Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-10
REV WILLIAM A. HARTY.
Death of the Rector of St Mary's Par . ish in New Britain.


 AIary's parish, New Britain, died at the parochial residence on Main street in that city yesterday morning at 1.1O o'clock. He had been ill for three weeks, having been taken with liver trouble. His condition for the past week had been considered serious, but on Friday and on Saturday he showed signs of improvement and his condition was not considered criti- cal. Dr Janeway, the celebrated spe- cialist of New York, was summoned early in the week, but was detained in New York and could not go to New Britain. He was expected to arrive today.
 About 6 o'clock Saturday evening alarming symptoms developed and Father Harty began to sink at 3 o'clock. He remained conscious un- til the last, passing away q few min utes after 1 o'clock. At 12 o'clock a message was sent to Hartford for Sis ter Alphonsus, his sister. She drove to New Britain in q carriage, arriving just before Father Harty died. He greeted her with smile, and his last words were: "The last struggle has come. I am ready to meet it like q man and Christian. Gods will, not mine, be done" A moment later he died.
 Early in the morning a telegram was sent to his brother, Thomas A. Harty of Torrington, and an unsuc- cessful attempt was made to notify Bishop Tierney at the episcopal resi- denee. The last sacrements of the church were administered to Father Harty Saturday night
 The sad news came as a great shock to the people of New Britain yester- day, as it had been reported that Father Harty was on the road to re- covery. Rev Father O'Connor an- nounced to the congregation at the East Main street armory the news of the death of their beloved pastor. He told of his gallant struggle against his sickness and the manly resignation with which he at last faced the inev- itable. Many of the congregation were in tears.
 The funeral services will be held Tuesday morning, the remains being taken to Torrington for burial.
 Rev William A. Harty was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1S43. He came to this country with his father and mother at the age of five years. His parents made their home in Torrington and he received his early education in the schools of that town He later went to St Charles college, Baltimore, where he prepared for the priesthood. From college he went to Rome, where his education for his sa- cred office was continued and there he was ordained. He returned to this country and his first pastorate was in New Haven, where he acted as cur ate.
 Father Harty was engaged in his work in Hartford on two occasions and on both in connection with St Jo- seph's cathedral parish. He first came to this parish in 1880 and served as rector for two years He was then appointed to the parish in Newington and after remaining there for year he was assigned to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury. In 1884 he was again made the rector of St Joseph's parish, the appoint ment being made by Bishop NIcMahon For ten years, or until the contirma- tion of Bishop Tierney in 1894, he con- tinued in that parish. During his life in Hartford the cathedral was in process of construction and he was greatly interested in that work, while at the same time his labors bore fruit ill the development of the cathe- dral parish. During his term in Hartford the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Parkville was built and this has now become f1ourishing par ish.
 Upon the appointment of Rev Mi chael Tierney as bishop of the diocese he was appointed pastor of St Mary's church, New Britain, in 1894. Dur ing the eight years of his pastorate there he was an active and indefati- gable worker in the building up of the parish. The church debt was greatly reduced and the handsome new parochial residence built largely has a membership of 1000 During his pastorate the parish of St Joseph's church was formed from St Mary's parish.
 The destruction of the fine church of the parish recently was a great blow to Father Harty, but he quickly rallied and since that time, until his illness, worked heroically to raise funds for new edifice.
 Father Harty was student of rare ability and an orator of no mean dis tinction. As an expounder of Cath olic philosophy and a deep and origin al thinker he had few equals among the clergy of the state. United with his ripe scholarship he possessed ex- ecutive ability to an exceptional de- gree, managing the manifold affairs of his parish with a master hand He was greatly beloved not scnly by his congregation but by all those with whom he came into immediate contact. His death is a loss not only to his church but to the town Of New Brit ain. i'll whose affairs he took an active and intelligent interest
 Throughout his life ill the priesthood Father Harty was earnest and zealous iii his calling. His tastes were as cetic and he was well informed in as- cetical writings. At the same time his life was thoroughgoing and in his parish he was beloved by all. He held several offices besides those con- nected with parish works. He was a member of the board of clerical ex- aminers and was also one of the bish- ops consulters. One of the duties of the last named office is to vote for the successor to a deceased bishop.
 Rev Father Harty leaves two brothers and two sisters. The broth CTS are Rev Andrew Harty, now trav- cling in Europe, and T A. Harty of