The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-18
LAST BRIDGEPORT CATHOLICS MOURN
 DECEASED PASTOR
Second Anniversary of Father Lynch's Death Recalls
 His Achievements.

HIS ACll1GVeU1O11tSs Today marks the second annivers- ary of the death of Rev. William M. Lynch, first pastor of St. Charles parish. His memory and accomplish ments are uppernost in the minds of | the parishoners of St. Charles. Ow- l ing to the fact that many of the | clergy of the diocese are on their | annual retreat and unable to be pres ent at the service the date of the | mass has been changed to Monday. A solemn requiem high mass will be | sung in St. Charles church at l o'clock Monday morning.
 Father Lynch was born in Water bury. Conn.,. Aug. 1, 1862. At the age of three years he moved, with his parents, to Providence, R. l., where he was for the following ten years under the guiding hand of his venerable uncle, Rev. ". H. Kfnner- ney. pastor of St.. Joseph's church in the Rhode Island metropolis. At the age of five years Father Lynch start ed in what was to eventually be his vocation, by serving his first mass as an altar boy in St. Joseph's church.
 He attended the public and paro- chiaI schools in Providence and grad uated with high honors from the Providence High school, whence he went to Holy Cross university, Wor- cester, Mass, where he made his classics. He then entered St. Bona ventures college at A11eghaney, N. Y., where he studied theology and on June 29, 1888, was ordained to the priesthood by Rt. Rev. Bishop Thos! D. Beaven of the diocese of Spring. field. Had he lived II days longer he would have celebrated his silver jubilee
 Father Lynch was adopted by the late Bishop McMahon of the diocese of Hartford. His first assignment was as curate at Manchester, wh ence he was transferred to Windsor Locks. Six years after his ordination he was appointed assistant to the late Mon slgnors Slocun of the important parish of the Immaculate Conception in Wa terbury, his native city. In that place he was spiritual head of the Catholic Womens Association, an in f1uentiaI church organization. Father Lynch as an organizer, was second to none among the younger men of the diocese, at this time under the direction of the late Bishop Michael Tferney.
 About this time Rev. Richard J- Carroll, curate in St Mary's parish, this city, was transferred to Hart ford and as the pastor, the late Rev. John F Rogers, was weakening in health, it was deemed. necessary to appoint an assistant of administrative ability to the position of assistant pas l tor, of St. Mary's church Bishop Tierney then decided that Father Lynch was the one needed and noti- l fled him of his transfer Sept. IS, 1S98.- | The late Nonsignor Slocum reluctant 1y parted with his invaluable assts- tant.
 At the time of his transfer, Father Lynch was a young, vigorous, inde- fatigab1e worker with a genius for organization coupled with a piety and zeal that never permitted the material side of the affairs of the parish to take precedence over the spiritual.
 St. Nfary's Convent.
 His first accomplishment in St Nary's was to cause to be erected a 1 handsome convent, at Pembroke and Sherman streets, to take the place l of the fast deteriorating convent at | Church street and Crescent. avenue. His next accomplishment was the purchase of a new organ which even today has but few equals, in the ] diocese.
 St. Mary's School.
 St. Mary's parochial school, was lo- cated on the site at present occupied by the handsome edifice of the Slavon- ion parish of Sts. Cyril and Method ious. Father Lynch caused to be erect ed the present handsome and com modious parochial school of St. Mary's S
 at Pembroke and .Steuben streets. Day by day during the erection of
 this building Father Lynch could be
 seen overseeing the work and during
 this Watchfu1 policy he discovered
 several needed changes in the con
 struction plans which he immediately
 recommended, thereby saving thous-
 ands-of dollars in the cost of con-
 structton-
 St. Charles Parish Organized. ' 4I,ie
 Rogers, was rapidly declining in
 health and at 7:30 on the morning
 of May 22, 1902, the bells in the stee- pie of St. Mary's sadly to1led the an
 nouncement of his demise. Father 2 Lynch was immediately appointed pastor of St. Mary's and continued ir that capacity until Thursday, Nov. 4 of the ensuing year, when he was of hciaIly notified of the organization and his appointment to the post o1
 pastor, of the new St. Charles par
 ish.
 Sunday, NOV T.. the first pastor of
 St. Charles notified the congregation I at. all masses in St. Mary s of the long expected change. Father Lynch's fare ! well sermon to the parishioners of St
 Mary's was very touching one and
 brought tears to the eyes of many 1 who had been under his Jurisdiction
 for the four previous years.
 MI Great difficulty was found in getting
 a suitable place in which to hold the I e7rst mass in St. Charles parish. With the aid of Frank Miller, banker and 3 merchant, and Frederick e. Mullins \ the latter a prominent member of the
 new parish, Barnum public school was obtained and there the first mass was ? celebrated at 7:30 a. m., Sunday, Nov
 14, 1902, Father Lynch officiating The third and fourth masses were cele- a brated by Rev. John F. Callahan, al T e:3o and 1O:30 respectively. Masses A the following Sunday were also ce1e- ] brated in Barnum school and the fol \ lowing morning, Monday, Nov. p mass was read in St. Johns (Slavo- o1T7roI "a