The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1958-08-29
A Tolerant Family
Paulists' First Superior Was
Convert to Catholicism

the kitchen, baked bread for the
tried to study.
Significantly enough, Heck
or, though suffering fhis hv-
initiation and apparent dis
grace, was not depressed. He
was almost confident. When
his superior finally demand
ed that he, under obedience,
tell him in writing how he
thought God intended to en-
pIoy him in the future, Heck.
or for fhe first fine infimsf.
ed what he regarded his voes.
tion TO be, that God In some
way make use Of him TO labor
for the conversion Of his nom
Catholic covntrymen. II was .
startling ineongrvify indeed,
pvzxling even to Heeker him.
self. This work, il seemed to
me at first, was TO be accom-.
piished by means Of acquired
science but now II had been
made plain that God would
have it done principally by The
aid Of His grace, and IL I were
left TO study at such moments
Is my mind was free. it would
take . long time for me TO
acquire sufficient knowledge
to be ordained q priest"
On October %, 1849. Isaac
|Hecker was ordained by Bishop
|Wiseman in London.
Two years later Father Heck
er set sail for America. On April
6, 1851, together with four 9th
err Redemptorists, Fathers Ber-
nard, Alexander, Hewitt and Wal
worth, he participated in launch.
ling the first organized mission
to an English-speaking parish in
this country, st. Joseph's Church
in Greenwich Village, New York
ICity.
Like Hecker, both Father
Hewitt and Father Walworth
were converts to the Church. In
two years Father Bernard was
RECALLED to Europe and Father
Alexander eventually withdrew.
To the original three were add.
ed Father Deshon and Father
Baker, also converts to the
Church.
Going from parish to parish,
meeting many priests and bish-
ops, gathering especially knowl-
edge of the needs of the Cath
ole Church in America, Father
Hecker became so proficient
that no man. it was said of him,
equalled his ability to handle
the moral and dogmatic in.
struction on the missions. 1.-THE
blessings of God upon our mis-
sions," wrote Father Hecker,
"were most evident and most
abundant -. but holy and i'm.
portant as the exercises of the
missions among Catholics are,
still this work did not cores.
pond to my interior attrait.'
With his ardent, constant desire
to do something for his non.
catholic c%ountrymen, Father
Hecker, during these years,
wrote his first two books, Cues,
lions Of The Soul in 1855. and
Aspirations Of Nature in 1857.
In the first, he emphasized
the Catholic Church fully salts
flying the wants of the human
heart; in the second, the de-
mands of human reason. Both
books had wide appeal.
The work of the little mission
band was having brilliant sue
cess when a misunderstanding
arose. The R~edemptorists in
America at this time were de-
voting their attention largely tt
the German immigrant. Sermon.
in their Church were usually
given in that tongue.
Father Hooker and his com.
! panions Of The mission band
believed The Congregation
would grew more rapidly and
! appeal to The American PEG.
. pie more readily " The avshori.
Ties would establish . House
. and Church whore English
], would b. spoken exclusively.
In addition, Father Heeksr
was convinced that such IN
establishment would provide
an excellent opportunity to
J appeal 10 his non.cAthelie
eovntrymsn.
/ Since the suggestion was no
yaDprOved nv the local aiithori