Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-11-28
Taken From Seclusion of His
Books to BE Bishop and
Archbishop.
One of Brightest Pages I'm An
nails of the Church in
America.
WAS BORN IN CITY OF DUBLIN
BY james A. Rooney, LII. D.

BY James A. Rooney, ILL. u
From the comparative seclusion OF
a professors chair at Bardstown
Seminary to the administration OF
a diocese rent by schism, that to be
followed by an outbreak OF cholera,
and that by the Know-nothing ana
Native American riots, was the ex-
perience of Francis Patrick Kenrick.
Though his life training had been
that of the student, the scholar, the
linguist and of the preacher, yet
when the time arrived that was to
test other and as necessary qualities,
with the added grace of episcopal
conservation, he proved himselI
equal to all the trying emergencies
with which in the providence OF the
Almighty he was called upon to
cope.
He and his younger brother, Peter
Richard, afterward the equally
illustrious Archbishop of st. Louis,
were born in Dublin, the sons of
Thomas and Jane Kenrick. Francis
Patrick was born December 3, l191'
and his early training was COM
mitted to his uncle, the Rev. Rich
ard Kenrick, until at eighteen he
was sent to the Propaganda to study
for the priesthood. He was ordained
after a brilliant scholastic career
and in 1921, when but twenty-four
years of age, he was selected to
answer the call made on the Propa-
ganda by Bishop Flaget for pro-
lessor of theology for his seminary
at Bardstown. For nine years he
filled that chair with signal ability
and with piety that was an inspira-
ton to his charges, and he also rem
dered important service as professor
of Greek and history in st. Joseph's
College.
Missionary work in a field that
offered many opportunities also
attracted him and among other
things he preached the jubilee ser
mons of 1S26-27 to large congrega-
tions that flocked to hear him. In
his discussions with Protestant
divines who assailed Catholic doc
trine he proved himself a master OF
debate and cogent in his presenta-
tion of his case in a language and
diction that charmed his hearers and
confounded his adversaries. Best OF
all. his clear and logical explanation
vi lut uOClIlhCo VI bhC
many converts to the faith.
At the Provincial Council OF
Baltimore in 1929 he appeared as
Bishop Flaget's theologian and was
appointed Secretary of that august
body, one of whose most important
topics was the distracted state OF the
diocese of Philadelphia, then passing
through the most critical period OF
its history. The result was the
selection of Father Kenrick as
Coadjutor to Bishop Conwell, and
with a full knowledge of the diff
culties that would confront him and
with unequaled courage he accepted
the responsibility. He was conse-
Grated at Bardstown by Bishop
Flaget as titular Bishop Of Arath,
June 6, 1880, and began a career OF
thirty-three years as Bishop and
Archbishop that makes one of the
brightest pages in the annals OF the
church in America.
The so-called Hogan schism was
then at it's height in Philadelphia.
Hogan was an excommunicated
priest who in defiance of Bishop
Conwell continued to celebrate
mass and administer the sacraments
to a considerable following of disaf-
fected Catholics. There were then
four churches in the city, st. Jo-
seph's, st. Augustine's, Holy Trinity
and st. Mary's, the latter being un-
der the control of trustees who re-
fused to recognize the new Bishops
authority. He took up his residence
in a house on Fifth street, declared
himself chief pastor of st. Mary's,
which he selected as his Cathedral,
and by a determined stand for epis-
copal authority he plucked up the
root OF the schism and brought both
trustees and congregation TO theiF
senses.
His next care after an exhaustive
diocesan visitation was the estab-
lishment OF st. Charles Borromeo's
Seminary. the foundations OF which
were laid in his Fifth street res
idence. He soon had a suitable
building erected and his seminary
placed under the care OF the Vim
centian fathers, who continued in its
management until 1858. when they
were succeeded by the secular
clergy, and later the seminary was
removed TO Overlook.
During the disastrous epidemic OF
cholera in 1892 Bishop Kenrick
gained the gratitude OF the city
authorities and people by his self
sacrificing zeal for the relief OF the
stricken. He assigned the Sisters OF
Charity to nurse the patients. turn
ing the rectory Of st. Augustinc's
into an hospital, for which he was
rewarded by a public vote Of thanks.
All this was forgotten in the Know
nothing riots OF some years later,
when In 1874 the rioters burned st.
Augustine's and destroyed the very
house In which the cholera victims
had been given shelter and care.
Space forbids more than the brief