Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-10-16

| himself for further degrees. He
| relaxed his zeal in his studies,
rested several months and then
continued. He was ordained priest
| by Cardinal Parochi March 10,
1904 in the Basilica of st. John
Lateran. During the greater part
Of his stay in Rome the rector
of the university was then Mon
signor Cater cardinaD Commassei.
II always look back on my days
in Rome as the happiest of my
life" the archbishop told the As
sociated Press man Rome with
its memories, sacred and profane;
Rome, the gathering place of, it
would seem, the world; Rome,
consecrated by the blood OF Saints
Peter and Paul; that Rome,
guarded by the scenic Alban hills
will never be forgotten"
Audience with Popes.
More than once during his stay
he had the privilege of an audi
ence with the then Pope Leo
XIII and his sainted successor, the
late Pope Plus y.
On June 20, 1904, the young
priest bid adieu TO the Eternal
City and the early days of July
| found him at home in Athlone
after an absence of four years
from his parents. He sailed No
vember from Queenstown for
New York, planting his foot first
on American soil November 8. He
reported to his bishop, the late
| Bishop Kenny at st. Augustine on
the eve of Thanksgiving.
His first charge was st. Peters
church, DeLand. With the ex-
ccption of IL months of the year
1905 spent as secretary to the
bishop and chancellor Of the do
cese, all of the then Father Cur
| ley's years as a priest were spent
in DeLand. While pasto' at De-
| Land he had charge of all the mis-
sions from New Smyrna to Fort
Pierce and his missionary work
kept him on the road almost con-
stantly. There were very few peo-
people along that $50 miles
of then almost barren coast, who
| did not know the young priest OF
! those days. He built a new church
and rectory at DeLand; enlarged
the church and built a small rec
| tory in New Smyrna; gave Fort
Pierce it's first Catholic church
and through it maintained the
most friendly and cordial relations
with his Protestant neighbors. In
fact the new archbishop of BaltI-
more has always been proud OF
the Fact that my protestant
friends outnuirber my Catholi
friends ten to one"
Becomes American Citizen.
The then priest became a.
American citizen as soon as tn
law allowed, swearing allegian'
to the American republic with "a
the more eagerness, since l new
owed allegiance to any other go
eminent"
Bishop Kenny died in Octohe
1913, and on April 8, 1914, Pei
Plus X named the young prize
as Bishop of st. Augustine. u
was then just ten years a prizes
and "a years and six months Of
one OF the youngest men VIII
| had ever held SO important pos
| in the church. He was consecrat-
ed in the old Cathedral of 81
Augustine June 80 by Bisho
Kelley of Savannah.
The seven years Of his episco-
pate have been busy ones He has
caused to be erected at least 30
| new churches.
Just a few weeks ago he was
enthusiastic in his great work.
| "Afl over the state there is q
steady stream OF converts coming
into the fold. There never was
a finer spirit among the Catholic
people since the day when the in
trepid Pedro Menedez kneeled at
the first mass offered on the site
of ST. Augustine. Twenty years
from now will see the diocese Of
Florida one of the finest in The
southland"
His creed as he summed 1t W
in recent conversation is just
three words-"God and country,
and he boasts of his pride in his
citizenship in the America of to-