The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-11
Simon p. sheerin.

the full enjoyment Of health and mental
vigor.
Simon p. Sheerin.
Simon p. Sheerin, president of the New
Telephone Company, made the address Of
the afternoon. Simple. effective and elo-
quent, Mr.. Sheerins address voiced the
feeling of the people of the diocese. He
said:
I'm the summer of 1877 the people of the
state were startled by the sudden death of
Bishop De st. Palais at st. Mary's of the
Woods. where he had just bestowed the
honors on the graduating class Of that year.
he mad come into the diocese when the
church was small in numbers. poor in purse
and practically without educational facili-
ties Largely through his personal efforts
ST. Marys of the Woods had risen from
story-and-a-half log cabin, situated On
eighty acres of mortgaged land. to a sue
cessful institution of learning, counting its
graduates by thousands.
1T seemed entirely fitting that the good
mans life SHOULD close at the scene Of his
greatest labor and highest achievement.
The prayers of the good sisters, the pupils
and their parents for his eternal rest rose
10 heaven, sweetly laden with the perfume
OF the plants and howers-beautiful con-
tributors to beautiful scene-through
which he had moved with pleasure few
short hours before.
THE bishop of vincennes being dead, the
next question OF interest claiming the at
tention of the people of the diocese was,
Who Will his successor be" Ii was uni
versally admitted that no better man could
De found But 1t was conceded, with equal
unanimity that younger and a somewhat
Inherently equipped man would be required.
CHANGES IN STATE.
Great changes had taken place In Indi-
ana during the incumbency Of Bishop De
st. Palais. The whole State had risen from
comparative poverty to a position in the
front rank of American progress. The
Catholics had shared the early privations-
which was proper well as inevitable-and
had borne without complaining their honest
part in the vicissitudes of the pioneer. 1t
was no easy task to accomplish the educa-
tional and other work which they had laid
out for themselves, but to their everlasting
credit be II said that, though having little
e. to give they gave that little with will and
the religious and educational interests of
the State.
Now, new conditions confronted them.
Although much had been done, they were,
after all. only at the threshold. Methods
that were far In advance in 1910 were sadly
out or date In 1877. The church-always
closely identified with very interest of the
state-must be In position to do its whole
DUTY, under the new conditions, as Ii had
done under the old. The spirit of progress
was abroad In the land. Indiana was typi-
Tying, In her career, the great possibilities
or free institutions. and the new bishop,
Ii was hoped, would be man who wouid
take his place In the advance rank not only
Oh mis- own people, In a denominational
sense, but of the whole people, in the wider
responsibilities of citizenship.
PERSONALITY OF CHATARD.
There was in Rome a gentleman-an
American priest, who had already gained
reputation as an educator; a gentleman
wose position president of the American
College in Rome had given him superior
opportunities for studying men: a native
American, whose Americanism was of that
real kind which became more strongly
American the greater his opportunities be-
came to mix with other peoples of the
world.
He was native of Maryland-great,
broad-minded. Catholic Maryland, which.
at the baptismal font of American inde-
pendence, stood sponsor, by deed and
speech. for liberty as boundless as the
earth and a freedom of conscience broad
enough to embrace all humanity
twenty-five years have passed since the
modest cultured president of the American
Coilege IN Rome was made bishp OF Vim
cennes and indianapolis. Never was man
better equipped by nature, training and
experience Tor the responsible position to
which he had been called. From the day of
his arrival In this diocese until this hour.
Bishop Chatard has been a leader of
ba. fne heen a fnr In
| the people of Indiana--nor only his own
| people. but all the people,
HIS UNSELFISH CAREER.
His great culture and ripe scholarship
have always been at the disposal of all.
His convictions he has always had, and has
never lacked for courage to express them.
but he has never stood for a right or priv
| ilege for himself or his own people that
he has not been willing to accord to all
other people. A gentleman under all cir
cumstances. he has ever been accorded the
| fullest possible measure OF respect.
He has labored as few men have been
been a most trying one but never for a
moment has he tagged In interest. never
has ne taken backward iook-much less
Whether rightly or wrongly the world
judges great organizations of men-relis
ious and poiiticai-iarsely by the character
OF their leaders, Ii would be extremely
fortunate for each of us, IL our worth %
citizens. would measure up to the high VAL
uation which the people of Indiana have
placed upon the useIul unostentatious but
always interested. citizenship of Bishop
Chatard.
His step has lost little of its elasticity
and. as should be expected his body lit
but the loss OF these Is compensated for
a thousandfold in the seeds of good deeds
scattered by him throughout this diocese
| in his twenty-five years OF labor. which
will bloom and ripen and take root and
| bloom again. and so continue beyond ths
| time when the youngest child in this audi
/ ence can hope to live.
SPIRIT OF THE MEETING.
"It Is in recognition of these great vir-
| tues. this Unreasonable service, that we
! have gathered here to-day i'm this public
manner to bear public testimony to the
/ great personal worth of our good bishop.
| We come TO offer him our warmest. heart
| lest congratulations and to express our sin
cere appreciation of his great services.
This audience Is representative from
every standpoint. 1t embraces the whole
samut of human aspirations, hopes and
fears Little children, in the early bud Of
uYe. led by the hands of parents; old men
and women, with the world behind them i'm
Coos great gift OF faith. calmly awaiting
Gods good time to call them hence: truly
extremes meet here. In every heart. how
eysr there Is but the one thoueht-tha
great. burning desire TO pay honest trib-
1te TO honest worth. and in sorle degree
renav with love the loving Kindness we
nave alf received at the hands of him ia
whose honor we have gathered.
|. IT shall not attempt TO enumerate the
sneciac kervices OF Bishop Chatard. Why
should We undertake TO offer mathematical