SKETCH OF THE PASTOR OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.--A SILVER JUBILEE.--A
LIFE DEVOTED TO THE SERVICE OF THE ALMIGHTY.--THE CHOIR OF THE
CHURCH.--VARIOUS SOCIETIES OF THE CONGREGATION.
No person in Paterson has done harder and more energetic work in the
cause of Catholicism than the reverend pastor of St. John's
congregation, Father William McNulty. His pluck, untiring zeal, kind
disposition and many other laudable characteristics have endeared him to
all. Never was this more plainly shown than at the celebration of the
twenty-fifth anniversary of his ordination. On this occasion, August 6th
and 7th, 1882, the clergy, of whom there were nearly half a hundred
present presented Father McNulty with an address giving a short sketch
of his life and paying him tributes which he had so richly deserved. As
this address faithfully depicts the character of the worthy priest and
tells of some of the many worthy and more prominent actions it is here
reproduced in full:
"We are met here to-day to congratulate you on this auspicious occasion,
the twenty-fifth anniversary of your elevation to the sacred priesthood.
Not to many is it given to see your years in the holy ministry, though
years constitute no merit; but to few indeed is it granted to accomplish
works such as you have achieved, for you are fuller of works than of
days.
"Imbued with the missionary spirit of your countrymen, you early left
your native land, 'the island of Saints and Apostles,' bidding 'adieu to
Ballyshannon and the winding banks of Erne.' Arriving in New York in
1850, you entered the celebrated halls of the Jesuits at Fordham, where
you drank deep of classical and philosophical lore; and graduated with
distinction. Thence you repaired to that illustrious seat of learning,
so justly styled 'the nursery of priests and bishops'--Mt. St. Mary's
College, Emmettsburgh, Md., where for four years, guided by the spirit
of the saintly Dubois, and the indomitable Brute; under the tutorship of
the learned McCaffrey and the gentle Elder 'you were nourished up in the
words of faith and good doctrine.' There, under the peaceful shadow of
'the old mountain,' you were taught the chief characteristics of a true
minister of Christ; who, according to the Apostle, should be 'of
blameless life, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, modest, not
quarrelsome, not greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mysteries of the
faith in a pure conscience, an example of the faithful in word, in
conversation, in charity, in faith.'
"Thus prepared, and having received ordination at the hands of the late
lamented Archbishop Bayley, you went forth five and twenty years ago
to-day, 'to labor as a good soldier of Christ' in the Diocese of Newark.
"You were first selected to assist as Vice-President the present
distinguished Bishop of Rochester in conducting at Madison the college
of Seton Hall which has since developed into the far-famed institution
at South Orange, much of whose success may be traced back to the fact
that you reproduced at Madison the zeal which you had seen exercised,
and the discipline which you had seen enforced at your mountain 'Alma
Mater.'
"You were afterwards placed over the missions of Morris county,
including Mendham, Basking Ridge and other neighboring stations, where
you erected churches and attended to the spiritual wants of that
extensive district, at the same time discharging the office of chaplain
to the infant community of the Sisters of Charity at Madison, and
assisting them very materially in the management of their temporal
affairs.
"In 1863 the church of St. John the Baptist, Paterson, was without a
pastor. The Right Rev. Bishop, knowing the importance of this growing
city, which has since become one of the most successful manufacturing
centres of the country, and thoroughly appreciating its religious wants,
cast his eyes over his clergy, to find one capable of holding the reins
of its destiny with a vigorous hand. He knew that in large manufacturing
cities, there were numerous dangers to souls, and none more to be
dreaded than those arising from intemperance. With that correctness of
judgment which always marked his appointments, he fixed his eyes on the
Vice-President of Seton Hall, and commissioned him to enter on a new
sphere of labor on the banks of the Passaic. Here, indeed, you found a
field not wholly uncultivated, for zealous priests had preceded you.
