The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-08-05
FATHER GIBBONS.

| luC u0dGu VI Il dGuCE UIUUOuS Is
a great loss to the Diocese of St.
Paula loss which, humanity
speaking, is irreparable From the
time of his ordination, thirty-one
years ago, he rose gradually and
naturally from one position of in
| fuence to another until at his
death he occupied the highest
place within the gift Of his eccles-
iastical superior. He was success
sively assistant at the old Cathe-
dral, pastor of st. Patrick s, of ST.
Mary's of st. Luke s, and then of
the new Cathedral, his final dig
nifty being that Of Vicar General
Of the Archdiocese. In all these
places of trust he won the love of
his people, the loyalty of his fell
low workers in the priesthood and
the admiration and absolute conf
dence Of the Most Reverend Arch
bishop.
In the administration Of the tenn
poralities in the various charges
he has had few equals in the
priesthood of the Northwest, his
special merit being that he quick
ened the generosity of the people
without diminishing their respect
for his office, or weakening their
devotion to the Church. In fact, the
more he persuaded them to give,
the more they became attached to
his person and the more faithful
to the duties of religion. He never
allowed them to think that any
amount Of generosity on their part
could absolve them from strict
fidelity to their spiritual obliga-
tions. His frank, but tactful adj
monitions, unhesitatingly given
wherever he deemed them needed,
made his people feel that, whether
rich or poor, great or little in the
eyes Of the world, they were all
equal to him where the interests
of their souls were concerned.
All his dealings with them con-
veyed the lesson that, no matter
what might be their admiration for
his administrative ability, he was
first of all the priest of God and
their spiritual Father. His man
ner was kindly, genial, friendly,
even free, but seasoned with a dig
nifty which suggested that he never
forgot the altar and the confess
sional. Unreservedly, therefore,
did his people make him the con-
fidant of their joys and sorrows.
| This is the explanation of those
feelings of profound grief which
stirred the whole city on the an
nouncement of his sudden taking
off and which were visible on the
faces of those who thronged the
| Cathedral at his funeral.
| The secret of Father Gibbons
success as pastor lay not alone in
those priestly qualities which char
acterized his relations with his
people, but also in the loyalty and
devotion of his assistant priests.
He realized that without the
hearty cooperation of his assist
ants pastor is handicapped in
the material and spiritual upbuild-
ing of his parish. He, therefore,
unfolded his plans to his fellow
workers, sought their advice,
shared with them his responsible
ity, encouraged them in their eff
forts, sympathized with them in
their difficulties, rejoiced with
them in their success. To him
they were not servants, but friends
and comrades working in a COM
mon cause. No wonder they ac-
complished great things under his
leadership. No wonder his for
mer assistants attribute much of
the success they have since
achieved in the sacred ministry to
the training and the inspiration
. they received from him. Good
service in the confessional, in the
, pulpit, in the sanctuary, in the
school will win the hearts of any
, people is doctrine Father Glib
bons often taught them and which
they have since striven to practice.
Priests and people will miss
Father Gibbons, but the Most Rev
erend Archbishop will feel his loss
most keenly. To him he was an
intelligent COUNSELLOR loyal and
true. In all diocesan works he was
a leader, subordinating to them all
| mere parochial interests. The
!, school system of the diocese, the
college, the seminary, the Cathe-
dral, each in turn received from
I him all the help a well-trained
8 mind, ripe experience and a de-
T voted heart could give. His re-