Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-11-14
"NIAGARA"
Story Of Foundation Told Group
of Her Old Students Long
Years Ago.
The Dream of Rev. Father Lynch
While Yet Boy i'm
Ireland.
Cradle of Magnificent Group of
Buildings Overlooking
Rapids.
FIRST ARCHBISHOP OF TORONTO
FIRST ARCHBISHOP OF TORONTO
By lanes A. Rooney. IL. d.


Angels, now the ecclesiastical de-
partment of Niagara University, was
founded by the Rev. John Joseph
Lynch, c. NJ, afterward the first
Archbishop of Toronto, Canada, with
few boys in house on Rest street,
Buffalo, that had been used by Rev.
James NJ. Early as home for orphan
boys. He took possession of it on
November 81, 1856, and though the
infant seminary remained there less
than six months IL was the cradle of
the magnificent group of buildings
which now constitute Niagara Uni
versity, on the summit of Mont
Eagle Ridge, a commanding and
picturesque site on the American
bank of the Niagara, overlooking the
whirlpool rapids.
The founding of the semif airy in
Buffalo and its subsequent removal
to its present location on May 1 of
the following year. realized boy
hood dream of the founder. The
writer, whose happiest recollection
is that he was one of Father Lynch's
earliest students, has sat entranced
at his recital of that dream and its
fruition. 1t was his privilege to be
one of a circle of "the old boys" at
Niagara, seated around the founder
in the fall of 1859, when he lis
tened to the story of that dream and
its fulfillment. which was really the
epitome of many years of missionary
labor. Here it is very much con-
densed:
"Once upon a time" and then he
looked around at us over his glasses
and smiled; "once upon a time
there was little Irish boy in a town
called Clones, in diocese that had
been founded by st. Patrick himself
in Ireland, and this little boy was
shown a picture of the great Falls
of Niagara by visitor from America
and it made a wonderful impression
on his mind. What beautiful place
he thought in which to worship the
Creator of that wonder; what an in
spring spot in which to offer up the
holy sacrifice, and what a grand site
on which to build college or SEM
mary to train priests for the great
American mission where they were
then so much needed. He dreamed
of all this that night. Well, my
dear children" said he, waving his
arms around so as to take in the
entire landscape, II was that little
boy and here is the dream come true.
Though | am soon to leave you all
and this lovely spot, will never
forget you or it,"
Then he continued: 81 was sent to
N Inn a
ordained priest of the Congrega-
ton OF the Mission in Paris. l was
glad to be sent as a missionary to
America, but Texas was my destina-
ton, and found that was a long
distance from Niagara Falls. Later
was sent to st. Louis and then to
st. Mary's of the Barrens, Perryville,
Mo-, where there was a house of our
order When Father Timon. now
Bishop of Buffalo, was appointed to
this diocese, which included Niagara
Falls, asked him about it, IL there
were any Catholics there and II they
had church. He told me there
were a few Catholics but no church,
and added: If you come up there
We will have a church and a SEM
mary, tool But I was not my own
master and / was made Superior of
st. Mary's and then sent to Paris to
attend the general assembly of the
congregation. There / told our
Superior General about Niagara and
what Bishop Timon had said, and
received permission to found a house
OF the order in his diocese; II was
getting warm, wasn't II.
Father Monaghan came with me
and We paid our first visit to the
Falls. We had no money and land
was high, so we tried to open
house on small farm near Buffalo.
But I took sick and we had to give
up that idea. Then we found a
house. on the outskirts of Buffalo
that used to be an orphanage and
was then empty and we moved In on
November 81, the day after the feast
OF the Presentation, three years ago
(1S56). II wasn't suitable and it
wasn't Niagara and during the next
Christmas holidays we made another
trip TO Niagara with better luck this
time. We secured the vedder farm
OF 100 acres at SIS an acre and not
long after We bargained for 200
acres more, part of the De Veaux
property, and adjoining the other,
and on which stood this house, then
a roadside inn. We removed here on
the first day of Mary's month, and
that's the reason for the name,
Seminary of Our Lady Of Angels, the
name bestowed on us by Plus TX.
"Of course we had little money,
but we received generous help from
Bishop Timon. his clergy and other
good friends, and some donations
came from most unexpected quar-
ters, the largest gift being one OF
1000, which We call the 'miracul-
Gus 10000 You know about that.
was sick in the hospital and Father
Maginnes (the Rev. John Maginnes,
formerly OF the Church of the Star
OF the Sea. BROOKLYN came to see
me and told me he had been left the
money to be applied TO some good
purpose and that Bishop Timon had
sent him TO me. That cured me at
once and II was great God-send to
the seminary, coming just when II
was most needed"
This is the story OF "Old Niagara"
told to his boys" as a parting re-
membranee by Father Lynch. and in
the circle that listened TO the recital