The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-05
CHAPTER VI.
administration Of Bishop
Joseph ChartrGnd,

Bishop at 40 Death of Bishop
Chatard . a.. Expansion of Educa-
ton in the Diocese :. Free High
Schools for Boys . World War
Activities Four Bishops Con-
secrated .. HonOrs conferred on
Bishop Chartrand 3d.. His Great
Spirituality and Influence E. His
Death in 1888 Bishop Ritter
Appointed Head of the Diocese -.
Centennial Celebration.
THE administration of Bishop
i Joseph Chartrand virtually be-
gan in 1910 when he was made
/ coadiutor bishop, although his
predecessor, Bishop Chatard, lived
until 1918. Bishop Chartrand's &C
tivities as the ordinary Of his do
/ cese. were devoted largely to three
major detectives: % The spiritual
advancement of his flock; % the
coordination and spread of the
educational institutions Of his do
cese; 80 the activities concomitant
with the World war. which the
Catholic church of this country en-
tered into with full fervor and zeal.
History must be viewed through
the long perspective of years to be
Judged Alright Years hence, Bishop
Chartrand's saintliness and uplifting
spirituality will be evaluated in a
much greater degree than we now
are able TO visualize. His biography
may begin by stating that as bishop
of the diocese of Indianapolis, he
represented an unbroken chain of
French prelates in the line of Epis-
copal succession, the first four Of
which were born in France and the
last two of French descent, al
though born in America.
Joseph Chartrand was born in
St. Louis, Mo, May II. 1870. His
father was of French stock and his
mother was Mary O'Sullivan, ma
tive of County Kerry, Ireland. BiSh-
op Chartrand said on many occa-
sions: L owe all that 1 am to the
faith of my Irish mother He
completed a classical course at St.
Louis university and studied philoS-
ophy at st. Francis seminary near
Milwaukee. In 1888, at the age of
18, he entered the theological course
at st. Meinrad's seminary in In
diana. So rapid was his advance
that he was ready for major Or
ders before the prescribed age. In
1890 he went to Innsbruck, Austria,
IL, I'm 1,o q OIL n
St Meinrad in 1891 and completed
his theology there. He was or
dained in Indianapolis by Bishop
Chatard. Sept. "a. 1892, at the age
of o. BY that time young Char
trand had been professor of Latin
and had taught English and rhet-
oric He was a master of elocution
and in debate he was feared by all
his opponents whom he generally
vanQuiShed Immediately after or
dination, he became curate at the
cathedral of SIS. Peter and Paul,
where he served until 1910. On
Feb. 3 of that year he was made
vicar general and on July 81. 1910
was named coadjutor- bishop of In
dianapoliS.
The appointment of Bishop
Chartrand. at the age of 40, as
coadjutor to Bishop Chatard, re-
lieved the aged prelate of many Of
fetal duties which he found in
creasingly difficult to perform due
to his advanced years and near
blindness. However, Bishop Chatard
was able to officiate at the Cathe-
dral until close to Christmas, 1917.
On Sept. 7. 1918, after several
months of confinement to his rooms,
he expired at the age of "a, having
ruled his diocese forty years. The
solemn obSequieS took splace in
Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral
with imposing ceremonies at which
were present many bishops, several
archbiShops and abbots and the
priests and nuns of the diocese.
The remains were entombed be-
meath the high altar OF the
Cathedral.
The first step in the educational
progress made in the diocese under
Bishop Chartrand was the establish
ment of a diocesan school board
one of whose duties was the ddop-
ton of text books for the parochlal
schools of the diocese. The intensive
zeal shown by the bishop in the
cause of education is best under
stood by stating that from 1910 to
1924. over twenty-five elementary
and secondary schools were opened
in the diocese. Bishop Chartrand's
goal in educational progress was to
establish free Catholic high schools
for boys in his diocese. This he
achieved in several of the largest
cities. In Indianapolis he saw the
completion of the Cathedral high
school in 1926. 1t has been con-
Quoted ever since by the Brothers
of the Holy Cross congregation,
whose mother house is at Notre
Dame, Indiana. In Evansville, the
Reitz Memorial high school, made
possible through the generosity of
Joseph Francis Reitz, was opened in
January. 1925. and is also taught by
the Holy Cross Brothers.
In VincenneS, the Gibault high
school was completed in 1924 and
is conducted by the Brothers of the
/ Sacred Heart. Free high schools for
bows are also in operation at Wash
ington. Ind. in charge of the Sisters
of Providence; at Richmond, Shell
bvville and Aurora Ind, in charge
of the Sisters of st. Francis. At
the time of Bishop Chartrand's
death in 1888, there we're in opera
ton 126 parochial schools and nine
teen high schools and academies.
q
DISHOP CHARTRAND, following
d the footsteps of his prede-
cessors, raised the status OF educa-
ton in his diocese to a higher de-
gree than ever before attained. He
was only stopped by the universal
economic debacle Of 1929 and his
own untimely death in 1888.
Not among the least OF Bishop
Chartrand's fine traits was his love
for church music. which he acquired