That veteran missionary and church-builder, Father Senez, now the highly
esteemed pastor of St. Mary's, Jersey City, had labored some years on
this mission with distinguished success. The lamented Fathers O'Reilly,
Quinn and Callan had left the impress of their zeal and piety on the
Catholic population of Paterson. Here you found a spacious church, and a
large congregation of generous and devoted Catholics. Nevertheless your
penetrating mind soon perceived that the wants of your growing flock
were not sufficiently provided for, and that the church was too small to
accommodate the crowds which presented themselves Sunday after Sunday
for divine worship. In 1865, therefore, having purchased a most suitable
location, you laid the corner stone of this magnificent temple, one of
the noblest monuments of religion in the United States. After five years
of ceaseless toil, at night collecting from your generous flock the
necessary funds, by day laboring even with your own hands in the quarry,
measuring the stone, mounting the walls, and giving directions to the
builders, with untiring zeal and unremitting effort, after an
expenditure of $200,000, you at length beheld your church ready for
dedication to God. The Archbishop of Philadelphia in the absence of your
own ordinary, did you the honor to come from his archiepiscopal city to
consecrate this magnificent edifice to the worship of the Most High.
This was indeed a proud day not merely for yourself and your devoted
people, but also for the entire population of Paterson, all rejoicing
that they had in their midst a pastor capable of conceiving and
executing so grand a work.
"Had you rested here you had done enough to enshrine your name and
perpetuate your memory in the grateful hearts of the people of Paterson.
But happily this was only the first of your great achievements in their
behalf. Having completed the new church of St. John, you next turned
your attention to the wants of the orphan, and the need of a suitable
cemetery for the burial of the Catholic dead. In 1868, you purchased the
beautiful site two miles from the city on the banks of the swift flowing
Passaic. Here you erected St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, and laid out the
cemetery of the Holy Sepulchre. In that asylum, under the direction of
the Sisters of Charity, ever ready to care for the fatherless, you have
every year maintained nearly a hundred orphans, while the cemetery of
the Holy Sepulchre, so charmingly situated, and so elegantly laid out
bids fair to become one of the most admired repositories of the dead in
this State. Finding in 1870, that notwithstanding the immense
proportions of St. John's Church, the entire Catholic population could
not be accommodated within its spacious precincts, you purchased a very
desirable property on Broadway, whereon you erected St. Joseph's Church,
which you attended for seven years, and which when ready to be erected
into a regular parish, you found to have a value of $30,000. The good
work which you began there was successfully carried on by the lamented
Father Molloy, and is now being continued with no less success by the
present distinguished pastor, the zealous and learned Dr. Smith.
"A few years afterwards, perceiving that the Catholic population on the
left bank of the Passaic had increased very considerably, you purchased
a suitable plot of ground at Totowa, and erected thereon a commodious
brick edifice, making the lower story answer for religious, and the
upper for educational purposes. At the same time you introduced, and
provided a residence for the Sisters of St. Dominic, to take charge of
the schools there. Three years ago, after accumulating a property of
$20,000, for the new foundation, you recommended the Right Rev. Bishop
to erect this second daughter of St. John's into a regular parish
church, and had the satisfaction of seeing appointed to its first
rectorship Rev. Father Curran, the courageous founder and indefatigable
editor of the 'Paterson Times.'
"One of the most pressing needs in a great city like Paterson, where in
consequence of extensive manufactures there is great liability to
accident and disease, was a hospital for the sick and wounded, to the
establishment of which in 1869, under the management of the Sisters of
Charity, you largely contributed. Under your fostering care and liberal
encouragement, this institution of benevolence has gone on for fourteen
years in its career of mercy, sheltering the sick and disabled without
distinction of country, creed or color. Long may it prosper in its
Godlike work, and long may you be spared to be a father and guide to the
self-sacrificing sisters who so successfully conduct it.
"In 1874, the old pastoral residence having become too small for the
accommodation of the clergy, you erected at a cost of $15,000 this
elegant parsonage, which forms a fitting appendage to the church of St.
John, at the same time converting the old rectory into a home for the
good sisters.
"But amid all the excellent works of religion in which you have been
engaged, not one has claimed more of your attention than the providing
of sufficient school facilities for the education of your children, for
you have been thoroughly convinced that without the solid groundwork of
a sound Catholic education, the Catholic faith cannot take a firm hold
on the hearts of our people. Hence from the very commencement of your
administration, your most strenuous efforts have been directed to
promote the welfare of your numerous spiritual children in this respect.
