Fordham University - Maroon Yearbook (New York, NY)

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SAINT IGNATIUS LOYOLA Founder of the Society of Jesus

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Most Reverend Francis J. Spellman of God’s Church and the salvation of men’s soids, he too esteeming Catholic education as a vital aid in that vocation. In this story of the One Hundred Years we pause for a moment to dedicate reverently and devotedly “The Centurion” to these two Archbishops of New York and of Fordham, one the brave Founder, the other, her illustrious Alumnus; John Hughes and Francis Spellman, the Archbishops of Forty-One.

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THE STORY OF FORDHAM THE FOUNDING OF FORDHAM THE JESUITS IN DECEMBER 18. 1838 Augustus J. Thebaud. once priest of the diocese of Nantes, but for three years now a member of the recently reconstituted Society of Jesus, stood on the deck of the packet Utica, Captain Bell commanding, and looked upon the gradually unfolding coast line of New Jersey and New York. It was a brilliant wintry day. The sky was almost blinding in its blue-gold radiance, the northwest wind was sharp and cold, and the sea sparkled and surged in a way which suggested to the quiet little priest that it wished to embrace its home shores. After fifty-eight days at sea, rough winter days in which the packet was battered by headwinds, he too was happy to reach this strange new land and to begin his labors in Kentucky. Father Thebaud had never really planned to come to America, just as he had never planned to become the first Jesuit president of Fordham. Things were planned for him; his whole life followed a pattern of adventure which contrasted strangely with his habitual prudence. Here he was coming, having just completed his novitiate, coming to Bishop Flaget, although for a time it had appeared that he was to go to New Orleans. His mission was to teach at the new Jesuit College in St. Mary’s, Kentucky. 1 The Utica had already passed Sandy Hook and teas making its way up the Lower Bay. It teas now noon; the sky was cloudless and passengers began to point out landmarks to those who were coming to America for the first time. Father Thebaud watched the many boats in the crowded harbor. Several beautiful clipper ships, white sails fluttering and surrounded by gulls, were going in and out; schooners, frigates, barks, rode at anchor off shore. The priest’s eyes widened to take in this scene of color and movement. Mr. Pell came by and explained that they were passing the Narrows and pointed out Forts Hamilton and Lafayette. The captain had taken a great fancy to the little Breton Jesuit who knew as much science as he did himself and who had read most of his excellent library in chemistry, geology and astronomy on the trip over. Mr. Pell described Staten Island and Brooklyn and New York City. The ship anchored in the middle of the East River off Rector Street to permit the customs officers to make their inspection. Here he said, is New York, containing three hundred thousand inhabitants!” New York. Father Thebaud was not the first Jesuit to set foot in the great city of the New World. St. Isaac Jogues had been there two centuries ago. Ransomed front the Iroquois by the Dutch in 1643. the pioneer martyr was treated most hospitably by the citizens of New Amsterdam, whose humanity was greater than the law’s intolerance. A year later Father Francis J. Brcs-sani, S.J., also ransomed from the Iroquois, travelled through New Amsterdam on his way to France, and in 1657 and 1658, Father Simon Le Moyne, the founder of the missions among the Mohawks and the Onon-dagas, made flying visits to port to care for such stray Catholics as were blown ashore by the wind or had drifted there by the tide. But when Father Thebaud stepped oft the boat at Rector Street, he teas the sole priest of his order in the principal city of North America. The weather was cold. The Hudson teas frozen down to the Harlem, the bay full of broken ice, the streets of New York slippery with snow. Father Thebaud and the lay brother who was his companion rested for three days. On December 21st they travelled on the primitive railroad from Amboy, New Jersey, to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then proceeded by stage across the Alle-ghanies to Kentucky, where they arrived on January 5- 39. If Father Thebaud considered America a pioneer country as a result of his hardships on land and sea, he was even to be more astonished by the intellectual