Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-01-10
Death Of pr, StaHAra,

Rev peaais ], SsaEoSa, pAslOg of 81,
estrscks Roman Catholic CAsrcA, q Wash.
layton City, died last Friday afternoon, at
FvoStaeees Hospital, where On Tuesday
HosaiNg he had undergone an operation tes
elSsAosls u the liver
At the eeaslae when death peacefully
caMe there were. eeslaes the physicians, his
sisters. Mrs, Allied @ Wilton, and Miss
Margaret StaEosaS Mr., Alfred q Walton
De- Sta6octs three assistants, Rev, Thomas
Il Me9alSsn, Rev, William ], Carroll and
Rev, James A, SmytAS Rev, 9eeSSe noaSh'
eSsy, treasurer Of the Catholic University,
and Sister Rerchmsns
De, Stafford rallied well nom the effects
Of the operation, but Thursday night his
coalition grew rapidly worse, and, In an
tlelpaslea Of his death, Rev, Thomas H.
Me6aigan administered extreme JUNCTION,
and prayers for the dying were read,
TIE patient, in The oplaloa Of physicians,
was suffering iron = complication OF dis
eases. but 1t was believed that all q them
could be traced 10 clrrhosis Of the liver, and
il was 10 correct the condition Of that organ
that the operation was faAlly decided upon
This Involved the opening q the aeaorni'
nal cavity and the establishment Of col
lateral circulation hon the liver 10 enable
the blood to more freely circulate around
that oEEsn On its return 10 the heart
Tue operation was attempted for the nrst
time only little mere than dozen years
ago aud while Il Il accepted by s01s~''"
cal authorities IS having been " 20
others are Of the oplnlon that
the experimental stage, 49,
Rev, d, j, Stafford, ID, u, LII, D., stood
in the front rank OF American prelates -
pastor, preacher, orator, and admlnisers,
tor, The Nations Capital was Cor many
years the field Of his labor aud usefulness,
aud, although there was often In his lie an
expressed deslre on the part Of the heir
aroAy Of The Catholic Church 10 elevate
him to q higher sphere, he s'eaaMslly de-
clned to accept hese honors, preterrlng to
remain a. pastor OF 81, rAriok's Church
toward the upoalldlng Of which he oon-
stAatly lSooCed,
DR.. Stafford was born in Washington, in
1850, OF Catholic parents, ANer receiving
his preliminary education at ST. Mathews
Institute, he catered 81, Charles College,
aud later Niagara University, to study tor
the priesthood, Here he made his pAlloso.
pAioal aud theological studies, aud was or
dSiaed in 1885, Later he took q special
course At Georgetown unlversiV, where
the degree Of doctor OF divinity was confer
rea upon him, After his ordination he was
s,A1loaea tor i've years At 81, johns oasAe-
dtal, Cleveland, where he won = reputation
ss brilliant aud eoavlneiag preacher
Ills affection tor the diocese OF Baltimore
Induced hun 10 relara, Sat tor three years
he was s.anoaei At 81 Peters CAnreh Ia
Ralumore, where his elooae0oe soon drew
one OF the largest congregations In the city,
/ Tue desire OF his many friends In Washing
loa was grauied by Cardinal Gibbons Ia
lS94, when he sent Father stafford 10 81,
Psuleks Caapoa rs assistant to Father
6Ioyd, la 1901, ca the death Of Father
6,oyt, he was appointed pastor,
Besides M International reputation as =
preacher, Father stafford became to be
Known rs one Of Amerieas foremost lee,
varers, HIS ShAkespeareAn readings and lee,
lures were widely knowa AMI enjoyed by
s,aaeaIs ct the Bard of Avoa, nr, Stat
lords public Appearances were always as
sarea OF a 0ig audience, and had he cared
10 desert ne pulpit tor the roIe Of the pro.
Iessloaal lecturer. 1t has onen been said that
his AaaaelAl return would have been eaor'
nous,
His remains were inferred Ia Mount on,
vet Cemetery, Washington City, on Tues,
day, January 5lh, 1908