The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-02-02
PREACHED AT THE FUNERAL OF
BISHOP McGoLRIcK, OF Du-,
LUTH, ON JANUARY %.

Behold high priest who in his day
pleased God and was found just
Right Reverend Fathers in Christ
and dearly beloved brethren:
If it were at all possible, Archbishop
Ireland would be here this morning to
pay last tribute to one whom, for
more than fifty years, he has admired
and loved as brother, and with whom
he has exchanged intimate condolences
He bids me, in his name and in my
own, say few words on this sad and
solemn occasion.
1t is not easy to recite the history OF
Bishop McGolrick's activities, to por
tray the nobility of his character or tc
bring into relief the Christ-like spirit
Of his life. Any attempt to do SC
| would disappoint those who know him
intimately and who, in his departure
from oltr midst, feel a sense of per
sonal loss. Every person in Duluth
with the exception of the stranger
within its gates, experiences this feel
ing of personal bereavement.
The great force which animated
and gave character to Bishop McGol
rick's life was Christian faith. 1t fur.
nished all his ideals and directed all
his activities. He was a true bishop
who exemplifed in his life the true
Christian character furnished by the
great High Priest who could say OF
himself: Il am the good shepherd
and l give my life for my sheep" A
beautiful image which shines forth
from the pages of the Gospel was i'm.
printed in the good shepherd of whom
we take leave today. He loved little
children, and this love prompted him
to make every sacrifice to serve them
as best he could. Often did his deal
ing with children bring before the
minds of those who observed him the
Gospel picture of the Good Shepherd
who gathered the little ones to him
and said, suffer little children tic
come>unto me, and forbid them not :
He was their confidant and controlled
their life. IT was his delight to be
in the midst of them, for he always
had before his vision that picture
which ever ought to be our law OF
life-to love the little ones for the
sake of Christ He was Jealous for
the young and impaired to them a
true knowledge of the nobler things
They caught his splendid enthusiasm
for the divine realities, and they
went forth into life with greater conf.
dence because they had come into
contact with a man of God.
Bishop McGolrick loved the priest
hood in himself and in others. He
was quick to see the marks of yo
cation, and he. gathered around him
prospective leVites, encouraged them
during their years of preparation, and
rejoiced when they reached their ma
turity. He was noble Bishop, a true
priest. The worlds idea of the priest
hood is drawn from the Gospel, and
men are keen to see the faults in the
| priest, not because any spirit of criti
cism whets their sense of the incon
gruous,s but because they are shocked
| by anything ignoble or unholy in the
lpriestly life. Bishop McGolrick stood
before men for more than fifty years
as a priest, and no one found serious
fault with his life or detected in his
character lines unloyely or untrue
He studied to exemplify in his priest
| ly life the divine model, and could say
with truth: Il live, no not I, bu
Christ liveth in me-" and could we
observing closely his life, not see tht
picture of the great High Prizes
whose character he showed forth, in
adequately, of course, but most i'm
pressiyely?