In 1880, although your school facilities were by no means contemptible,
yet you saw that the growing wants of the parish demanded more school
room, and you accordingly gave orders to your architect so to alter old
St. John's Church as to afford you additional school accommodation for
one thousand children, while at the same time you entered into
negotiations with the Brothers of Mary to conduct those of your schools
which were designed for the larger boys. You have now the satisfaction
of knowing that, with the Sisters of Charity to teach your schools for
girls and smaller boys, and the Brothers of Mary to direct the schools
for the larger boys, there are few if any parishes in the diocese that
can claim the same advance in education as you can in this great city of
Paterson. Again do we say long may you be preserved to preside over the
destinies of the Catholic education in this portion of the diocese of
Newark.
"In 1873, flying from the tyranny of a Bismarck, the Franciscan Fathers,
bidding adieu to their native land, arrived in the City of Paterson,
friendless and well nigh penniless. Learning that it was their
intention, with the permission of the Right Rev. Bishop, to establish
themselves in this city, and anticipating no small good to religion from
the presence of so zealous and self denying a body of religious men, you
extended to them a friendly hand, gave them every encouragement, and
permitted your generous people to aid them in the erection of their
beautiful church and monastery on Stony Road. Thus St. John's church has
had the satisfaction of beholding another of her children snugly
ensconced on the banks of the Passaic.
"Three years ago, finding that the city was largely extending itself in
the direction of the new hospital, and there were numerous children who
resided too far away from St. John's schools to avail themselves of
their advantages, you erected a frame building for the accommodation of
these children, placing it in charge of the devoted Sisters, ever ready
to second your efforts in behalf of Catholic education, and it is
believed that in a short time the spiritual wants of that portion of the
city will enlist your zeal for the erection of a new church and the
foundation of a new parish in that section. We may also be permitted to
allude to the new church now in course of erection near the river for
the Catholic Hollanders under the zealous care of the Rev. Father Hens
and not without your encouragement and cooperation. Thus, then, we may
on this day congratulate St. John's church upon being the joyful mother
of a numerous offspring, which cluster round about her on every side,
and may indulge the hope that while each is guarded by its own titular
saint, the spirit of the Baptist will still hover over them all. In
addition to your labors within the limits of Paterson, you did not fail
to extend your pastoral zeal to the neighboring missions of Hohokus and
Pompton, where you built churches, and for many years attended to the
spiritual wants of the Catholics of those extensive districts, which are
now under the zealous charge of the Fathers of St. Boniface's church.
"There is another department of your labors to which we cannot close
this address without referring. We allude to your efforts in the great
temperance movement, which indeed we may say you were the first to
inaugurate both in this city and throughout the diocese. Upon your
taking possession of this great parish, you were not slow to perceive
that one of the greatest evils, and one of the most formidable stumbling
blocks to the advancement of religion in your parish was the prevalence
of the soul destroying vice of intemperance. We do not by any means wish
to insinuate that Paterson was worse in this respect than any of the
other great cities of the diocese, but it will be easily understood that
in a city like this where the manufacturing interests are so extensive,
requiring the employment of so many men and women, and even boys and
girls, and distributing such liberal amounts of money in compensation
for labor, the temptations to the abuse of intoxicating drinks are
indeed very great. Your earliest efforts, therefore, were directed to
the restraint if not the total destruction of the vice of drunkenness in
your parish. Hence you were not slow to organize temperance societies,
not merely for the older men and women, but also for the young men, and
even for boys, and from the very day on which you entered the City of
Paterson, up to the present moment, you have never relaxed your energies
in the promotion of the cause of temperance, and in checking the ravages
of intemperance in your parish. And it is not by means of temperance
organizations alone that you have succeeded so well in this noble work,
but by your personal exertions in visiting the home of the drunkard, in
entering the rumshops even at the dead of night to chase away to their
homes the resorters of these places, and to reprimand with the boldness
and freedom of the Gospel the keepers of these dangerous haunts. Often
have you been seen after a hard day's work on the Lord's Sabbath
parading the streets of Paterson as if with police authority, to see
whether any of your people were staggering along the sidewalk, after
filling themselves with drink, or gathered in the beershops indulging in
the noise and riot for which such places are notorious. In this
persevering effort to maintain sobriety and good order you have had the
countenance and support not merely of your own people, but of the entire
population of Paterson, and for this work you have received from your
fellow citizens, without distinction of creed, the esteem and gratitude
it has so eminently merited, while your name has become a household word
in Paterson. Even in times of riot and disorder, when the civil
authorities found them unable to cope with violence, they did not fail
to call upon the pastor of St John's to co-operate with them in the
re-establishment of peace and order.
