The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-19
MSGR. SLOCUM'S
 NAME LINKED. TO HOSPITAL.
Memory of Beloved Pastor Still Bright; Bought
 Hospital Site

The name of slocum, the memory of the beloved Monsignor of the Immaculate Conception church stand out as brightly today, 8 years after his death, as they did on that day in october, 1908, when all Wa terhury and the Hartford diocese paused to pay homage to the Right Rev. William J. Slocum, beautiful in death as he was in life.
 No history of St. Mary's Hospital could be quite complete without reference in full to the ono man who devoted his full energies, who gave all his worldly possessions that Waterbury might have this institu- ton. Tho St. Mary's of today Is no greater than the visions that Mon- Slgnor Slocum had when he bought a small tract of land at Union and Franklin streets and set himself to the herculean task of adding one more Catholic institution to the many he was already responsible for here.
 Died Before Dedication
 Although he gave his all to the foundation of St. Mary's Hospital Monsignor Slocum never lived to pass through It's doors, to walk It's halls, to bless its walls. He saw the first spadeful of earth turned; he joined in the triumphal ceremony of laying tho cornerstone. When tho day Of dedication came in Feb- ruary of 1909. tho beloved rector of the Immaculate Conception church, the clergyman of whom Monslgnor Thomas s, Duggan, D.D,, vicar- general of the diocese, wrote xxx
 ''MOnsignor Slocum k H man of
 commanding personality - clO-
 qucnt, well-lnf0rmed, fNr-seelng,
 diplomatic and persuasive, one
 who will do honor to the Roman
 purple, nS he has done honor to
 the Church which he has served
 with exceptional success during
 the long years of his prieSt- hOOd." XXXX
 had passed to his Maker. Death came on october g, 1908. All Con- nectlcut motnned for him.
 The career Of Monslgnor Slocum was distinctly a priestly one. Here in Waterbury thoSo who were of his tlme have become accustomed to Contlne his labors to Waterbury and the old Immaculate Conception Church alone. His career In Water. bury was only from 1895 to 1908.
 Born In WlnSted
 Ho was born in Winsted on Fob- Tuary c, 1851, tho son of Michael and JnnG Mccormick Sloeum. Hc was enc of six children having four brothers and ono sister, all of whom pre- deceased him. Following com- pletlon of his education in WinSted he enrolled ut St. Bonaventure'S | College, where he completed both | academic and seminary studies. HiS ordination to tho priesthood took plnce there on June 22 1876, tho Most Rev. stephen V. Ryan, bishop of Buffalo, presiding at the cero- monies.
 IIlS first assignment in this dio- cese was to St. Peters Church, Hartford, where he came under the benign influence of the Rev Law renee Walsh who himself was to become paStor at tho Immaculate Conception Church, being stationed hero from 1876 to 1885, It seemed 'Mons!gnor Sloeum's good fortune always to become associated With older men of tho diocese who could best train and teach the curate In 'thG ways of successful parish ad- minlstration, encourage budding | genius and initiative, bring out best tho prleStly qualities,
 In New Haven
 Prom Hartford MonsIgnor Slocum went to St. Patrlck's New Haven, there to place his priestly aenl and manly vigor nt the shoulder of the aging but industrious Monslgnor James Lynch, at tho time vicar general of the diocese, Waterbury | Nso knew this same Father Lynch, There he also remained under the pnStorate of Rev. Jeremiah Fitz- patrIck and ngaln his pastors III health demanded Of tho curate con- Stant cndcaVor.
 s Back once more to Hartford he re- turned, this time to serve at St, patrick's under the able Bishop | Lawrence s. McMahon rightly | styled the "builder of parishes" So | nbly prepared in parish work, Mon- Signor Slocum was ready on May l, 1883, to assume charge of St, Mary's | Church in Norwalk. There he was content, too to complete his cleri- cal career. for three years after go- 4ng to Norwalk he had been made Permanent Rector.
 Succeeded Msgr. Muleahy
 Thirteen years in Norwalk made Monsignor Slocum a distinct part of church and civil life there. It was not readily therefore. that he ac- ceeded to the request of Bishop Michael A. Tierney In 1895 to come Co Waterbury. Bishop Tiemey had called Monsignor John A. Mulcahy of beloved memory from the Im- Conception to. be Vicar General at Hartford. Tho bishop