Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1903-03-14
He Succeeded Our Own Bishop
as Rector of the Amer
ian College.
Both Clergy and Laymen Stand
Ready to Do Him
Honor.
SKETCH OF A GRAND OLD NAN

dianapolis, will on May 10 celebrate the
silver jubilee or twenty-ffth anniversary
of the conservation of the Right Rev.
Francis Silas Chatard as Bishop OF
Vincennes, though almost ever since
his elevation to the episcopacy
Bishop Chatard has had his seat in In
dianapolis. This celebration will be rem
dered doubly interesting to Louisville
Catholics when il is remembered that
Bishop Chatard succeeded our own Right
Rev. Bishop as rector of the American
College at Rome.
Two or three days will probably be de-
voted to the celebration. 1t will begin
on Sunday, May 10, with lay celebra-
ton in the form of mass meeting at
Tomlinson Hall. in which the school
children of the several parishes will take
part. The ecclesiastical celebration will
be held on May IL, beginning with a
Pontifical high mass at 10 a. m. at ST.
Johns church. There will also be a
banquet for the clergy. The sermon at
the jubilee mass will be preached prob
ably by Archbishop Ryan, OF Phiiadel-
phia.
The Right Rev. Francis Silas Chatard,
Bishop Of Indianapolis, was born in Bal
timore, Nd, in 1884 He is of French
descent, though his mate9al grand
mother was Irish. His mother was born
in the Isle of Martinique, and this fact,
when the news came of the terrible loss
of life following the eruption of Mount
Pelee, deepened his sorrow for the suf-
ferers from that catastrophe.
He was educated at the College of
Mount St. Mary, Emmetsburg, where he
was noted as dilgent student, gradual
ing in 1853. He adopted the profession
of medicine, devoting himself to the
study of the healing art with great en-
thusiasm. He had, however, no sooner
finished his medical course than he was
called upon to qualify himself to enter
the priesthood of the Roman Catholic
church.
He at once entered upon the work OF
preparation, and soon crossing the At
lantic, proceeded to Rome, where he
entered the Urban College in 1857. He
was then twenty-three years old.
Al the end of six years of study he
read a public thesis, which brought to
him the degree of doctor Of divinity,
Soon after this his merit as a scholar was
recognized by his appointment as vice
rector of the American College. On the
elevation of the rector. the Right Rev
DR.. McCloskey, to the Bishopric of Louis
Vile, DIR. Chatard was made rector.
This Office he ably filed for ten years
1t was also recognized that DIR. Chatard
was readily accessible to all who came
from the United States, and that his good
Offices could always be counted upon by
his countrymen, whether they were cler
gymen or of the laity, whether Catholic Of
non-C Catholic. AS resident of Rome
and the ecclesiastical head of grea
educational institution, his influence wal
great and his labors in every good caus'
we're untiring. His labors during thu
Vatical Council in 1868 were specially
recognized by Pope Plus TX, who, as 1
token of appreciation, presented him
gold medal, valuable souvenir of re
gard and of even more value for what |
symbolizes.
In 1873 DR.. Chatard visited the Unite'
States on a mission to collect money 70
the support of the American College. d
his return to Rome he was notified O
his appointment as Bishop and was con
secrated to that high Office in Rome Of
May II. 1873. succeeding, as fifth Bisho
of the diocese. Maurice de St. Palais
who had then recently passed away. H
arrived in indianapolis in August, 1875
and at once entered upon the arduou
duties Of his great Office. From the frs
he had made Indianapolis the seat of tn
diocese, but the name of the See was nc
changed from Vincennes to that of II
dianapolis until 1898.
II is due to Bishop Chatard's zeal an
high administrative ability that this die
desc has been built up to be one OF III
foremost In the country. When he cam
to indianapolis there we're in that cit
only four parishes, each with its church
There are now eleven parishes, each wit
fne church building, several of thel
49,, " N ly~>S.,.:;tss RI