St Thomas High School - Thomist Yearbook (Rockford, IL)

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J i l,Lg.E'I:, 3'm.itr,gsqQ:ig?g?11.,ifiiiirfiiigimlwligfiw54- ye tl3151Q51-2QQ5iimari-iitivitriqpeini14fpnpigigsleiffviw'iiqluuiuyif lx + l if V,-,li 4 X ' H ,is 4' . gulf W ,V ' W, - - H: wr.. 51, fi i ' 1 all fr: '1' ' ,,25-'mr ...io Qi ,, 'il' 1 , -' f 4 xjijmw, ,,,,,,igig4lasQgm4,qpeflil Hymilpiiqifjlljlllfi Stagg mia Dfhhqlglilvigfl A I 9 l l , Wil gm gif llliwlllfd ,, 'f,fgllrm2f Q 5239, f il nf ' Si jc- gf'- ,. - .i 2 ' 1 I. 4 7' - H 4 ,Hs Y we Q' if- C iw' f' H L, 'ww I 'HW 1. in- ' ,fa Melliniiifiiuiiiiiui,witmiimiiimmmliiilllgiilluuiiv,,ra.i'1ulmlll:QBlll'ulf41llllQvilJl,3u'll'HlllM L -- llf'ifQT1'1'zs,iPAQl!'14u+iz2il.'ilf:i,f,fi,s:iflfQrlllli:'lIifaa3,fQll'1:is'f il l ' I .. 'L' BISHOP MULDOON Labor as a good soldier of Christ jesus. ll Tim. V. 3. Our Vlubilarian, the Riglit Reverend Peter james Muldoon, D. ll., is a man whose charms of personality have been widely acclaimed by a host of people who have Come to know him during the past forty years of his life consecrated to the service of souls. XYhile it is impossible to separate the man from the sacerdotal and episcopal character with which he was marked by the Holy Ghost at the time of ordination as a Priest, and conse- cration as a Bishops and likewise equally difficult to appraise his manhood apart from the priestly olifice, the burdens and responsibilities which he has borne as the good soldier of Christ jesus for nearly half a century, it is our purpose to call attention to the material which the Holy i f,-- , a i it . a 1, ' . t ,. fi, iiilliilllliRl'7a3'ERi3gfnaisSi'flle5w,?,,i?imiQ3M3jggi533m1RE?.g'iEgiiulidlillyggjigglliamjiirin1Qgli1QigQFr!fli!lQ!5il 4' - Q 3' S335-'ilgi i iliiil' ggi lmUliqgglgfwflggmflw-?W?'V'flgHflff fQ li!'ll Agni' Ljj, ' , .411-S 1951! 2 'gs wgffiwig 3951 fl.-11 . . -1-a'-Hee: fe, ' 'Y' X-ziw - sf ff 1 ' pf ggi, gl- , F Qigfgamg ilifiwl 47611551 HTEQP-Milli wvilmqiq ill pw W:Si5lllli,f'il'i'fW .. ' -. llwifwi 31555 gag 'Ji 15:- f - L' W' Silmfbetaflllbilit.bal3'i5?ia :ritzfmliilYa'1liiSEm'?51l lE f'1i-tHi lE'ii:'T5',.,4iU ,iswll .. --f 1 A 'V l25l

