Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-31
FATHER D'BRUYcKER DEAD.
Church Bells Tolled When the End
 Came Last Evening.

Game Last Evening.
 Willimantic Dec 31.-Rev Florimond De Bruycker, rector of St Joseph's Roman Catholic church of this city, died at 9:45 last night after an illness of some length, and the church bells immediately were tolled to announce his death. At the bedside when lie died were the local clergy, Father Magnell and Father Arthur De Bruy- cker, Rev Father Coppens of New Britain. the members of the house. hold. Dr Weldon, the physician, Mother Cecilienne and SisterM Pharsilla of the Convent of Our Lady of Lourdes of Willimantic and few parishionecs. His last words were spoken Monday night on tie occasion of a visit by bishep Tierney. and these were Happy, happy He leaves one broth CT, Theophile De Bruycker, mcr- chant in Brussels. and one sister, Madame Feiieipe of Nuscrome, Bel gium. The funeral will se held Fri day at 10 o'clock.
 Father De Bruycker was born in Ghent. Belgium. October O. 1882. His early training was received 1t the hands Of the Jesuits in his native city. He made his humanities at the College Of St Nicholas, and his theology in the diocesan seminary of Ghent. On December 20, 1856, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop DelDecue in Ghent and was later assigned as a curate in one of the parishes in the vi- cinity, which curacy he left to accept a profcssorship in the college of Cram mont. In 1860 be went to the Ameri- can college of Louvain, became it's first vice-rectOr and occupied the chair Of Holy Scrlpure deroting himself to the work of preparing seminarians for missionary work in the United States. F He left Antwerp for Liverpool, Eng land, August i. 1862. While engaged In giving missions in the latter city he was. prevailed upon by Bishop McFar- land of Hartford to accompany him to America and on November of the same year he sailed for this country and located in Providence, R. I. Al ter attending for six months to the spiritual wants of the French and German population of Connecticut and Rhode Island. which two states then formed the diocese of Hartford. he was on May il, 1868, assigned by Bishop Mcfarland to the NVillimaHtic parish and, missions, where he had since remained as pastor.
 At that time the parish comprised the missions of Baltic, South Coven- try and Stafford Springs, Baltic being only twelve mile and Stafford Springs twenty miles distant from the mother church. It is worthy of note that for many years after Father De Bruycker was assigned to the Willimantic sta tion and missions, all of Holland coun- ty, aside from Rockville and Bolton. and all of Windham county with the exception Of Putnam. Danielson and Moosup, were depend ent on him for spiritual administra- tlon. His work in those early days was of peculiarly exacting and ardu- ous character, but it was always per formed with that untiring energy and fervid zeal which are characteristics of his race. He celebrated mass ev- cry Sunday in Willimantic and on all ternate Sundays at Stafford Springs and Baltic, not infrequentIy setting out for his mission points at ? or o'clock Sunday morning. The amount of zeal and energy exercised by labor like that and the fatigue and exhaustion resulting from it can be readily esti- mated when it is understood that the priests of the Roman Catholic church observe an absolute fast from mid night until after the celebration of mass, notwithstanding the fact that numerous calls for other parish work may have to be responded to in the in- tervening time.
 During the extension of the New York & New England railroad it was his practice to meet the Iaborers at the end of their days work, preaching to them, administering to their spiritual needs, passing the night in their little shanties, and celebrating mass for them in the morning, never dismissine them without effective instruction During this period, in addition to his regular parish and mission work, he devoted whatever time he could spare to the spiritual wants of the French and German Roman Catholics of Rhode Island and Connecticut. and at that time being the only priest in the two states who spoke the German lan- guage he was the first priest in the dio. cese who administered to the spiritual wants of the German Roman Catholics OA LuC utOCGSS.
 Father De Bruycker's scholarship was apparent in the framing of the diocesan statute of the second and third diocesan synods held under Bishop Galberry and Bishop McAiahon, when he was twice chosen as secre- tary. He held positions of trust and honor under Bishop McMahon, being member of the board of examiners of the clergy and the bishops council. Under Bishop Tierney he received of flcial recognition by appointment to the same places of trust In Eecem- Der, 1881, he celebrated the silver i,l- bilee of his ordination. to the priest hood, and in May, 1888, the silver iu- bilee of his pastorate, on both of which occasions he received marks of high esteem from clergy and laity Tn civ il life Father De Bruycker always stood for what he believed was for the best for the community. He had been for several terms a member of the town school board and his worth as an educational factor ill tue commun- ity was always conceded
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 Aged newspaper Man Dead.
 VALPARAISO, Ind, Dec. 31.-