Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-09-19
REMARKABLE
Daily Record of Bishop Eng
lands Visitations to South
ern Diocese.
Was Pastor i'm Ireland When
Raised to Episcopal
Dignity.
Was Consecrated I'm st. Finbarr's
Church in the City of
Cork.
MOTHER CATHERINE HIS SISTER
By James A. Rooney, LII. D.

Having treated of the early his
tory of the diocese Of Charleston, S.
c., in previous article, the ninety
fourth anniversary of the consecra-
ton of it's first Bishop, the Right
Rev. John England, suggests a few
extracts from a remarkable diary in
which he jotted down daily happen
ings in his arduous life as a mis-
sionary Bishop, beginning in 1920,
on receipt of the news of his ap-
pointment as Bishop of Charleston.
He was thirty-four years of age at
that time, having been born in Cork,
September 30, 1886. He was or
dained before reaching the canonical
age in his native city October IL,
1903, and was parish priest at
Bandon, in the diocese of Cork, when
notified of his proposed elevation to
the episcopal dignity. 1t was then
he made the first entry in the diary
which he kept for many years and
which he bequeathed to the North
Presentation Convent, Cork, where
for fifty years his sister, known in
religion as Mother Catherine, was
the Superioress. The dairy begins
with this entry:
July 10, 1S20-Today, Monday, /
received in Bandon a letter from the
Rev. Henry Hughes, dated June II,
1920, at Rome, informing me that
had been appointed Bishop of
Charleston in South Carolina, and
requesting of me to accept of this
appointment.
September al received the
grace of episcopal conservation in
the Catholic church of st. Finbarr's,
in the city of Cork, from the Right
Rev. DIR. Murphy, Bishop of the
diocese, assisted by the Right Rev.
DR.. Maram, Bishop of Ossory, and
by DR.. Kelly, first Bishop of Rich
mond (Virginia), whose appoint
ment was subsequent to mine, but
whose conservation took place at
Kilkenny on August "a.
October 11-This day is the ami
versary twelve years. of my ordina-
ton. l parted with my family to
go whittier thought God has called,
but whittier / had no other desire
to go.
December 30-Arrived in Charles
ton after a very tedious and unpleas-
ant passage; saw the Rev. Benedict
Fenwick, Vicar General of the
Archbishop of Baltimore; renewed
his faculties as Vicar General of my
diocese.
December 31-Being Sunday 1
bad the happiness of celebrating
mass; took possession of the church,
had my bulls published and
preached.
January Is, 1s21-went on board
the sloop Delight and sailed for
Savannah no priest there since
previous October.
January BLIZZARD confessions,
celebrated holy mass, administered
holy communion to twenty-seven
persons, confirmed fifteen; preached
to large congregation, principal
lawyers of city present; church
crowded and surrounded. Invited to
preach in Episcopal church at
Savannah, but declined.
January 23-Administered con-
firmation to John Mccormick and
forty-eight others in Augusta.
January 27-Arrived at Locust
Grove at nightfall. This was the
first congregation in Georgia,
founded in 1894 by the settlement of
Mrs. Thompson's family and a few
others from Maryland; found sew
eral negroes here intelligent and
well instructed. Preached in the
open air, first time, to about 400
persons.
February IL met three Chero-
kee Indians at Warrenton who
could speak a little English; gave
them their breakfast and told them
l would visit their nation.
March 15-Tonight preached in
the Court House to large congrega-
ton, mostly Professionals; found $50
Irish laborers working on the canal;
appointed Peter Mcguire and John
Heffernan to collect for a church.
April Established the Book
Society at Charleston and General
Committee to extend II throughout
the diocese.
April 2S-Baptized several con-
verts, including lawyer of prom
inence, in Charleston.
May 12-Baptized George Wash
ington, aged three years, son of Pat
rick Murphy and Rebecca Lear. at
Wilmington.
May 16-Celebrated mass In my
lodging at Wilmington; met the
Catholics after breakfast, about
twenty; exhorted them to assemble
on Sundays for prayer; preached in
the Presbyterian church on invita-
ton of the pastor; raised SLIGO for
church.
May 20-At the request OF some
Protestant gentleman preached
twice, at $3.50 and o'clock, to full
congregations. Left there in the
evening
May 22-Found John Doyle. the
only Catholic In or about South
Washington.
May 30-Baptized two men of
color, converts. at Newbern; found
about twenty Catholics here. prin-
cipally females.
June 12-Preached IN the Court
House at North Washington In the
evening and celebrated mass in the
morning.
June 1S-Found two Catholics at
Plymouth. Finding an anxiety to
hQar ma 1 DrQachQd IN fho Qcaiamv