The Irish standard., 1918-03-16
Career Of Archbishop Prendergast

In 1900, as the golden jubilee of St.
Malachy's Church approached, the rec
torship of which was retained by Bish-
OPP Prendergast, the structure was
against remodeled; in 1902 a new bell
was blessed and erected, and in 1908
the church was frescoed and decorat-
ed, making it practically new build
ing in the Byzantine style of architec-
ture, with an interior different from
that OF any other local church, and as
beautiful as it is unique.
Fifteen Very Busy years.
For fifteen years the Bishop was
kept constantly busy, ordaining priests,
administering confirmation, dedicating
churches, chapels and schools, Off
ciating at the reception OF novices and
at the solemn profession of numerous
nuns in the diocese. Besides his du-
ties as Auxiliary he had countless
other activities as VICAR general, rector
OF st. Malachy's, diocesan consultor
and irremovable rector At the same
time he was an active member of the
! diocesan school board, the board of
, trustees of the clerical fund, the do
cesar building committee; he was the
spiritual director OF the Particular
, Council OF the Society of ST. Vincent
de Paul and occupied the same posi-
ton in1'egard to several of the parish
societies of St. Malachy's.
Among the most burdensome OF his
duties not the least were those de-
, volving upon him as chairman of the
diocesan building committee-the ex-
animation of plans, the consideration
of cost, of the material to be used in
the structures and the like practical
/ questions. Notable among the institu-
| tions may be mentioned the Catholic
Protectory for Boys, the Archbishop
Ryan Memorial Library attached to
the Seminary. the new Catholic Home
for Girls, the Catholic Girls High
School and st. Edmond Hall, the re-
cent splendid addition to the Seminary
Of St. Charles Borromeo.
For fifteen years Bishop Prendergast
had borne the weight of this burden,
when Archbishop Ryan, full of years
and merits, great in his goodness, was
called to his reward on February II,
1911. 1t is but true to say that no
one felt his loss more than his own
chosen Auxiliary Bishop, who became
the Administrator of the diocese.
Appointed Archbishop.
Scarcely three months had the Bish-
op filled the Office of Administrator
when the news Of his elevation to
the Archbishopric was received.
The Papal Bulls were borne from
Rome by the Right Rev. Monsignor
Navin f. Fisher, rector of the Church
of St. John the Evangelist, and Arch
bishop Prendergast was solemnly en-
! throned in the Cathedral of SIS. Peter
and Paul, in Logan Square, on the
feast of st. Ann, mother Of the Blessed
Virgin, July 26, 1911.
The six years of his office of Met
ropolitan have been filled With activ-
ity and progress in the Archdiocese,
and constitute a record unsurpassed in
the history of the American Church.
His Interesting Ancestry.
The Archbishop was a direct de-
scendant of Maurice de Prendergast,
the faithful Norman, who was with
Robert Fitz Stephen, and was the first
of the Anglo-Norman mobiles to enter
Ireland in 1869. In time, the Norman
invaders of the twelfth century were
to become ''kindly Irish Of the Irish,
as the old phrase has it.
The Faithful Norman" linked the
names Of Prendergast to honor and
chivalry on Irish soil
Like Godfrey Heating, whose mis-
fortunes were so fortunate for the stu
dent of Irish history, most of the Prem
dergasts remained loyal to the faith of
their race, and, in consequence, for
feited their rank and their estates in
Munster. Some of them Joined "the
fight of the Earls" and settled in Spain
and in France, where their descend
ants to this day preserve the charac-
teristics of their noble ancestors One,
Senior Meyer y Prendergast, was for
merly President of the Spanish Cortes
Don Luis Prendergast Gordon was
Minister Plenipotentiary and Stamp
Officer in the service of Spain. The
Chevalier Edmond Prendergast was an
officer in the Jacobite wars, and fol-
lowed the legitimate king Games ID
into exile in France. Another Edmond
Prendergast, descendant of the Ed
mond Prendergast who was one of the
wild Geese the noble exiles whose
homing fight was never to be accom-
plished-attained the rank of General
in the French army. The Prender-
casts who went to Connaught with the
name of the Irish captain whom Shake
speare, in Henry w.. Anglicizes into
"McMorris. But, in the South of