest who is appointed here is
appointed for life unless he resigns,
or is removed for cause. On that ac
count the priest here is selected with
great care. Those who desire to
come here must go through an ex-
animation that is known as the con-
cursus, being examined by the dio-
cesan board of examiners.
Who passes the examination mus,
be above certain standard and
from these the bishop will select the
one he regards as the most accepta
BILE. He is not bound to accept the
one who passes the highest examina-
ton, brit sclects the one he tefntsl
best for the parish.
Father McMullen said also 81 re-
greet very much to go, and feel that l
am leaving a good people; but l can
no longer do the work which my of
tice imposes on me. prefer to sacri-
flee my own comfort and wishes to
the good of the parish.
Father McMullen was born in Ire
land near Belfast, in 1888, and came
to this country with his parents when
ten years of age. He studied for the
priesthood in ST. Louis academy in
the city of ST. Louis and graduated
in 1867. After a year of private
study he was assistant for fifteen
months at st. Johns, Indianapolis,
then at Rushville for tour years. Tnen
he came here, in 1872, and has been
here ever since with the exception of
two years, from 1882 to 1884, which
he passed at Terre Haute. With his
work and its results here IL are ia
miliar. He found the parish $27 900 in
debt. They have since under his guild
ance practically built the ST. Mary
school and hall and the property
around it, at a cost of over s. 900;
spent a good deal of money ia beau
tifying the church; more than doubled
St. Mary cemetery and improved it
greatly; in fact, improved the church
property in every direction at much
expense, and still their debt has been
reduced to less than $1,000 The
parish membership, which was nall
when he came here, is now over 1000
and it's power in this community is
very considerable. Much of this is
due to Father McMullen' S wise man
agement and the firmness with which
be has held the reins. His silver
jubilee was celebrated here in 1892
and a testimonial to his worth and
the regard in which he is held hangs
on the walls of his study, reading:
'-Tu es Sacerdos in Aeternum.
Spiritual bouquet to our beloved
father, Rev. ID. j. McMullen from his
grateful children, lS76-lS92.
FIVE and twenty times the vintage
FOR thy Altar Cup hath bied,
And the ripeued She kf of su.umer
For the Host been .rvesIed,
And the years of priestly labor
Have their silver cycle run
lay their heavenly fruition
n, Mast arsS nr.1- Wall AZ