"The very children as you move about the city, without distinction of
religion, never fail to recognize their dear 'Father Mac,' and you
yourself make it your special delight to stop and salute these
children. And if by any chance you passed by without noticing them, even
Protestant children would run after your carriage and say 'Father Mac,
you know me.' Nor did you neglect the young men and the young women of
your parish. For the former you provided suitable halls with libraries
and reading rooms, and organized them into literary and benevolent
societies, where, drawn away from the temptations of the rumshop, and
the professional billiard-room, they might have harmless recreation and
innocent enjoyment. Many of these young men under your fostering care
and liberal encouragement entered the ranks of the priesthood, and are
now edifying the Church in various positions of the Diocese, while
others similarly favored, are now fitting themselves for the sacred
ministry in the principal seminaries of the Church. The young women you
gathered into pious sodalities under the direction of the saintly
Sisters, and the patronage of the Immaculate Virgin, thus furnishing
them with every safeguard against the numerous temptations to be found
in populous manufacturing cities, and your labors for both classes have
been crowned with success, as any one can see, on Sundays in St. John's
Church, whose altar rails are crowded with those devout young men and
women, coming forward to nourish themselves with Christ's life-giving
bread. Of these young women, not a few, under your fatherly care, and
liberal patronage, have joined themselves to the good Sisters, devoting
their lives and energies to the teaching of the young and the nursing of
the sick.
"During the long course of those twenty-five years, with the exception
of two brief trips to your native land, you never found the necessity of
taking any recreation, but felt it to be your pleasure to increase your
labors for your flock. You have worked with the energy of one who truly
loves his Divine Master '_Nullo fatigatus labore_.' And your
disinterestedness may well claim for you the words of the Apostle,
'_Nulli onerosus fui_.' Your patient self-denial, your affability to
all, your readiness to listen to the tale of woe, and to relieve the cry
of distress, your unflagging zeal in the confessional, your never
failing attendance on the sick at the dead of night as cheerfully as at
midday, your unwearied earnestness in preaching the word of God, 'in
season and out of season,' holding up to your people the beauties and
happiness of a virtuous life, and denouncing to them the terrible
consequences of wickedness and wrongdoing, your ceaseless efforts to
prepare your numerous children for the holy sacraments, all this
entitles you to the praise and reward of a true apostle of Christ, and
has endeared you to the hearts of young and old--'_pueris senibusque
carus_.' In the exercise of your sacred ministry you have been ably
seconded and encouraged by your bishops, by the lamented Bayley, the
zealous and learned Corrigan, and the amiable, scholarly and energetic
prelate who now rules the destinies of this diocese. Nor should we omit
to mention the material aid which you have received from the many worthy
assistant priests that have labored with you,--the indomitable Kirwan,
the polished Moran, the lamented Darcy and Cantwell, the self
sacrificing Thebaud, the gentle Zimmer, the hardworking Downes, the
zealous Hanly, the laborious McGahan, the eloquent McFaul, the
historian Brennan, the courtly Whelan, the genial White and the
patriotic Corr, and last but not least the energetic Hickie, most of
whom are now filling with distinction the pulpits of flourishing
churches. You have won from your fellow-priests the highest esteem and
love, which they on this occasion endeavor to express, however feebly,
by the accompanying testimonial. Commemorating to-day your
five-and-twentieth year of ordination we earnestly hope and pray that
your silver crown may be transmuted into gold on your fiftieth
anniversary, and that the next quarter century of your ministry may be
characterised by the same fruitfulness in good works which we however
imperfectly have endeavored to record of the five and twenty years just
ended.
