The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-06-10
Continued from page
HONORING A WORTHY MINNIE
sofa PRELATE.

the river, whence he was conveyed to
the then village of st. Paul in bus
over the wooden toll bridge which
spanned the Mississippi at the head
of Wabasha Street He was appointed
by the Right Reverend Bishop Grace
assistant pastor of the Cathedral of
St. Paul, where he remained until
May, 1870, when he was assigned to
missionary work in Fillmore County,
Southern Minnesota. The little I'M
finished church at Chatfield was the
only one in the county at that time.
Immediately he set to work to plan
the building of churches wherever
Catholics were found in sufficient num-
bers to warrant the erection of them.
In 1872 he undertook the building of
St. Patrick's Church, Laneboro, at a
cost of $4,000, and in less than four
years he had erected a church at
Fountain costing $4,000; at Carimonia,
twenty-seven miles to the southwest,
a church costing $500; at Spring
| Valleys, on the western border of the
county, church costing $1,000. Dur
to place among the scattered families
of the county, attending to their spir-
itual wants, saying Mass in log shan
ties, collecting money to pay for the
churches and their furnishings, pro-
viding, as far as possible, for the tenn
poral as well as the spiritual welfare
of the Catholics entrusted to his care.
In the district where he labored single
handed there are now six well estab-
lished parishes with resident priests
and many fiourishing Catholic COM
munities.
In April, 1881, the month made
memorable by the assassination of
President Garfield, Father Riordan
was called to the pastorate of st.
Johns Church, Rochester, i'm success
sion to the Reverend Father Bruton
who, a few years previously had re-
placed Bishop, then Father, O'Gorman
who had been assigned to another
field of duty. When the Diocese of
Winona was erected into a separate
jurisdiction, in 1889, Father Riordan
became affiliated with it. For almost
thirty years, therefore, he has labored
for the spiritual and temporal welfare
of the large Catholic population of
Rochester as well as for the civic bet
terment and development of the mu.
nicipality. Some years ago when the
Church of st. John became too small
to accommodate the needs of his par.
4 ishoners he enlarged and remodelled
it. Later on fine parochial house
was built. Within the limits of his
parish is located the Motherhouse OF
the Sisters of st. Francis in Mime.
sofa, as well as st. Mary's Hospital
conducted by them-an institution
made famous the world over by the
marvellous surgical skill of the Doctors
, Mayo.
!, Mgr. Riordan is famed as a student
of oriental languages and takes great
pride in his library of oriental works
to which he is continually adding. All
his life he has been great advocate
of total abstinence and, in early days
was very active in the movement
Despite his years he is still vigorous
and continues to do his share in the
administration of the large parish oil
st. John, i'm which he is assisted by
the Rev. John A. Cummiskey and Rev
M. BRAZIL His robust health and rug
ged constitution are those of a man
: twenty years his junior; and he bids
fair to enjoy for many more years
/ the well-deserved honors which the
: Holy Father has been pleased to be
, stow on him. AID Multos Amos!