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

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not but win him respect and admiration, as well as an ever-increasing number of disciples. A pleasant, equable tempera- ment, patience almost incredible, infinite tact, these were the characteristics that led men's and women,s organizations to forget their differences and to appreciate the value of concerted action with him as their leader. One might recall the early evidences of his genius for administration and leader- ship. When but three years a priest he was appointed Chancellor of the Arch- diocese of Chicago by that great and noble churchman, Archbishop Feehan. Six years later he was named pastor of St. Charles Borromeols, and at the end of another six years was consecrated Bishop and named Auxiliary to the Archbishop of Chicago. He was at the same time ap- pointed Vicar-General of the Archdiocese, which ohfice he held under both Arch- bishop Feehan and Archbishop Quigley until his appointment in 1908 to the newly created Diocese of Rockford. His re- sponsibilities, his labors, his problems, and his sacrinces in Chicago were enough to tax any man's strength, yet, through- out all those busy years, he went about the cause of Catholic the important work of of Catholic Societies, took a prominent and leading part. Likewise, in the organizing of the Knights of Columbus, the Forest- ers, the Young Men's Institute, the Cen- tral Verein, the Church Extension he was always an active, ready worker, and unto all a valued and trusted leader upon whose enlightened assistance and co-op- eration they could always count. Cath- doing good for organization. In the Federation Bishop Muldoon olic organization was to him the means whereby Catholic principles should be carried into political, industrial, economic, and social life. He saw clearly how the ignoring of Catholic principles had bred injustice, corruption, oppression-and his sympathy was always with the oppressed. Catholic America has had no more ardent crusader for justice unto the poor and the weak than Peter james Muldoon. He has been the leader who with vision, intuition, courage, tact, and rectitude has shown the way to his many followers of today, -the leader who made possible the Bish- ops' Program, and the work of the Social Action Department of the National Cath- olic Welfare Conference. VVe have already seen how in one great crisis of Catholic life in this country Bish- op Muldoon was providentially raised up to be the leader. When later on the Catholic body was again in need of a leader in a still wider field, Bishop Mul- doon was once more chosen. The seven welfare organizations working with the Government during the War undertook a common drive for Sl75,000,UO0.00. Each organization was required to do its share towards raising this huge sum. Bishop Muldoon accepted the charge of securing Catholic co-operation. Neither space nor the occasion warrants a detailed account of that gigantic undertaking, and its un- paralleled success. Bishop Muldoon had, as part of his complicated task, to organ- ize speakers and workers throughout the country. He was forced to gather to- gether hastily a staff of workers at head- quarters in .New York, to manage on short notice a nation-wide drive of the greatest magnitude. He championed both Catholic rights and Catholic devo- tion. He carried the work to complete success. The unanimous verdict of all who worked, or came in contact with him -of high and low, of friend, aye, and of foe-was, Bishop Muldoon is a born lead- er of men. 1'- IZS

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A 1 ll ' l 'fl I T fi '?l: I ll' l' Wil 1 3 we is if l-.Q-lfw :zig Ia ii df Q! ,Q Bishop Muldoon, The Leezeier The Archbishops of the United States, meeting in Washington, D. C., April 18, 1917, addressed a letter to the President of the United States, which said in part: Acknowledging gladly the grati- tude that we have always felt for the protection of our spiritual liberty and the freedom of our Catholic institu- tions under the flag, we pledge our devotion and our strength in the maintenance of our country's glori- ous leadership, in those possessions and principles which have been America's proudest boast. Inspired neither by hate nor fear, but by the holy sentiments of truest patriotic fervor and zeal, we stand ready, we and all the flock committed to our keeping, to co-operate in every way possible with our President and our national government, to the end that the great and holy cause of lib- erty may triumph and that our be- loved country may emerge from this hour of test stronger and nobler than ever. - Our people, as ever, will rise as one man to serve the nation. Our priests and consecrated women will once again, as in every former trial of our country, win by their bravery, their heroism and their service, new admiration and approval. VVe are all true Americans, ready as our age, our ability and our condi- tion permit, to do whatever is in us to do for the preservation, the pro- gress and triumph of our beloved country. The fulfillment of this solemn pledge meant united activity and service in ways ,..,..,, C ' ' W P P' ' ' Ny-A91 l -1 .Q-fl 5 -ffffq W MV' :ll- -ie -. A l27l 4 , innumerable, on the part of the Catholic body of the country. How generously both were given, history has recorded. The prelate chosen by the Archbishops to organize and direct the vast work of uni- fying Catholic activities was the Bishop of Rockford, the Right Reverend Peter James Muldoon. The appointment of four Bishops to constitute The National Catholic VVar Council had been decided upon by the Archbishops at another meeting held later in 1917. The selection of its members was entrusted to the late Cardinal Gibbons, no mean judge of men. Bishop Muldoon was appointed Chair- man, and Bishop Schrembs, Bishop Cnow Cardinalj Hayes, and Bishop Russell were chosen members. No one would minimize the inestim- able services rendered by each and every member of that Committee, but it is quite obvious that Bishop Muldoon, by virtue of his office had the greater responsibility, while his gifts of leadership were given the opportunity of manifesting them- selves in higher and more far-reaching ways than ever before. Not without much experience did he approach this dif- ficult task. He had already won the con- fidence of the Catholic organizations of the United States. For almost twenty years, as priest and bishop, he had labored hard as a pioneer in the work of Catholic lay organization. To those who knew him it was evident, not only that he had a talent for such work, but that he pos- sessed in an unusual measure the qualities that make for leadership among men. The full spirit of Catholic faith inspired him. Vision led him to see both ends and means. His devotion, his singleness of purpose, his utter self-effacement could 1 row ' r

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, , . 1 if l L, IVN 'lf-:r 1'1 11- L-J-CG I RICSIDICNCF2 OF THE RIGHT REVEREND BISHOI' VFITER I. MVLDOON, D, D. VVhen the Bishops of the country de- cided, in compliance with the request of Pope Benedict XV, of happy memory, to form the National Catholic Vklelfare Con- ference, the Chairman of the Committee of Survey, which was to report back with plans, was Bishop Muldoon. The plan he submitted at the September 1919 meet- ing of the Bishops was accepted and ap- proved. Bishop Muldoon was elected to the Administrative Committee of the Na- tional Catholic Vvfelfare Conference, and appointed Chairman of the Department of Social Action. He has likewise been for many years a member of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America, and in that capacity has promot- ed with unfailing loyalty the cause of Catholic higher education. His ability as a leader writ large across the Diocese of Rockford, which has surely been bless- ed in its first great Bishop. So history has recorded and shall further record his gifts and his triumphs as a leader of men. Searching for the secret of his leadership, one would hnd many keys thereto. For one thing Bish- op Muldoon possesses a happy blend of qualities needed in a leader. One may, of course, catalogue qualities and attain- ments, but what cannot be conveyed to one who has never had the privilege of meeting Bishop Muldoon is the savor of a character at once elevated and acces- sible, dignified and affable, austere and genial, many-sided and simple, very free and familiar-but always the Bishop. Moreover, he possesses good judgment, is a rock of common sense, is sympathetic. just: he is a skilled administrator, he is patient and kind, he is eloquent in speech, enthusiastic and optimistic in spirit-all these keys would help to unlock the secret of his unrivalled success, but the real key we believe to be the personal Catholic holiness of the man, whereby he has shown to others how worthy and attain- able is the holiness of Christ: Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ. ,ji ..,.,,,. ,. ,,,, ...,.,., .,., .,... . ,... ill q ' - ----- .wk f29