Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-03
EMINENT DIVINE
PASSES AWAY
DR.. Denis ]. Stafford Dies at
Providence Hospital.
SUCCUMBS TO OPERATION
Failure of Attempt to Save His
Life.
BRILLIANT
CAREER
HIS
AS Priest, Pulpit Orator and q
Lecturer, He Had Gained
Great Renown. =,

The Rev. d. J. Stafford, DID,. pastor
corner of 10th and G streets northwest
died this afternoon at 1 As o'clock, at Provl-
dence Hospital, where an operation, which :
it was hoped would save his life, was
performed Tuesday morning
There were present at his bedside at the
time of his dissolution, Mrs. Alfred C. :
Whitton and Miss Margaret Stafford.
sisters of the deceased; Mr.. Alfred c.
Whitton: DR.. Stafford's three assistants
Rev. Thomas E. McGuigan. Rev. William
j. Carroll and Rev. James A. Smyth:
Rev. George Dougherty, treasurer OF the
Catholic University; Sister Berchmans
and his physicians.
In anticipation Of death Rev. Thomas
E. McGuigan last night administered ex-
treme JUNCTION and prayers for the dying
were read by the priests present.
His Life Career.
DR.. Denis Joseph Stafford was born in
this city in 1860. He was a son of John J.
Stafford a prominent contractor and a
resident of Southwest Washington. After
receiving his primary education in this
city at St Matthew's Institute he entered
ST. Charles College, and later Niagara
University, to study for the priesthood.
Here he made his philosophical and theo-
logical studies, and was ordained Decem-
Der 10, 1885. Later he took a special
course at Georgetown University, and
after a most searching examination the
degree of doctor of divinity was conferred
upon him. Immediately after his ordina-
ton he was for five years stationed at ST.
Johns Cathedral. Cleveland. Ohio. There
6sar boil 1fav ,ta%f ,nh
er, and attracted congregations whose
numbers the large church would not ac-
'commodate. He was then transferred to
Massillon, Ohio, where he remained eleven
months. His love for his old archdiocese
of Baltimore induced him to accept an in
vtation to return to the field sanctified by
the lives of Carroll, Kendrick. Spaldtng
and Gibbons. In 1891 he returned to this
archdiocese, and fer nearly three years
was stationed at st. Peters Church, Balti-
more. where his eloquence as a preacher
was soon recognized, and the large church
was not sufficiently commodious to &C
commodate the thousands who f1ocked to
hear him.
At the earnest desire of his many
friends in Washington his eminence Cardi-
nal Gibbons sent the brilliant priest to
st. Patrick's as second assistant to Father
Gloyd, and upon the death of Rev. Father
Gloyd, in March u, 1901, DR.. Stafford was
appointed administrator. and later he was
elevated by Cardinal Gibbons to the full
pastorate of st. Patricks Church, Sunday
September @, 1901. This promotion was
regarded by even non-Catholics with
pleasure. and it is said that the President
himself expressed a keen satisfaction on
the occasion.
Under his pastorate the venerable parish
seemed to enter upon a new phase of ex-
istence,. and in every department of the
parish work were discerned evidence of
ripe judgment, untiring energy and de-
voted zeal.
Work in St. Patrick's Parish.
Since his incumbency the magnificent
granite buildings adjoining the church.
now used for the rectory, st. Patrick's
Academy and Carroll Hall, were erected.
and at their dedication, Sunday. Novem-
Der 90 1904, President Roosevelt delivered
the address in the presence of q memoir
able concourse of people. This Is said to
have been the first time in the history of
the country that the President of the
United States ever delivered an address at
the dedication of Roman Catholic struct-
ure. and the precedent was set by Presi-
dent Roosevelt out of sincere personal ad-
miration for DR.. Stafford
DR.. Stafford was devoted to the cause Of
education. his first act when appointed
administrator of ST. Patrick's Church be.
ing to open the girls school. st. Vincents
Academy. which had been closed by
Father Gloyd. after TIE sale of the girls
asylum. AS the Sisters of Charity decided
not to return, he gave this school in
charge of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
By him was established the Perpetual
Alteration Society in honor of the Blessed
Sacrament. 1t was through him that St.
Vincent's and ST. Joseph's School were
united to afford primary. intermediate
and high school education to 400 or more
pupils.
With his accustomed interest in every
thing that pertained to the relief of hu-
man distress he extended the usefulness Of
the Ladies of Charity. an organization de-
signed to aid the poor women and chill
dren, and the good accompanied thereby
is known only in the homes where hover
clouds of sickness. poverty and distress.
One of the objects of DR.. Staffords
special solicitude was the Christ Child
Society. which was founded by Miss Mary
V. Merrick, daughter of the late Richard
T. Merick. The aim of this society was
to provide infant outfits for babies in poor
homes DR.. Stafford was a most enthusi-
astic patron and supporter Of this organi-
zetion, and largely through his efforts
there grew out of it the movement for the
fresh-air fund for the benefit of poor
children. Its me embers now number over
1000 and furnish over 10000 garments
annually to poor children. A feature OF
DR.. Stafford's pastorate, aside from his
celebrated Lenten sermons. was his an
nual lecture for charity, which always
netted a handsome sum for the relief Of
suffering humanity.
Devotion to His Calling.
DR. Stafford was possessed of rare gifts
OF mind and manner. His eminence as a
Shakespearean scholar pulpit orator and
on the lecture platform is recognized
the length and breadth of the
land His success in the latter field has
been phenomenal, but perhaps the most
feature is the fact that in this
city. where he has been preaching for
nearly twenty years, he always COM
manded the largest and most representa-
tive audience ever gathered together to
pay tribute to a lecturer.
DR.. Stafford had marked dramatic
ability, which gave rise. perhaps, to the
sta tement that in early life his educa-
ton for the stage was contemplated
but he himself unmistakably asserted
that from his earliest childhood his life
WA dedicated q the nrieSfhond