The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-02-17

of men the fruits of the REDEMPTION
Christ completed by His sufferings and
death on the cross. True priest as he
was, like the divine model, he sought
not his W glory, for he was ever con-
scious that all the good that was In
him, all the power he possessed, all the
graces of which he was the recipient,
must be attributed to God from whom
every perfect gift descends, and that it
was for the sake of the souls entrusted
TO his care that God showered upon
him the riches of His bounty, adjoining
his soul with precious favors that he
might be worthy of his sublime duties
as ambassador of Christ"
Bishop O'Connor then sketched brief
ly the office of a priest and the super
natural powers inherent therein; and
also that of a bishop, containing as it
does, the p%lenitude of the priesthood to-
gether with it's special powers, rights
and duties, showing that In every re-
spect the late bishop of Rochester lived
up to the ideal of both during the sixty
years of his ministry.
Such is the office of a priest and
bishop, and such was the venerable and
SANITY prelate whose memory we re-
call, for whom We offer our suffrages
AND from whose example we are to
draw strength and inspiration for the
battle of life, that our end may be
like his, pleasing to God and edifying
to our fellow men.
The years of his priesthood before
9 came to Rochester as its first
bishop, were spent in New Jersey. lat
terly at the head of our diocesan col
iege and seminary, Seton Hall, but at
nrst In the laborious work of a mis-
slonary priest, travelling from place to
place, gathering the scattered Catholics
together, hearing their confessions.
celebrating mass for them, baptizing,
catechizing and instructing the chill
dren. l have often heard him speak of
those early days and of the strenuous
life he led in a territory that is now
well provided with priests, churches.
schools and institutions of charity, but
In which the torch of faith, sixty years
ago, was kept alive alone by his UNI
firing labors n self-denying devotion
TO duty. Frequently he spent the night
in the wagon that carried him from
place to place and celebrated the sacred
mysteries OF a so-oalled altar, hastily
constructed of boards n barrels or
with such material as a barn or farm
house might supply.
A Great Educator.
THE history of Catholicity in New
Jersey tells of The first beginnings I'M
der his ministrations of what are now
thriving and prosperous parishes, and
even in those days he realized that the
perpetuation of the faith could be as
SIIrad hum p1xy SnaoEinn ,,J, H.. -
Catholic school which he endeayored 10
establish side by side with the church.
and in which he himself was FREQUENT
ly obliged to assume the duty of school
teacher.
II need not dwell o. his work. under
the authority of the first bishop of
Newark, in the founding of our do
cesar college and seminary and in the
establishment of the teaching commune
ity of the sisters of charity and of the
marvellous growth of that community
from a sisterhood of four to one of al
most twelve hundred sisters, with a col
lege for the higher education of women.
with parish schools. academies, or
phanages, hospitals throughout the
State and ever In parts of New Eng
land. 1t is true that this growth has
ia " III iIO1L part SlI1Ce ne
ceased to be a living factor and moving
spirit in New Jersey.
But God gave the increase to what
Father McQuaid planted and others
watered. New Jersey has reason to
keep his m green, for in many
parts of the State Catholics enjoy the
blessings of religion, which, under God,
they owe to his self-sacrificing zeal for
God n the church.
'In every detail he was, as far as hui
man frailty can admit of perfection. a
living embodiment of the qualities that
make the good and worthy priest and
bishop. His clear mind, his resolute
will, his forceful personality would have
marked him out for distinction in any
walk of life. Elevated and refined by
the special graces of his high vocation,
they rendered him a model and ex-
emplar whom we of a younger genera
ton may well aspire to initiate without
hoping to surpass or even equal.
Had Great Faith.
I'm particular, Bishop McQuaid had
an ~unbeunded faith not only as we all
have. in the truth. Justice and utility Of
the great cause he was especially
vowed to defend. but also in the fair
mindedness and earnestness of the
American people among whom his lot
was cast. He believed firmly that when
once our non-Cathoiic fellow-citizens
will have grasped the true import and
meaning of Catholic doctrine, they win !