Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-26
AS COADJUT0R.
Bishop 0'ConneI| May
Yet Be Chosen.
Said to Be Favored by Cardi'
nal Sat0Ili.
Now Head of Catholic Church IN
Maine.

Portland, Me-, Oct. 25.-The AdVer-
tiser says, tonight:
There is great interes. in Portland
and all over Maine in the report that
Bishop O'Connell may be appointed
cOadjutor to Archbishop Williams.
bishop OConnell and his associates
here have not a word to say for pub
LEGATION but the following Boston see
cal to the New York Tribune is at
tracing wide attention:
The long and. to some churChmen,
aggravatng delay in the announce
ment from Rome OF the coadJutor to
Archbishop Williams. has caused per-
SONS well Informed in Catholic politics
to draw rather definitely the conclu-
sion that the cOadjutOr will be VIM.
II. OConnell. the bishop of Portland
Me-, and not Eishop Harkins OF Provi-
dence who was the first choice of the
bishops and the permanent rectors.
bishop OConnell WAS not one Of the
three whose names, according to
church convention. were sent to Rome.
while the recommendations accom-
panying the selection of Bishop Har-
kins were much similar to those which
Farley. soon after Archbishop Corri-
gan's death. Bishop Harkins is popu-
lar, both with the clergy and laymen
of the archdiocese. and the most search
ing examination of his career. from the
time he began his studies for the
priesthood. does not disclose the slight
est thing that could be urged against
him as the coadjutor and ultimate sue
Cessor to the venerable Archbishop
Williams.
Last winter the statement was
made that Bishop Harkins would
in all probability be coadjutOr, which
IL was then known would soon be
sought by the archbishop. The senti-
ment for the bishop of Providence grew
steadily all the spring. and finally he
was practically the unanimous choice
of the bishops when the formal vote
on the subject was taken. Bishop
O'Connell. as has been said before, was
rot one of the three recommended to
the pope.
There was no doubt at all felt In
church circles that Bishop Harkins
would receive the appointment until
the visit of Cardinal Satolli, last sum-
mer. a visit which was first announced
"a purely a social affair for the pur-
pose Of attending the marriage of n
friend, and also to visit st. Louis.
Churchmen knowing Cardinal SatOlli
did not believe that present social af-
fairs would bring him to America. and
here in New England they We're not
long in ascertaining that the cardinal
was taking a keen interest in the mat
ter of the Boston co"djutor. In the or
binary course of events. the annuonce-
ment Of the appointment would have
been made in the summer. When tn.
cardinals interest in the matter was
noticed. significance was attached t'
the delay The cardinal has Since re
turned to Rome but still no word i:
received Of the appointment.
The reason that this delay is ir
some circles interpretated as indicating
the appointment of Bishop OConnel
ia found in the close relations that ex-
list between Cardinal Satolli and the
Bishop of Portland and the attitude OF
the latter during his term as rector
of the American college in Rome. or
his recent visit to this country Cardi-
nal Satolli was the guest of Bishor
O'Connell. Curiously enough he was
not the guest of any church dignita.
ries in Boston or Providence. In fact
the Portland diocese was the only one
In New England that Cardinal Satoll
hOnored with formal visit.
Among the younger priests the APP
pointment of Bishop O'Connell would
not be unpopular. The curates, as d
whole. might be found to prefer him
to Bishop Harkins, for in Bishop
O'Connell they would feel sure of hav-
ing a man who would break UP the
present system in vogue in the Boston
diocese whereby curates are KEEP,
sometimes for 90 years without hav-
ing a parish of their own. AS Bishor
O'Connell himself was never a pastor
1t is believed that he would give ear
to the grievances of the curates
Bishop O'Conneil was approached
some time ago. on his attitude toward
Archbishop Williams policy in respect
to this. With show of asperitv
Bishop O'Connell declined to commi,
himself. on the ground that it would