Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-16

fe Deum .............. Hammerei
 POStlude ................. Guilmant
 Soloists - Misses Elizabeth Dunn,
 Lillian Loughlin, Sadie Dunn, Mrs r.
 r. Bowe, Messrs ]. Nj. Daily, ]. Col
 well, T. Maher, P F. Bowe, W.
 Hughes, assisted by chorus of forty
 voices.
 Father Curtin was born in New
 Britain and, after finishing his stud
 ies in that city, entered Holy Cross
 college. He completed his education
 for the priesthood at the Grand sem
 mary in Montreal. where he was or
 dained December IS, 1880. His first
 assignment was as curate at St Mary's
 church in Ease Hartford, where he re-
 mained for two years. He was then
 transferred to St Remarks church at
 Rockville, where he served as curate
 for nine years.
 Tn 1891 he was assigned to the pas, torate of St Francis Xavier's church at New Milford, where he labored Tor four years. In 1895. when it was de- cided to set off the new parish in Wa terbury, taking a portion of St Pat rck's parish for this purpose, Bishop Tierney selected Father Curtin as the man to lead the new people. The new pastor immediately decided to name the new parish St Francis Xavier. partly as a testimony to the parish which he had just left, his first pas torate, and partly in honor of the saint whose name it bears.
 The Catholic Transcript says of Father Curtin's work in the diocese:
 Mature has dealt generously with Father Curtin. The gossips stood by his cradle. One gave him intelli- gence. another wit; one physique, an- other el0quenee. Music. too. was there shared in the imparting of the 2on,i things. To these natural ad- vantages were added years of careful training. and when the ordination day drew on. the faculty of the seminary could recommend the young priest as an earnest and successful student, well fitted for priestly labor among the fafthful of his diocese. Nor have the subsequent years belied this flat tering forecast.
 "At Rockville Father Curtin did or dinary priestly work extraordinarily | well. By his ability and address he | won the respect and confidence of the | town. The old yielded him willing tribute. The young swore by him and gave him generous place in their af- fections. From the beginning he prov cd himself painstaking and effective speaker. On many occasions his ! brethren among the clergy had reason to note that the rising young priest was soon to take his place among the solid men of the diocese. After an es- pecially brilliant effort at the laying of a cornerstone, non-Catholic audi tor was heard to say:
 It is just as told you: a Catholic priest can do more preaching in five minutes than some others that I might mention in five hours The fact was, the discourse of the orator of the day was one of remarkable condensation md power. and the appreciation of this outspoken admirer was merited ind just
 'sThe pastor of St Franeis's church las demonstrated his ability as builder. an organizer, a financIer, and Tn efficient parish priest. By his un- 'rring judgment and calm persever- lnce he has succeeded in erecting and pushing a long ways towards comple- ion what promises to be one of the A| most sensible and well-balanced ec- leslastieal establishments in the dio- ese of Hartford.
 ''In the course of his ministry. 1t as fallen to the lot of Father Curtin 0 take part in measures of public re Orm. Here. too. his labors. though rduous and thankless betimes, have cen attended wfth lasting success. his church-builder and organizer is- ues from his 9 years with the fresh ess and vigor of a robust middleage. Tor does it seem hazardous to predict )r him second quarter of a century distinguished sacerdotal service"