Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-07
St. Patrick's Rector One of
City's Most Active Clergymen


superintend the erection of st. Pat
rick's Cathedral. then being built.
DR.. Hassett has been rector of the
Cathedral in this city since 1899. He
was stationed at two other places be-
fore he came here. Bishop John w.
Shanahan. then elected to succeed
Bishop McGovern, appointed DR.. Has
sett to the Cathedral in the summer of
1899. They came to this city within
a week of each other.
| DR.. Hassett prepared for the church
| at the University of Ottawa, Canada,
where he took the classical course;
the seminary at Mt. st. Mary's, the
Catholic University at Washington and
in Rome.
Ordained by Cardinal Gibbons
He was ordained by Cardinal Glib
bons in Baltimore, December 81. 1895,
while he was student. In 1897 he
was made an assistant rector at
st. Mary's Church, Lancaster, where
he stayed year and eight months.
For two months he was rector of the
church at Littlestown, where he was
when appointed to this city.
Catholic clergymen know him for
his writings on history and theology.
He has contributed numerous authori-
tative articles to the Catholic Univer-
sity Bulletin and the American Cath
olfc Quarterly Review. He has pub
lished a series of articles in the latter
periodical on the history of the rela-
tions of church and state. The history
of the church from the conversion or
Constantine is exhaustively reviewed.
He has issued several pamphlets, one
OF them being on the French scpa-
ration law of 1905.
In October, 1910 brief from Rome
honored him with the title of mon
fn oh n xx-bo
have distinguished themselves in their
services to the church. His writings
on the relation of the church and state
tinction.
Born Back in Tipperarf
Born at Bird Hill, Tipperary county,
in Southern Ireland, DR.. Hassett spent
the first eighteen years of his life
there. He studied during his youth
with the idea of entering the church
and went to Canada when he was IS
years old, having decided to make the
New World his home and field of
work. He came to the United States
after he finished his college course at
Ottawa.
DR.. Hassett has enlarged his his
torical studies by extensive travels In
Europe and Asia Minor. He has trav-
elcd through Palestine several times
anu has NiSitcu every country III
Europe. Two years ago he made a
visit to his birthplace in Ireland and
took short trip to the continent. He
has made a deep study of Irish life
and characters and may write a book
about his birthplace someday.
During his fifteen years in this city
the two parishes have become five.
Three parishes We're cut from st. Pat
rick's by Dr.. Hassett. They are
anniC' in,
1900; Sacred Heart, formed during the
same year, and st. Mary's, formed in
1906. Despite this branching out the
number Of parishioners and the activ-
ity of st. Patrick's has not decreased.
Social Center Work
Social center work at the Cathedral
has been developed farther than In
any other church in the city. A club
house, completely equipped with gym
nasium and swimming pool, with
meeting rooms for boys and girls and
older people, is in continuous use. Tho
interest of the rector in this projecr
made it possible. The boys named
their club in his honor in recognition
of his interest in them.
In addition to being rector of the
largest Catholic church in the diocese
DR.. Hassett is vicar-general of the dio-
ceSe, standing next to Bishop Shana-
han in his authority in diocesan mat
ters. He succeeded Monsignor Benton.
of st. James Church, Steelton, in this
Office when the latter died four years
ago.
DR.. Hassett is q notably approach.
able man. He remembers faces and
names with remarkable facility and
there is not person in his parish but
has in some way been helped by his
kindly advice or his sermons of in
struction. But above all he is essen
TALLY modern, keeping his hand in
on modern problems seeing their sig
nificance, and dealing with them as
moderns do.