The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-08
.PAPAL 'HONORs FOR PRIESTS
OF W|NONA DIOCESE
FATHER RloRDAN OF ROCHESTER
AND FATHER WURsT OF WA
RAsHA MADE MoNslGNoRs.

A Recognition of Meritorious Service
in the Cause of Religion-sketches
of Their Careers.
The current number of the Acta Apos-
tolicae Sedis contains the announce
ment that Rev. William Riordan, pas
tor of the Church of ST. John, Roches-
ter, Mimi, and Rev Maximilian Wurst,
pastor of the Church of st. Felix, Wa
basha, Mimi. have been appointed
Domestic Prelates by His Holiness,
Pope Plus X, in recognition of their
long and faithful services in the cause
of religion. This news will be learned
with great satisfa ction by their broth
ers in the ranks of the priesthood, not
only in the Diocese of Winona but
throughout the Northwest. They have
spent the whole of their priestly lives
in this State. Father Riordan can look
back upon nearly forty-two years Of
active service, while Father Wurst has
almost thirty-three years to his credit
The honors which have been bestowed
upon them give them the right to wear
the purple robes of a prelate of the
Church and the title of Monsignor.
Rev. William Riordan was born in
March. 1888, at Templeglentine, County
Limerick, Ireland. He made his clas-
sical studies at Charleville, County
Cork, and his philosophical and theolo-
gical courses at All Hallows College,
Dublin. He was ordained to the Holy
Priesthood June "a, 1869, for the Dio-
cese of st. Paul. In the following Sep
tember he came to Minnesota, and was
appointed by Bishop Grace assistant
pastor of the Cathedral of st. Paul,
where he remained until 1870, when
he assumed charge of the parish of
Chatfield and the missions of Fillmore
County in Southern Minnesota where
he Buiitssevcral sehdfches. Six years
later he was appointed pastor of the
Church of st. John, Rochester, in sue
cession to the Reverend Father Bru-
ton. When the Diocese of Winona
was erected into separate jurisdic-
tion in 1889 Father Riordan became
affiliated with it. For thirty-fve years
therefore, he has labored for the spir-
itual and temporal welfare of the
large Catholic population of Rochester.
Some years ago when the Church of
st. John became too small to accom-
modate the needs of his parishioners,
! he charged and remodeled it. Later
on fine parochial house was built.
Father Riordan is famed as a student
of the oriental languages, and takes
great pride in his library of oriental
works. All his life he has been a
great advocate of total abstinence and
in the early days, was very active in
the movement. He is still vigorous
and active in the work of the ministry
and bids fair to enjoy for many years
the we11-deserved honors which have
been bestowed upon him by the Holy
Father
Rev. Macmillan Wurst was born al
Wilfiingen, Wurtemberg, Germany, or
! October IL, 1856. His classical studies
were made at Riedlingen Gymnasium
At the end of his classical course, ir
tered st. Johns College, Collegeville
where he made his philosophical stu
dies. He spent one year as student
of theology at st. Francis Seminary
Milwaukee, Wis, whence he proceeded
to the Grand Seminary, Montreal, fol
the remaining three years of his theo
logical course. On April 20, 1878, h4
was ordained a priest at the Cathe
dral of st. Paul, by Bishop Grace. Hi:
} first appointment was to ST. John:
parish, Rochester where he remained
J as assistant pastor until 1880, when h.
was given charge of the parishes o
LIE Sueur and Henderson. In 1887 h
succeeded the present Bishop of st
! Cloud in the pastorate of the parisl
of ST. Felix, Wabasha, and became al
} filiated to the new Diocese of Winon;
, when it was placed in charge of th
, late Bishop Cotter. During this tim,
he renovated the Church, built paro
; chial school, and a residence for tn
Sisters of st. Francis who are il
charge of the school. Under his direc
tion the Diocesan Orphan Asylum wa
) built in Wabasha.
Like his honored co-laborer, Fathe
, Riordan, he has won the respec
Y and esteem of all people IRE
C spective of class or creed, and lik
! him, too, he has devoted himself t
r the welfare of his people and the az
c vancement of religion without hop
q of earthly reward save that whic
a comes from the consciousness of bein
e a good and faithful servant" of th
q Lord.
b The Catholic Bulletin voices tn
n good wishes of their many friend
!, among the Reverend Clergy and tn
; laity of the Diocese of st. Paul in col
Z. graduating them on their well-merite
+, promotion to the prelatial rank anon
r the clergy of the Northwest. Ad mu
fos annoSi