The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1921-02-12
BROTHER STEPHEN.


two years Brother Stephen passed
away peacefully at 6:30 P. NJ. Fri
day, February 4th.
He was born September 18th, 184S
in Brooklyn, N. Y.
A few years after, his family
moved to Kentucky.
AS a young man, Brother Stephen
was tall and athletic, and excelled
in games and sports as well as IN
his studies. He was born mechan-
ic and his genius in this direction
and in the manipulation of tools was
we'll known. No doubt. with his re-
markable talents, energy and skill,
he could have raised himself to a
high position in the world, but in
that young and generous heart there
was another voice calling, and with
the sound judgment and uprightness
of mind usral to him, he listened to
the call of his Lord.
On December 18th, 1863. he en-
tered the novitiate of the.zBrothers
of the Sacred Heart at St. Thomas,
near Bardstown, KY. Here he spent
a few years preparing himself for
the teaching profession. His first
trial at his chosen vocation was made
in st. Johns School, at Indianapolis,
Ind. After teaching in various
schools of the order with signal sue
cess for several years, he was sent
to Vincennes, Ind, as principal of
the Cathedral School in that city,
thence to ST. Vincent's Academy,
Mobile, Ala.
Finally, he was ordered to Bay St.
Louis to take charge of St. Stanis-
laus Day School. Here he spent the
rest of his life. Here he found his
life work and devoted himself to it
with all the energy and zeal of an
apostle. A typical ''Village School
Master" he taught the children and
the children's children of Bay st.
Louis for over quarter of a CEN
tury, and made good christians and
good citizens of them. Many of the
prominent men of the Bay are proud
to be numbered among his pupils.
It would be superfuous to enlarge
on the qualities of mind and heart of
good Brother Stephen who was so
well-known and loved by the people
of the Bay. His kind and genial
disposition attracted the young peo-
pie to him as the magnet draws the
iron, and many lesson on the prac-
tical affairs of life did he give his
youthful hearers in his familiar talks.
His success as a teacher is evidenced
by the prominent positions held by
his pupils in every walk of life. The
most notable among them is Arch
bishop Shaw, of New Orleans, who
was a pupil of Brother Stephen while
in Mobile. This venerable prelate
held him in the highest esteem. and
he often speaks of his old teacher.
Brother Stephen considered it the
crowning glory of his teaching life
to have had Archbishop Shaw among
his pupils
During his long illness Brother
Stephen was ever patient and resign
ed. His only desire was to die and
be delivered from "this body of
death" in order to dwell with Christ.
His death was fitting crown to his
life-gentle, peaceful, like a tired
child falling to sleep in it's mothers
arms. He died surrounded by his
brethren, fortified by all the sacra-
ments of the Church.
No more will his familiar figure be
seen treading the streets of the Bay,
imparting to them the joy that filled
his own heart. But he has built up
a niche in the hearts of all that knew
him, and the memory of his life and
virtues will be an example and en-
co,1ragment to all. His death is a
distinct loss to his order and to the
people of the Bay.
Catholics of Bay st. Louis, you
who have been his pupils,
of your charity say little prayer for
the repose of the soul of good Broth
er Stephen; for. though his life was
one of sacrifice and good works, even
"the angels are not pure in His
sight" Requiescat in Pace!