"Eternal praise and thanksgiving be to the Great Head of the Church and
Chief Shepherd of the Flock, Jesus Christ, who has given you the grace
and the strength, the health and the perseverance to pass with so much
profit to religion this long period of your ministry. Nor should we fail
to thank in your name the people of St. John's Church, who for all this
time have never faltered in their fidelity and generosity, always
responding with liberal hearts to the numerous calls made upon them for
religion, education and charity. Well may we conclude with the poet:--
"Non usitato congredimur modo
His in jugosis atque sacris locis
Hasque inter umbras hospitales
Insolitum celebrare festum."
The following is a list of the clergymen present at the silver jubilee:
Rt. Rev. W. M. Wigger, Most Rev. M. A. Corrigan, Rt. Rev. Edward
Fitzgerald, Rt. Rev. G. H. Doane, and the Revs. A. J. Thebaud, S. J.,
Isadore Daubresse, S. J., John A. Kelly, Thomas M. Killeen, Patrick
Cody, Patrick Hennessy, James H. Corrigan, Patrick Leonard, M. J.
Kirwan, Pierce McCarthy, L. G. Thebaud, Martin Gesner, Theodore
McDonald, O. C., F. Feehan, O. C., Augustus Brady, P. F. Downes,
Nicholas Hens, Louis Gambosville, James F. Salaun, John P. Morris,
Dennis McCartie, James Curran, Patrick J. McGahan, Isaac P. Whelan,
Daniel McCarthy, Michael J. White, Patrick Corr, Michael J. Hickie, Dr.
Larkin, David B. Walker, S. J., John J. Sheppard, Michael A. McManus,
Ferdinand Muller, O. S. F., and Hugh Murphy. Scores of letters and
telegrams were received from priests and others who regretted their
inability to be present at the celebration.
During his pastorate Father McNulty has been assisted in his labors by a
number of priests. His first assistant was Rev. James A. D'Arcy, who was
here in 1864. After this time Father McNulty had two assistants. The
names of his assistants are Fathers L. G. Thebaud, T. R. Moran, M. J.
Kirwan, P. McCahill, P. F. Cantwell, P. F. Downes, Joseph Zimmer, James
Curran, James Hanley, I. P. Whelan, M. J. White, Patrick McGahan, James
J. Brennan and M. J. Hickie. Of these, Fathers D'Arcy, Moran, Kinwan,
McCahill, Cantwell, Downes, Curran, Hanley, White, McGahan and Hickey
were natives of Ireland; Father Thebaud was born in New York City,
Father Zimmer in Brooklyn, Father Whelan in Elizabeth and Father Brennan
in Newark. In addition there were priests who were assistants only for
a few weeks, including Fathers McFaul, Corr and others.
Father McNulty's present assistants are Fathers McCarthy and Quin.
Father D. F. McCarthy was born in Newark and educated at St. Charles
College in Maryland and at Seton Hall. Father Thomas Quin was born in
Ireland and educated at Seton Hall.
The first choir of St. John's church consisted of the Bradley
sisters--elsewhere referred to--who sang in the old church on Market and
Mill streets; their brother played the flute and at times James Powers
assisted on the clarionet. A Professor Wedell was organist in the Oliver
street church in 1853 and he remained until 1856, although for about a
year of this time Professor Anthony Davis, a brother of the present
organist, presided at the organ. Professors Burke and Becker came
afterwards and in the first part of 1868 Professor Frank Huber played
the organist. He was succeeded in October, 1868, by Professor William
Davis, who is still in charge. Miss Ellen O'Neill also frequently
presided at the organ in the absence of the regular organists. At the
time Professor Davis took charge the choir consisted of Misses Howard,
Murphy, Bowen, and Esther O'Neill, who sang soprano and Henry Hensler,
who sang bass. Masses in two voices were rendered, until 1869, when, by
the addition to the choir of Daniel Sheehan, tenor, the choir was
enabled to sing masses in three voices; Misses Maggie O'Neill and Julia
Graham, soprano, were also added to the choir. This state of affairs
lasted only about one year when some of the choir withdrew and the vocal
music for St. John's congregation was furnished for about six years by a
quartette consisting of Misses Maggie O'Neill and Frances Lawless and
Louis Schmerber and Henry Hensler. The latter died and Frank Hart was
put in his place. About six months after this Professor Davis began to
form a larger choir and of the original selection a number still remain.
