The Caucasian., 1909-08-31
DUCEY, FRiE,"1 IF POOR.
GIimpses of Beloved Priest Who Was
Foe of Corrupt Bosses.

GIimpses of Beloved Priest Who Was
Foe of Corrupt Bosses.
Early in his rasloT.ue Fhe Rev.
Thomas j. Ducpy, foundpr aud pastor
of st. Leo's Roman Catholic church III
New York and because of his iudiyid.
uality and metlndS one of the note
worthy clergymen in the United States.
who recently died i'll his country home
at st. James n. Y. was known as 1.-The
ecclesiastical dandy" but as he went
on in his work the less frivolous title
of 1.-THE priest of the genteef' was sub
stituted The results of his powerful
and beneticent infiHenCe WAS never sue
cessfulIy attacked. He worked in the
pastures in his own way, and some, If
not ualIy, did not understand his way.
From the pulpit of his church Father
Ducey raised his voice for political
purity. fought the Tweed ring in its
day, assailed Tammany Hall and struck
at the trusts.
Father Ducey was bora"in LismOre,
Ireland. Feb. 4, 1913. He was brought
to the United States at the age OF
FIVE by his widowed mother. Judge
Thomas r. Brady met the boy. took
liking to him aud adopted him, and
he was brought up among luxurious
surroundings. On the death of Judge
Brady his ward came into Il large for
tune.
Thomas ]. Ducey studied in st. Fran
| els Xavier's college, but left it with
out being graduated in order to take
I'D law in the offices of his beneflrtor.
! He deserted law to study for the priest
hood and was ordained in 1863 in St.
Joseph's seminary. Troy. He was as
signed to the old Nativity church. in
| Second avenue. New York, and after
brief stay went to st. Michaels.
There he permitted himself the COM
parative extravagances which would
not have attracted attention to lay
man, but were conspicuous in priest.
| His clothes were faultless. and he drove
a carriage which was perhaps the
'snappiest' turnout in Central park.
Next he gained the reluctant consent
of the church authorities to establish
| IL. y.
dedication on Sunday, May l, 1881,
Father Ducey was credited with pro
| pounding the following conuudrum;
"Why is ST. Leo's church like well
known New York theater?' Answer
Because it has tony pastor.
Father Ducey could be found i'll the
clubs along Fifth avenue or at fes-
tivities in the homes of social leaders
when not in his rectory. He was as
much man of the world as Il priest
can be.
He was a delightful host. His food
was exceilentIy ordered and his wines
mellow. Men of intellect priced his
invitations The poor were assured OF
welcome in his church. but whether he
loved or pitied them was a distinction
which his best friends have discussed
Father Ducey had only one strong
hobby. That-lik Oscar Hammer
STEMS was his hat. He invariably
wore a tall silk hat with narrow
straight brim that was altogether out
of keeping with the rest OF his usually
smart attire That hat was the jCke
of all the clubs and hotels. Hundreds
of times friends laughiugIy offered tc
give him orders fer lifetime oi
hats from some fashionable shop, bu
Father Ducey c!ung to his peculiar ole
tile. And he laughed at it himself as
much as any one else did
About a month ago. soon after hi
fatal illness became grave. it was nee
essary for Father Ducey TO undergo
serious operation. He refused anaes
thetics. saying he wasn't going TO di
unconscious of death. II he had TO di
he wanted TO know what death wa
like. He was a gentleman unafraid
Father Tom" us be was known af
fectionately among rich and poor, gavt
generously to his church and to chart
ties from his private means. 1t wa
announced recently that he had wfile'
his fortune TO the church.