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, .. , .. ' w 1 JU, V . - ..... Tn M 111 -is it : q1:lA t ' ' Limit l wai- Tfe, 1. : ,L.:, Z:--T. aa ini-: ima, H ,-:, ,::- --1 lil-1-1 J:-1-:ff ' .-. fwf- f : ' The Growth of Catholic Edzzmfion in the Diocese When the Diocese of Rockford was created by the Holy See in 1908, it was blessed in a very special way by the ap- pointment of the Right Reverend Peter james Muldoon, D. D., as the first Bish- op. The people of Chicago might well mourn the loss of such a Churchman as Bishop Muldoon, but Rockford rejoiced that her first Bishop was a saintly pre- late, a scholarly guide, and a citizen of whom she could well be proud, a leader who would stand out as a man among men. The growth of the Diocese has been remarkable. The number of priests has been more than doubled, and the Catholic population has increased proportionately. From the very first it has been the Bish- opis aim to bring Catholic education with- in the reach of every child in the Diocese. How well he has succeeded may be judg- ed from the number of High Schools as well as Grammar Schools built through- out the Diocese. It has not been an easy matter to raise money in small parishes to open new schools, but Bishop Muldoon has striven with all the strength of his strong character, with all the magnetism of his winning personality, and with all the resources at his command as a Prince of the Church to give this Catholic train- ing to the children of his Diocese. Especially has the Bishop shown his truly great spirit of democracy in the i L ,,.,..., , W... .. ......,A.,,y. establishment of St. Thomas High School. No child has ever been turned away from the school for the lack of funds. Bishop Muldoon has shown a per- sonal interest in the school and in the children from the beginning. As a result of his untiring efforts St. Thomas High School has gained such a reputation for learning as even our Bishop, with his high standards, may well be proud. While the buildings of the school leave much to be desired, Bishop Muldoon has proved conclusively that education is not a matter of brick and mortar. If the spirit of Religion permeates, if respect for lawful authority, and the desire for learn- ing inspire the students, then the outward acciclentals count for little. To the far-seeing vision of our noble Founder, who made our High School a reality when Catholic High Schools were comparatively few and poorly equipped, the students of St. Thomas owe a debt of gratitude they can never hope to repay. May we, the pupils of 1926-27, so live that our Bishop will feel that his care for, and his interest in us, has not been in vain. May we prove to the world that Bishop Muldoon is right in setting Cath- olic education above everything else in the training of Catholic children. To The Right Reverend Bishop Mul- doon we are grateful. Robert Tierney, '27. li: 4 '1'-f1 t2i1': Eg :.. 1.-- -f p ,gig 2., gf' .f'l -'t 'le1i' 2 -'.1 i1 .Slit ...f '-.1 4 v l 5 if -' ---,i 'r'.. 1351 1.t I' if iri Q f'2l: Eiifii 2'1' .Q21 5:3222 .:1 5 'ff' .. . 5 i1y'i:,5a,: 1.4 ztizr' i. W 7 1 .. ,: 1. 1 fnii 7' W i 1 . ' ' t' '

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'ffffkl l ,.,., l 19 27 V f. , :2 2 2' l . -125. .aa . ' :aaa 2:21 ':1: sfi., Sliver 25' fiifllf 22291451 f' Sr- 'z::: 1 sallam la. ll2f2'U15i2e ,.. '5l '2 ..-ii f1 f'Z22fih1fi l BN-1' DAQ. iifi --:' J Spirit used in giving to the Church in America one of its outstanding Church- men. Nature endowed our jubilarian with lavish hand. A superior man physically, of princely demeanor and handsome, he possessed the unfailing courage and the full energy that was suggested. Pious for- bearers transmitted to him the rich herit- age of a royal race, the Irish race, its abiding faith, its fertile imagination, a mentality of a high order, a capacity to suffer so characteristic of the Irish peo- ple, a sympathy, born of centuries of suf- fering and struggle for existence. Visu- alize such a man with a heart of gold, fired by the ambition to consecrate his unusual talents to God in the service of the weak, the poor, the sorrowing, de- voting the best years of his youth to the preparation for the Priesthood. At length ordained-a will, unyielding as flint in its fidelity to duty, relentless, constant, in- domitable, marshalled the tremendous spiritual, mental, and physical powers at hand and dedicated all to the work of the Apostolate. Such was Father Muldoon and such is Bishop Muldoon. Many years of zealous labor as Priest and Bishop have enhanced those qualities that from youth adorned this man of destiny. And so the writer of this feeble tribute knows him as a fearless man, uncompromising in the service of truth, unqualififedly just, kind and affable. Although like the Psalmist of old he hath loved justice and hated iniquity, be is the most patient of men when confronted with unmistakable evidence of another's injustice or perfidy. Recognizing the weakness of human nature, he is ever patient with the limitations of those about him. He has truly remarkable intuitions which are buttressed by sound judgment born of a lucid mind and a wide experi- ence. A slave to his work, he is not hard on others. He obtains the co-operation of his subjects by the force of his personality and the example of his own industry. Those subject to him, love him, and give a service prompted by love. Bishop Muldoon never fails to express appreciation for service rendered even though the service is obligatory. He has a happy manner of calling attention to the success of others. He never fails to give credit to others. His word of en- couragement is kindly and genuine. Patient with the limitations of others, he is self-effacing, seldom mentioning anything that would even indirectly re- dound to his credit. Humble, he is a con- firmed optimist. Few men have had more reason to lose faith in human nature, yet our Jubilarian is a delightful optimist. With a patience that rivals tht of holy Job, with the humility of a John the Baptist, with the zeal of a Francis Xavier, with a forgiving spirit suggestive of the Master Himself, he has labored, prayed, sacrificed, endured opposition, yet always he has maintained an abounding enthusi- asm, a sunny smile, a quiet dignity that have captivated all. VVe shall not look upon his like again! -sei fa? ...,.. .aua i . l ...... .... . . .. . ,...... ... .. . j . ,....,. ,.... . ..... .,. . ...... ......... ........ .. o r l26 l