The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-04-02

dinal there is one simple sentence
which explains why it was James CID
hons turned from the business OF TINS
world Just as the gateway oIWordly |
success was swinging open before his
vigorous advance. This sentence is
as follows: The deep piety OF ms
mother exerted marked influence in
the unreasonable period OF his earlyl
life" 1t is a sentence which explains
not only the career OF James Carchnail
Gibbons. but the careers also OF the
nunberless hosl of priests, missions
aries. nuns, princes OF the Church,
and devout laymen and laywomen who
have carried the light and energy OF
tho Catholic Faith out Of Ireland to
all the ends of the earth.
When a young man of twenty, in
business in New Orleans, and consid-
oring the choice Of 4 career, he at
tended a mission conducted by Father
Isaac Hecker, the founder OF the
Paulists, he gained vocation to the
priesthood.
Hecker. the Brook Farm socialistic
\ idealist, then Hecler the convert, was
to become Hecker the mystical father
of powerful congregation, great
APOSTLE of God. preacher as we'll OF
the purest patriotism.
Enters at ST. Charles College.
Soon after receiving his vocation at
this Paulst Mission, the future Cor
dinal set out for Baltimore, travelling
m the Mississippi and Ohio rivers
and crossing the mountains by way
of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad,
which was then only partly finished.
He entered ST. Charles College near
Elliott City, where he remained from
1854 until 1851, when he was enrolled
at ST. Mary's Seminary, the famous
Sulpician Institution in Baltimore, be-
ing ordained June so, 1861, in the
Cathedral by Archbishop Kenrick.
Cardinal Gibbons as Chaplain.
The priesthood of James Gibbons
bcsan as il ended. i'll war time. The
John Brown raid, the fugitive slave
riots. the formation of the Southern
Confederacy, were taking place while
he was studying in st. Mary's Sem
mary. and when he was ordained in
1861 the great struggle was on.
Southern in his associations and SYM
uathieS. he was yet a sturdy Union
man; a believer in the Nation; and as
n volunteer chaplain, serving the war
prisoners at Forts McHenry and
z Marshall, he brought the consultations
of religion to the victims OF fratrl-
cidal war. Following the Cross, and
loyal to the Flag, treading the path
of priestly duty, SO his work began
ON the road it was to follow through
out that marvellous career winch Is
the pride of the Church in America
today. ~.
Young Father Gibbons was parish
priest as well as a chaplain; his tlrst
and only parish being st. Bfidget's, in
Baltimore. He had charge also OF a
church across the Patapsco river; but
he was soon called to higher duties.
He was chosen as Secretary by Arch
bishop Spalding of Baltimore in 1865,
and in the following year he was ap-
pointed Assistant Chancellor to the
Sacred Plenary Council of Baltimore
BY that body he was selected to be
first Vicar-Apostolic in North Caro-
lima. Coincidentally, he was elevated
to the Hierarchy as a Bishop.
His Work in North Carolina.
Archbishop Spalding accompanied
him to Wilmington to install him
and, as writer in the Baltimore Sun
has said, "He often recalled his first
niaht there, when he and the Arch
bishop stepped off the train North
Carolina was in the hands of the ne
crocs and the carpetbagger-the nor
rOrs of the Reconstruction era were
i'm full swing. The negroes were haV
ing a celebration and were marching
through the streets in torchllgh
procession. The city was like an in
ferno. 1t was among such scenes as
this that the Bishop. began his labors
in his new field.
And he made wonderful progress
He was always on the move and traY
eled> from one end of the State to thu
other, using any method of trans
portation that came to hand-traln
wagon, carriage or horseback-ant
when none of, these was available III
went on foot He bore hardship
without complaint, suffered heat
and on one occsaion was almost fro
zen to death Often he went hungry
!. hut always the work went on.
"He established churches in town
where there we're a few Catholics
and these grew into fiourishing cor
greeations. He inspired those of hi
faith with his own zeal and the
worked with him. In four years n
doubled the Catholic population OF tn
State. He allowed nothing to inter
fere with him; neither the prejudice
\of the people, the hardships that wer
his. from thegbeginning, nor even tn
horrors of the reconstruction.
tits difficult in these days to con
nTehend the magnitude of the tas
theN new Bishop had been set to, pei
form. He was just "a years old. Hi
duties called for the strength, tn
yigor and the enthusiasm OF youtf
vet the discretion, the tact, the jnde
ment of a man of mature age. In In
million population of the State Their
were not more than 800 Catholics. IN
remainder of the population was 70
the most part suspicious. 1t was sal
r ~ fai