The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-02-12

REV. WILLIAM J. O,sHEA
 Late Pastor
 lower school and in college, the aspirant set out for Europe and for the University of Louvain, where he was to study the nobler branches, philosophy, theology, ecclesiastical history and the sac- red Scripture. So diligently did he apply himself to the work of preparation that 1t is easy to img- inc him prompting himself to continued labor in words like these: It is the Lords work and I must do my best. He did his best and succeeded marvelously.
 Finest student
 Bishop Tierney called me one day and told me that while in Europe he had learned that @ young man from my home parish was distinguish ing himself abroad. He con- thnued in these words: The au- thorities at the University of Lou vain told me that they counted him one of the very finest stud- ents that had ever come to them from America. His record for scholarship was not excelled even by another brilliant student whom you all know and who has brought honor to your own city,
 Scholarship and brilllancy do not always. go hand in hand. AL though Father O'Shea was a careful and resourceful preacher, he did not shine in the pulpit. I believe he was too modest for that. He was too modest even on occasions when he should have spoken out with confidence and with emphasis. He labored with us at the Cathedral for years be- fore going to war. After his term of service was over he returned to his old post. The people of the parish were naturally eager to hear something of his experience in the field. He manifested no desire and betrayed no willingness to meet the demand which was becoming more urgent day by day.
 When 1t was his turn to preach, I said to him: Of course you will tell the congregations something about your work as Q chaplain in France. Oh, no, he could not think of that. I urged that he .should not think of going into the pulpit without telling them some- thing about his war work.
 No, no, he could not go before the people and talk about him. self. I said to him: "You need not go into the pulpit and tell them that you won the war. But you must tell them what you saw others doing. The bishop wants you to do 1t, and so do l."
 -Effacement
 He took his turn at preaching the next day, talked at all the masses about the war, but no man or woman of any of the congre- gations which he addressed could for moment realize that he was himself ct the front. Many were disappointed-the rector among them. The preacher had kept the letter of the mandate but utterly defeated its purpose.
 Modesty and self-effacement, sweet and captivating as they are. can be carried too far. Had Father O'Shea been less reserved, the world would have known much more about his learning and his perfect mastery of every duty that came his way. Knowing him as I did, knowing his faith, his piety, and his marvellous fidelity to duty, 1t costs me no effort to fancy him repeating, in season and out of season: Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Every duty of his office was met with scrupulous fidelity.
 When placed over the Cathedral school he immediately set to work to learn whatever a principal should know. He secured books of all kinds, books bearing on the conduct of schools and kindred subjects. He read them, and for him to read c book was to study 1t and make its contents his own. When he was appointed to his first parish 1t seemed to me that the field was too narrow for Q man of his native parts and ac- quirements. But when l learned that he was to have e directive part in the establishment of Catholic High School in this city, l realized that his qualifications were known where they should be known, and I understood why he was sent to Waterville.
 Gifted Scholar
 It was since his death that one who was near him in school work said to me: "fie knew all about 1t. I have in my study forty books that he gave me, all bearing on high school work-not Catholic schools alone, but high schools of all kinds" He did not care to claim his volumes for when he had once read them his marvellous memory enabled iisim to retain whatever was worth while. He could afford to pass his books on to others who were in need of the information which they contained and which he had already mas tered. In this respect know of no one equally gifted.
 It was his record ct Louvain, and at Niagara university. that prompted Bishop Tierney to make him a professor at st. Thomas Seminary. He once said to me that he wished he could have been left at that work. Hnd he continued there he would have