The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-02
REV.D.J. NJ MULLEN
. DIES At V|NCENNES;
LONG IN RICHMOND
For Nearly Thirty Years He
Was in Charge of st.
Mary's Catholic Parish and
Was Greatly Beloved.
RECORD IN RICHMOND
WAS A SPLENDID ONE.
Funeral Will Be Held at High
land Thursday Morning and
Remains Will Be Brought to
This City.

The Rev D. J. McMullen Is dead.
Such was the intelligence that came
over the wires TO friends in this city
late Tuesday afternoon, from Vim
cennes. Ind. His death occurred at
the Catholic orphan asylum at High
land. near Vincennes, at 2:4O in the af-
ternoon.
Although in failing health for some
time. Father McMullen attended to his
duties as priest up to a few days ago.
On Saturday night he became seriously
i'll and he fingered between life and
death until Tuesday.
Father McMullen was born at Newry,
county Down, Ireland, February %,
1888, and was therefore, 60 years OF
age last February. Shortly after his
birth his family moved to a farm near
Celbridge, eight miles from the city of
Dublin, in the county Kildare In 1913
he came to America. When of prop
er age, he entered st. Mary's seminary.
Perry county, Mo. and later finished
his studies at the st. Louis university.
He felt a calling for the Catholic
priesthood and entered ST. Meinrad's,
where he was ordained by Bishop de
st. Palais. sub-deacon, June II, deacon
June Is. priest June 81, 1867. His
first appointment was assistant at st.
Johns church, indianapolis, which
place he went to Aug. ), 1867. He
had charge of the following stations:
Greenville, Cumberland. Fortville.
Plainfisld, Brownsburg. Franklin and
Edinburg. In October, 1868, he was
assigned to Rushville. where he was
pastor of the Catholic church for four
years. Just 81 years ago this month
he was sent to this city as pastor of
st. Mary's church. For % years he
served the people of St Mary's as their
pastor and In that time he accom-
plished great work. He served as
pastor of st. Patrick's church Terre
Haute for one year, and was returned
to Richmond.
Left Here in 1901.
In 1901. when the parish OF ST.
Mary's had grown to such proportions
it was too much for him to care for.
he was sent to Highland, where he at
tended small parish and the orphan
age conducted by the Sisters of Provi-
dence. During Father McMullen's
residence in Richmond he added no
new buildings to the parish property.
but purchased the old Clayton Hunt
property as residence for the Sisters
and bought the present grave yard site.
The present church and school house
were built when he came here, but
were not paid for He found as a part
Of the burden he had to bear, a heavy
Indebtedness and a congregation that
was not united. His first work was
to pour oil on the troubled waters,
which he did with diplomacy and dis
patch. He was then in the vigor OF
physical manhood, and his genial ma
ture soon won for him friends on ev-
cry hand, not only among the Catho-
lies, but also the non-Catholics. His
first great work was to create a love
in the hearts of his parishioners for
the cause of temperance. and his ser
mons On that subject soon worked a
great change in the personnel of the
saloon keepers of Richmond. He
kept up the good work until finally
there was not a Catholic running q
saloon in Richmond.
In his home he established a court
of justice and when his parishioners
had troubles to settle they came to him
instead of to the police court Many
and many trial was thus avoided, as
we'll as newspaper notoriety and the
subsequent scandal. He was a strong
advocate OF education, and shortly aft
er his arrival fn Richmond he arrang-
ed to secure the Sisters of Providence
as teachers in st. Mary's school. and
they have taught there continually
since. While he was pastor here,
once a month he visited Centerville,
Fountain City and Greensboro and held
services in private houses.
Led Life of Devotion.
His was life of devotion to God
and self-sacrifice in behalf of his fel-
low-men. His heart was ever SYM
pathetic, and everyone's trouble was
his trouble. His pride was the young
men of the parish and many boy who
is successful today, owes his start to
Father Mack" as he was lovingly
and Familiarity called.
During his pastorate in this city
Father McMullen was not alone be-
loved by his own parishioners. but was
father to those not members of the
Catholic church as well. A councillor
and advisor, he always was to those In
trouble and distress. He was imbued
with a spirit OF pity for the poor and
distressed and his Charitable work in
Richmond was far reaching. The