Among those who have left are Emil Legay, the present choir master in
St. Joseph's church, and John Stafford, who is studying in Rome for the
priesthood.
The present choir of St. John's Church consists of the following:
Organist and Director.--Professor William Davis.
Soprano.--Minnie Coniffe, Mary E. Drury, Minnie Dynan, Nora Gannon,
Maggie Doyle, Lizzie Lavery, Lizzie Fitzpatrick, Nellie Clark, Mary
Stafford, Maggie McCormack, Mary McLean, Ellen Odell.--12.
Alto.--Martha Drury, Frances Lawless, Alice Fitzgerald, Nellie Reed,
Lizzie Constantine, Maria Hogan, Annie Beresford, Mary McAlonan, Nellie
Dunphy.--9.
Tenor.--William Stafford, Thomas Canning, Edward Cavanagh, John Carlon,
John Van Houten.--5.
Bass.--John Best, John Anderson, James Anderson, James Fitzpatrick,
William Burns, Thomas Sheeron, Charles Lavery, David Forbes, Alexander
Doyle, Philip Bender.--10. Total, 36.
The following are the societies attached to St. John's Church:
Benevolent Society of United Sons of Erin. This society was founded in
1846 and incorporated in 1859. It has about 100 members and its objects
are the relief of the sick and assistance for distressed members, for
which purpose it expends about $1,500 per year.
St. Patrick's Total Abstinence Benevolent Society was organized by
Father McNulty in 1863 and has about 100 members. Its objects are the
furtherance of the cause of temperance and the relief of the distressed,
for which latter object about $600 per year are expended.
St. John's Total Abstinence Benevolent Society was organized in 1867 and
has the same objects as the foregoing; it has about 100 members and
expends annually about $600 for the relief of distressed members.
St. Joseph's Total Abstinence Benevolent Society has the same objects as
the foregoing and about 40 members. It was organized in 1875 and expends
annually about $300 per year in the relief of the distressed.
The Catholic Young Men's Literary Association was organized in 1873 and
its object is indicated by its name. It has a library and reading room
on the lower floor of the Catholic Institute in Church street. Its
membership numbers about 100 and the entertainments it gives
occasionally are for the benefit of its library or some charitable
institution.
The Catholic Sunday School Teachers' Association was organized in 1874
by Father McNulty, who had found it difficult to obtain competent men to
teach Sunday School. Almost immediately after its organization a number
of its members resolved themselves into the Entre Nous Dramatic Club
which gives entertainments for the benefit of its library or for
charitable purposes. This dual society has about 100 members and
occupies the upper floor of the Catholic Institute in Church street,
property originally bought by Father Senez for an orphan asylum.
The Sodality of the Children of Mary was organized in 1862 and has about
250 members. It consists of young ladies and is in charge of Sister
Regina.
The Sodality of the Sacred Heart has about 160 members and was organized
about 7 years ago. It also consists of young ladies and is in charge of
Sister Stanislaus. The latter has done a great deal of effective work
during her 23 years' sojourn in Paterson as a Sister of Charity.
The Rosary Society is one of the oldest and most numerous of the
societies of St. John's congregation and consists of persons of both
sexes and all ages. It is in charge of Father McNulty.
The Society of the Sacred Thirst is a temperance organization, and
embraces in its membership persons of all ages and of both sexes. It is
in charge of Father McNulty.
The Society of Holy Angels was organized about thirteen years ago and
has about 200 members. Girls from 10 to 16 are eligible to membership.
It is in charge of Sister Angelica.
The Infant Jesus Sodality consists of about 200 little boys and was
organized in 1869. It is in charge of Sister Stanislaus.
The Sodality of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was organized about two
years ago. It consists of young ladies between 14 and 20 years of age,
and is in charge of Sister Immaculata.
The Knights of the Sacred Heart are in charge of Sister Stanislaus. This
society consists of 172 boys between the ages of 10 and 16 years.
Ave Maria Council, Catholic Legion of Honor, was instituted on November
16, 1883, and has about 50 members. Its object is the insurance of
lives, and the amounts insured for are between $500 and $5,000.