Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-28
FINEST IN THE SOUTH
CATHEDRAL WHICH THE cATHoLrc
CHURCH WILL ERECT IN THE
WEST END.
ALONG CHERISHED PROJECT.
erection OF This Edince Revive. u,.-
tory of the Bishopric.
THE CATHOLICS In VIRGINIA.
FIRST EccIesiastica1 Settlement, In
the Seventeenth Century. Duc IN
fhc Generosity of the First LORI
BsItimore-NotnbIe Men who H.v.
Been Connected with ST. Peters
Original Chapel on Church Hill,


Old st. Peters. which tells the story OF
early Catholicism in this State. is soor
TO be ovcrshadowed by magnificent edi.
ace IN the West End. and Catholic vir.
ginians. who for a score of years have
struggled TO secure funds 10 erect a new
cathedral are about to see their cherish.
ed wish realized through the muniticence
Of Mr.. Thomas +. Ryan, of New York
During the episcopate of Archbishop
Reane. the site was purchased and mat.
tcrs would have further progressed bu,
toT the lack Of funds. Bishop Van de
Fyver. the present bishop has at last the
means for accomplishing the end and has
how in his possession the plans and speci-
Hcadons furnished by the architect Mr..
Joseph MCGUIRE. Of New York 1t will be
the finest Catholic Church in the South
The cost will approximate a quarter of a
million dollars.
The Catholic Church in Virginia has had
many obstacles TO overcome. and it is
principally for this reason that she has
had such a struggle in securing money
10 support her missions. much less to
raise the amount necessary for a new
cathedral.
The First Settlement.
TO the first Lord Baltimore belongs the
credit OF an endeavor TO make a Catholic
settlement in Virginia. The charter of
Avalon granted in 1873, for a province in
New Foundland, where Catholics would
be allowed TO hold land and have their
churches, was his gift.
The climate of Avalon being too cold
fer Lady Baltimore, she sailed down to
the Chesapeake bay. and, charmed with
Virginia, persuaded her husband to petit
ton for d grant in this portion of the
country, which was accordingly done. but
uisunderstandings having arisen. infil-
ence was brought to bear which caused
the king TO revoke the charter.
Afterwards King James IL granted
Captain George Brent. with Richard
Foote, Robert Barstow and Nicholas Hay
ward. a patent in 1857. for free exercise
OF their religion without fear of moesta-
tion, according to the penal laws. in the
10000 acres of land between the Potomac
end the Rappahannocll. which was really
the first Catholic settlement in Virginia.
and the one from which the Catholic
Church in Virginia has sprung. The Sc
verify of the penal laws, and other diff
culties retarded the growth Of the settle
nent in Virginia. which. as late as 1920,
was included in the Maryland diocese.
Kelly the First Dishop.
July II. 1870. Virginia was dismembered
from the Baltimore diocese, and Rich
raond was appointed as the see of the
bishopic Rev. Patrick Kelly was ap-
pointed the first bishop of Virginia by
Plus VII The first bishop was then forty
years Of age. and president OF st. John
Seminary. Birchfield. Kilkenny, Ireland
He is described as a man OF colossal pro-
port s. great strength. pious. prudent.
NJ i,,fe
Ing and naughty. He received his bull
on August L, 1920, and was consecrated
on the 26th at St. James chapel by the
Most Rev Or. Troy. of Dublin, assisted
by Bishops Murray and Marum, the oath
Of allegiance to the king being one OF the
features of the occasion.
Bishop Kelly never lived in this city,
but resided in Norfolk and at that time
mass was said here in a hired building,
ts there was no chapel, and the Rev.
fames Walsh was designated to attend
.he souls in this city. Bishop Kelly was
removed to the bishopric of Waterford
Ind I.ismore in 1922, and died October s,
tS29
Chapel on Church EiN
On Church Hill, near Main and Twen-
tv-sixth streets, was located the hrst
CaHloIic chapel, which was afterwards
converted into a Presbyterian mouse OIL
worship. and finally a tobacco factory
was erected on the site. The next
bishop of Virginia was Bishop Wheian.
and in 1850 Bishop McGili, whose name
!s still dear to the heart of every Catho-
lie. arrived in the city to make his nome
here at St. Peters church, which had
been previously built by the Rev Tim
othy O.Brien. whose name is SO proIl-
aently linked with the early church in
Richmond
The baptismal register contains
records Of haptisms early as 1854 per-
formed at this church by Father
O'Bricn The church at this time was
considerably smaller than it is now, and
IN 1856 Bishop McGilf enlarged it by pull
Eng down the episcopal residence, which
was then a structure in the rear of the
church facing on Eighth street and
enlarging the church to its present pro-
portions.
The present episcopal residence. at so4
east Grace street. was purchased ana
became the home OF the bishops of the
Htshop McGiiHs Work.
Btshop McGil did much for the church
and established the McGlh Catnohc
Union which is now a fourishins or
ganization and will ever remain
monument to his memory. The remains
OF the beloved McGill We're placed unoer
the Cathedral, where they still lie. ana
a marble tablet In the 1alieoi di 4ioS
been erected to his memory
His Emipcnce, Cardinal. James 6ipoohs,
now q prince Of the church, succeeded
Bishop McGm, and the seed sown by his
predecessors quiclsened under the super
vision of the master hand of Bishop din-
bons Ii is safe to say that Bishop Hio
bons reclioned as many friends outsioe Oh
his fold as in his church. No one VINO
has ever had the honor of meeting the
Cardinal can have failed to be impress
ed with his gigantic intellect and mag
netic personality. Old age and YOUTH
rich and poor alike were captrated py
his charming manner, and TODAY ne
glands as one of the greatest factors III
the Catholic church OF America. Ills re-
fnogal to Baltimore was keenly felt ana
was only lritiaated by the appointment as
his successor of the now most Rev. Arch-
bishop of Dubuque, John Joseph keane.
At Home and Abroad.
Bishop Keane. as the Virginia Catho-
Hes love 10 call him, is considered one
Of the most brilliant men OF this age.
Born September. 1887, in Ballyshannon
county Donegal, ireland, he removed 10
this country when seven years of age
Completing his studies for the priest
hood at st. Marys Seminary. he was or
f<ned priest in 1866 and was consecrateo