The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-17

tated country. the young pr1est hfst
BEGAN those activities which quickly
vea him the love and e~steera OF h
psopls Of Richmond and brought him
htGN~r hanors in his calling. He snf-
fered with those who had lost loved
ones and homes. shared their hard
ships and comforted them. To MEM
bars Of his avn faith his arrival was
looked on as 4 ocdsend.
Bishop Van de Vyver was a young
priest at Harper's Ferry when Car
dinal Gibbons was Bishop OF Rich
mond. He was then observed for ms
fafthfulneses Leaving the local
church for a period OF q year, the
yvuug priest worked In that part OF
West Virginia which was then . part
Of the Virginia Diocese. He vas short
Nv afterward recalled to Richmond
was sent to L~snchhurg for a SNORT
period and then again came back to
his first Office here,
Following Bishop Gibbons. now
Cardinal Gibbons, came Bishop
keane. This p~reiate WAS promoted
to the Catholic University In Wash
ington. Since that i'm he has been
made archbishop. with residence at
Dubuque, Iowa. where he Is now In
q critical condition. He Will be un-
BIZ to attend the funeral of Bishop
Van de oNyver,
Honored by Priests.
With the promotion of Bishop
keane there came naturally a va
tancy in the church in Virginia. Then
happened what does not often occur
in the making of a bishop. The
priests of the Virginia dieeese-et-
fered a paper TO the appointing
powers requesting that the successor
TO Bishop Keane be Nicar-General
N,sn de Nyver, who at that time was
the next highest in rank to the bishop.
The request of the priesthood carried
with IL no electoral value, but II was
80 expressed and 80 urgently made
that it was needed. f,rena that day.
beginning with HIS promotion TO the
bishopric with the censecration ser
vice on October 20. 1889. began the
career which ended so ~gloriousiy in
death yesterday morning.
with the exception OF Bishop
wheian. who WAS later transferred to
the diocese of Wheeling. w. Va.
bishop Van de vyver is the only one
of the six bishops of Richmond who
was appointed while serving as a
priest In his diocese.
secured Big Cathedral.
There are several instances In the
career Of Bishop Van de NySer which
will leave his name a memory 10 the
Catholic church in Virginia. one OF
the important event in the career
of the dead bishop was his success
In winning the friendship and love oil
Thomas r. Ryan. who established IN
Virginia the big Sacred Heart Cathe-
dral, now one of the handsonies'
church buildings In the South. The
cathedral was the gift of Mr.. and
Mrs. Ryan.
Another event In his life ano
career which will mark him as one
Of h great workers for the tatho'
lie church in Richmond was that al
securing Calvary cemetery IN tht
vicinity of Hollywood. At the time
the bishop advocated the change there
were many objections. Being a mar
of considerable ability n great DE
termination the bishop won To-aas
the cemetery is regarded as one o.
The greatest assets of the Cathels
church, and Ia one OF the most beau
tiful in the South. II was IN thA
cemetery that the bishop requested
that his body be placed with thost
ct the many he had known and ioVef
during his long service as a prelate
Was Good Ffnanesaer.
Ar an executive Bisop Van dc syNel
vas eaualed by few men lie wa
f~arsighted and his church proftea o.
his business judgment. In the pur
chase of land fer church property IN
hishon showed the head OF a financier
Had he been in business life, ~ u
generally admitted. he woui nay
nnade a marked success. His hnaneia
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. however, were gise'
entirely to the church. To 1he ga
nf his death he paid but little atten
tIon to the funds with which he MAN
tanned himself. His pocketbook wa
public one. and was snaFeu ~
many a hungry, lonely q o. :,
any of those who came 10 MN u
distress. ua
.sver openIy known. He hated apoV'
Ali things to be known III an act o
generosity. Though apparently n
was ali dignity, 1t Is we'll known tIa
the story OF another's harnsHip
quickly brought tears to the sympa
thetic face. No man left MIN WIZ.
ont comfort or advice. NO man SUI
fsred where it Was within .he pa" :
Of Bishop Van lie NyHer To AID
was such a life hat brings to tn
dead prelate the love and sorrow .
the comniounlty-
children loved the kind--hearte
man, and though among ms o"l
church people he neid the hiknes
position in the State, one that car
rie6 with II Inc. hiSHeSh 1esPNNs a.
command in the church
20 gentle was bishop Van de wye
that he won Il friendship OF tn
masses. There could be no reserve O
embarrassment when once taken I'M
his kindly confidence.
Three Times 70 Rome
Three times Bishop Van de wye
crossed the ocean to Roma. wher
he was welcomed by the Pope. HI
Last trip was in 1895. q trip well re
memhered kere by members OF IN
Catholic church Accompanied D
Father Magri. he met the head OF HI
Church and came back bringing mes
sages OF regard and o from Pop
Plus n.
The funeral services of Bishop Va
de Vyver will probably bring to
xether the largest and most import
ant assemblaxe of Catholic prelate
that has ever before been known
the South. exceeding perhaps tn
Mthering at tho dedication and cor
aecratien Of the cathedral some yeai
are. A. this time there are assem-
hled a number OF the higher church
men who are attending the eelebra
ton In Baltimore in honor Of Card
nal Gibbons. That the cardinal o
and esteemed this dead bishop We
evidenced In q note written by h
secretary early yesterday morning !
Baltinevs. just a little more than a
hour bafoFe his death. In this not
thu aacretary expressed the cardinal
$1,000 60 ptshnp Van IA yx~er ~