The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-01-05
DEATH COMES TO
BISHOP GULSTAN
THE END CAME SHORTLY AFTER
TEN O'CLOCK LAST NIGHT-HIs
CAREER.

CAREER.
The Right Rev. Gulstan F. Ropert,
Bishop of Panopolis and Vicar Apostle
lie of the Catholic Mission in the Ha-
waiian Islands, died last night at 1920
Early in the evening it became evident
that the night was to see the end of
his long struggle with death, and short
ly after six o'clock the dying prelate
relapsed into unconsciousness, passing
away peacefully without being able to
recognize the Fathers who were about
the bed. At six o'clock the bishop
whispered a benediction in Latin, at
the request of a priest who entered and
asked his blessing, but it was necessary
to lift his hands to enable him to make
the sign of the cross.
Surrounding the bedside were Pro-
Vincial Vicar Libert, Fathers Matthias,
Valentine, Sylvester, Senior A. de Souza
Canavarro, Brothers Willebrod, Sylves-
ter, Lawrence and Lappe and Mr.. Flyn,
DR.. Herbert being the physician in at
tendance.
Father Valentine has charge of the
preparations for the funeral and last
night decided upon the following to act
as pail bearers: +. A. Schaefer, S. NJ.
Damon, DR.. George Herbert, John Ena,
f. w. Macfarlane, j. f. Eckardt, John
Hughes and Brother Bertram There
will be a special meeting of Damien
Council, Y. NJ. 1. this evening at 1880
in San Antonio hall and of the Catholic
Benevolent Union at the hall of the
Society at the same hour
The Rt Rev. Gulstan f. Ropert was
born on August 80, 1899 in the diocese
of Vannea on the west coast of France.
At the age of fourteen be began life as
cabin boy of sailing vessel. His
change of vocation was the result of a
vow made during fearful storm on the
Spanish coast when he was a quarter
master. When all on board expected
to be lost, the young quartermaster
made a vow that if saved he would be-
come a priest of the church. The YES
sci landed safely and Immediately the
young quartermaster began prepara-
tions to carry out the vow.
Gulstan rose in the church as he had
begun to rise in following the sea. At
the age of twenty he entered the Sacred
Hearts congregation in Paris remaining
there for four years. He was ordain-
ed a priest in 1864 and after three years
as a professor in the congregation of
the Sacred Hearts he started for Ha-
wall by sailing vessel. Father Gulstan
was appointed assistant to Father Da-
mien in the districts of Hamakua and
Kohala and he took charge of those
districts when Father Damien went
to the Leper Settlement.
On June 3, 1892, Gulstan was nominal
ed Bishop of Panopolis and Vicar Apos-
tolic in Hawaii and he was consecrated
in San Francisco during the following
September.
At the invitation of the Pope he went
to Europe in 1895 to pay his official visit
and in 1902 he went to California for the
benefit of his health which was failing.
The beginning of the end was when he
went to Hilo last November to install the
new priest there. An attack of cancer of
the stomach for a time threatened him
with death before he could return to
Honolulu. A strong constitution en-
abled him to make the journey, how
ever, though he was never able to re-
sumo his duties in an active way.
Upon the death of Father Herman,
Bishop of Olba, Father Gulstan was
appointed to the head of the mission,
with the title of Bishop of lanopOlis.
During the ten years that he has been
in charge of the Roman Catholic mis-
sion here, he showed the same power
of foresight, the same self-sacrIfice,
and the same kindly spirit which had
endeared him to all, during his career
as a parish priest
Besides active spiritual ministration,
provements in the buildings of the
mission. The Cathedral at Honolulu
has been renovated, a large and hanG-
some day school has been erected.
Mission chapels have been opened, and
several parsonage houses have been
built. The late Bishops administration
has been an active and busy one, and
whoever takes up his work will find
diocese in good order, well equipped,
and prepared for progress.
A kindlier man than Father Gulstan,
Bishop of Panopolis, it would be hard
to find. He was the ideal priest, and
to know him was to love him. Many
hearts will be sore when the news of
his death reaches them. II is true that
it has been expected. but the final
breaking of the golden bowl always
causes a pang. He lived a useful and
beautiful life and his patient awaiting
for death has been in itself a lesson to
all who have known him.
Bishop Gulstan retained his faculties
to the end and directed the affairs of
the church here while on his deathbed.
His long battle with death was watched
with sympathy not only by the mem
bers of the Catholic mission and of
the Catholic congregation here. but by
the whole community. BY those as
ISOLATED with him in his life work he
was held in the highest affection and
respect. His remains will be inferred
in the King street ceretery, close to
the large cross in the center plot and
opposite to the grave of the late Bishop
of Olba, whose successor Gulstan was.