Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-11-01
R. !. P.
Church and state Lose n Bril-
liant Educator and Noted
Disciplinarian.
Rev. David G. Fennessy, &. r.,
Goes to His Heavenly
Reward.
Under His Guidance st. Mary's
College Acquired National
Reputation.
NATIVE OF The EMERALD ISLE

Rev. David Fennessy, c. r., one of
the most brilliant scholars in Ken
lucky and the greatest disciplinarian
OF the South in his days, died'at st.
Vincent's Institution of the Daugh-
ters of Charity of st. Vincent de Paul
in st. Louis. He breathed his last
Wednesday afternoon, October ~.
In his death the Congregation of the
Resurrection loses not only one OF
its most faithful servants, the diocese
OF Louisville one of its most ex-
emplary priests and the State one of
its most eminent citizens, but the
community, church and State lose 4
man through whose cooperation they
have all fiourished in his fields. Of
labor. He truly was most dis
tinguished scholar, most Jealous
priest, and yet most humble servant
OF God. He was President of st.
Mary's College for twenty-five years,
and the fruits of his labors have not
only been enjoyed in the past but
will be enjoyed for generations to
ccme.
Father Fennessy was born at
Ciommel, County Tipperary, Ire
land, on All Saints day, 1S41. Born
on the sod where the blood OF
martyrs was spilled for many years
and where the faith was preserved
under most trying circumstances, he
added to the fame of Tipperary,
which is known for the many Bishops
and priests it produced, by becoming
a priest of God himself. He was the
youngest of ten children. While
quite young the family migrated to
Guelph, Canada, where he received
his early education in the grammar
school of that place. In his sixteenth
year he attended st. MichaePs Col
lege at Toront . Being gifted with
a wonderful mind and learning to
know, to love and to serve God from
his early boyhood, he decided that
the holy. priesthood was his voca-
tion and resolved to dedicate his life
TO God. Consequently he entered
the Grand Seminary, Montreal, where
ne prepared himself for the priest
hood. In 1865 he applied for admis-
sion to the Congregation of the Res
direction at St. Agatha and was ad-
mitted by the Very Rev. Jerome
Eaisiewicz, C. r., Superior General
o. the order. On April 20, 1867, he
reached the goal of his ambition
when he was ordained a priest OF
God at st. Agatha. The following
two years he taught at st. Jerome's
College in Berlin From 1853 to
1871 he made his novitiate at Rome,
Italy, taking the final vows of the
order on March 16, 1871.
In the fall of 1873 his enviable
record began when he was elected
President of st. Mary's College at
st. Mary, Ky. The year previous to
that he held the Office of Vice Presi-
dent, being the first Vice President
of the college after the Congregation
o. Resurrection assumed charge. The
college had been closed on account
of financial embarrassment and the
buildings had been rented to a far
mer Since the Jesuits failed to re-
establish II after the civil war was
over it looked as though st. Mary's
would never be place of learning
again. But 1t was not long before
this opinion lost its weight. And
that st. Mary's is a college today,
and one of the leading Catholic in
stitutions in the South, is due chiefly
to the labors of Father Fennessy.
When we consider the condition the
college was in when the community
assumed charge and the times In
which 1t was started to be rebuilt,
one can not help but conclude that
the occasion required the services
of a mana man in whom "the
elements were so mixed that all the
world might stand up and say, this
was a man"-and such a man Father
Fennessy proved to be. With the
many repairs to be made and the
ravages of war to contend with, he
labored from day to day. These
obstacles did not dismay him In the
least, but only served to bring out
the sterling qualities of manhood
that he possessed. Within a short
time after he was elected President
the college began to flourish as II
did before the civil war. In truth,
he was the founder of a second st.
Mary's-the st. Mary's that is known
the nation over, the st. Mary's whose
sons are found in all walks of life.
The names of Father Byrne. the
founder of st. Mary's, and Father
Fennessy shall ever be connected
with the history of St. Mary's. And
strange to relate. the remains OF the
two priests. the two founders. the
two builders, the two servants OF
God who have entered their final
resting place to enjoy the fruits of
their labors In life eternal lay side
by side in the college cemetery. To
serve his fellow men, to alleviate
their wants. 10 enlighten them on
any subject. especially those pertain
ing to our last end, TO see the sor-
rowing heart. In short. 10 follow In
the footsteps OF our Lord, was the
constant aim OF Father Fennessy, no
matter what sacrifice II may have
cost him, no matter what worldly