Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-11-21
MISSIONARIES
who Became Pioneers of Catho-
licity I'm Early Days Of
Kentucky.
Three suIpicians whose Careers
Were Strangely Inter-
woven.
Benedict Joseph Flaget Selected
For Second and Third
Bishop.
The FOUNDATION OF NAZARETH

/
we're closed and priests and semin-
arians we're dispersed and forced to
| fly for their lives, we're three
Sulpicians destined to exert wide
spread influence on the church in
the West. They we're John Baptist
| Mary David and Benedict Joseph
Flaget, priests, and stephen Theo-
dore Badin, a sub-deacon. They
sailed together from Bordeaux in
January, 1892, reaching Philadel-
phia on March 26, and Baltimore
two days later, and though they
separated for a time Providence
brought them together in the mis-
sionary field of the West, where
they became the pioneers of Cathol-
lefty in Kentucky, with careers so
interviewer that one can scarcely be
mentioned without reference to the
others.
Mr.. Badin completed his studies
in Baltimore and was ordained by
Bishop Carroll on May 25, 1793,- be-
ing the first priest ordained within
| the limits of the thirteen original
States. He was assigned to the Ken
| lucky mission and at once started
for the field of his future labors,
going afoot as far as Pittsburgh.
He said his first mass in Kentucky
in the home of Denis Mccarthy,
near Lexington, where fifty years
later, on May rs, 1843, he cele-
brated the golden jubilee of his
priesthood. Making his headquar-
tiers at White Sulphur, near Lexing-
| ton, for fourteen years he was the
pioneer Missionary of that section of
country. In 1906 Father Charles
Nerinckx, later the founder of the
| Sisters of Loretto, came to share his
burden, and together they lived and
wrought at St. Stephens, Pottinger's
creek. On the arrival of Bishop
Flaget, Father Badin was his zeal
Gus colaborer for many years. Ten
years after celebrating his golden
| jubilee he passed to the reward Of
his labors in Cincinnati, April 81,
1853.
Father Flaget had preceded
Father Badin as a missionary to the
West, for he arrived at Vincennes,
Ind, December 81, 1872, being sent
there by Bishop Carroll as a mission
airy to the Indians. Later he was
recalled to take professorship in
Georgetown College, and when the
see of Bardstown was created, April
8, 1903, he was named as its first
Bishop and was consecrated Novem-
Der 4, 1910. He did not reach his
see until June 8, 1911.
All this time Father David was
exercising his zeal in the Maryland
missions. He was the first pastor
of Bryantown, where his first bap-
| tismal record was made in 1898.
After time at Georgetown and at
St. Mary's, Baltimore, acting also
as spiritual director of Mother
Seton's Sisters at Emmitsburg, he
was invited by his old friend. Bishop
Flaget, to go to Bardstown to
found a diocesan seminary and to
institute the Sisters of Charity of
Nazareth, and in these two apostolic
duties he found his life work. Ac-
companied by the Bishop and sew
eral ecclesiastics, one of whom,
Guy Ignatius Chabrat, afterward
succeeded him as Bishop Flaget's
coadjutor, the party reached Bards-
town, June 8, 1911. Father David
founded the seminary on the farm OF
| st. Thomas, near Bardstown, in a
log house, and he lived to see forty
seven of his students ordained as
priests, four of whom were destined
to wear the inter, namely Guy
Ignatius Chabrat, Ignatius A. Rey-
nolds. of Charlestown; John McGill
of Richmond, and Martin John
| Cnol1tnn 10 IA..foutIIo Later rob
bishop of Baltimore. Another OF
his "boys" was Elisha John Durbin,
one of the early priests OF Ken
lucky, who after laboring for sixty
years died at Shelbyville in 1885.
When Father David felt the need
of some devoted religious women to
instruct children, visit the sick and
the poor and assist in the care OF
the seminary, Teresa Carrico, Cath
crime Spalding and Harriet Gardiner
Jealous and sturdy daughters oil
pioneer settlers. we're the first ID
offer themselves for the work. He
housed them In a log cabin which
he called Nazareth" and ten years
later they moved to a location north
of Bardstown and took possession OF
the house of Presbyterian minister
Father David offering the first mass
In what had been the ministers
study. Here the Sisters labored I'M
der his direction, little dreaming
that Nazareth would ever develop
into its present magnificent proper
lions.
Bishop Flaget laid the corner
stone OF a new Cathedral July 16
1916. and then he petitioned that
his old friend and fellow-laborer be
appointed his coadjutor. The ap-
pointment was made November rs
1877, but owing TO Father David's
reluctance to accept episcopal hon
ors his conservation was deferred
two years and did not take place
until August is. 1919. just week
after the completion of the Cathe
change In his mode of life, and he
continued to perform all the duties
dral. His elevation made little
OF missionary priest. preaching
with a fluent English diction and
with not trace OF his native accent
His defense OF Catholic doctrine n
response 10 a challenge from q
Presbyterian minister named Hal
was q notable event Of his episco'
pate, and though sverss TO oral dis'