Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-05-02
Was the Second Priest to BE
Ordained by Bishop John
Carroll.
Lies Buried Beneath the Path
He Had Trod For Many
Years.
PRINCE, PRIEST and MISSIONARY
BY James A. Rooney.

| If some curious deliver into the
records of Cambria county, Pennsyl-
vania, for the early years of 1900
should come across the signature of
Augustine Smith, and If he had oc-
casion to look up the parish register
of Loretto in that county for the
same time and found an entry of
marriage or baptism attested by the
same Augustine Smith as the Cath
olic priest of the place, he might be
puzzled until informed that the said
Augustine Smith was really the Rev.
lDemetrius Augustine GallitZin, the
lprince-priest and pioneer missionary
of that wild Allegheny country,
whose death in 1910 is chronicled in
our Catholic chronology under date
of May 6. This was the name as
sumed by this scion of one of Rus
Isia's most illustrious families when
he came to this country in 1892, and
| 1t was used by him for many years
after his ordination. In 1909, how
ever, the Pennsylvania Legislature
validated his acts and purchases un-
der that name and he was author
lied to resume his family name.
| Father Gallitzin labored in that
rugged wilderness for forty-one years
and he left it a rich farming coun-
try; he died as poor as he had lived
though he spent $15O,OOO of his
patrimony in establishing and main
tanning his Catholic colony: he was
the spiritual guide and shepherd OF
his people and for many years the
only priest in that whole region.
| 1t may also be regarded as among
the inscrutable designs of Divine
Providence that dying Protestant's
desire for baptism was responsible
for Father Gallitzin's advent into
the wilderness he was to recreate
and evangelize. Having been or
dained March Is, 1875. by Bishop
Carroll, the second priest to be or
dained by him (Father Badin being
the first) he was sent to minister to
| the scattered Catholics of Northern
Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania
and Virginia. While at Conewago
the following year he was notified
that Mrs. John Burgoon, Prot
estant. desired to become a Catholic
before her death, which was i'm
minent. She lived at Capt Ma
CURES settlement, near the summit
of the Alleghanies, $50 miles away,
but Father Gallitzin undertook the
long journey over primitive roads,
instructed the dying woman and ad-
mitted her into the church.
1t was then that he was inspired
to found Catholic colony in that
remote region. Father Gallitzin as
certained that Capt. Mcguire had
bequeathed 400 acres to Bishop Car
roll for future church purposes, and
in furtherance of his idea the prince
priest proceeded to buy a large
tract of the adjoining land He Sc
cured Bishop Carrolls assent to the
project and permission to make his
home there, and in 1893 he began
the work that he was to continue
until his death, with Jurisdiction
over 100 miles in every direction,
and out of which later was carved
out the dioceses of Pittsburgh. Erie.
Altoona and part of Harrisburg. He
built a church of pine logs and he
said his first mass in II Christmas
day. Then he built log cabin for
himself about thirty feet away, and
IT was beneath the path he had
tAOadOh bCNnCCh anu HOuot
that afterward he was buried, ac-
cording to his own directions.
The log church was enlarged in
1908 and was replaced by a frame
structure in 1917, and ii remained
the parish church long years after
its builder had been called to his
reward. The present day visitor to
Loretto will find few traces of his
early struggles and no remains of
the pristine wilderness. Instead he
will find more than a score of thriv-
ing parishes ministered to by twice
as many priests, within a radius OF
fifteen miles from the spot once oe-
cupied by Father Gallitzin's log
church. At Loretto he will find st.
MichaePs splendid stone church,
consecrated October 2, 1901: the
Father Gallitzin chapel, st. Francis
Monastery, the provincial house and
novitiate OF the Franciscans. and
the convent OF the Sisters of Mercy;
he may admire Father Gallitzin's
noble features reproduced in bronze
and marvel at the stupendous work
accomplished by him.
Father Gallitzin was born at The
Hauge while his father, Prince
Demetrius Gallitzin. was Russian
Ambassador to Holland. His mother,
Catholic, was the Countess Amalie
Won Schmettau. daughter OF the cele-
brated Russian Field Marshal. He
received liberal education befitting
his rank. and at the age OF seven
teen became practical Catholic,
taking at his confirmation the name
or Augustine. as compliment TO his
mother, who was born. made heI
first communion and was married on
st. Augustine's day. August 2s. He
was at first intended for the arm,
and was appointed on the staff ol
Gen. Won Lillien in the service Of
| Austria. Later his father decided OF
! his spending some years In traye