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

Page 33 text:

, , . 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

Page 32 text:

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

Page 34 text:

,TV ,,,, W- Q- -- e- ,-1 Q Q -- -- - --- - - - - - - ' f ' --1 j '-3 55g:giQ55535!Q,555gsEi5!5j5E5Qg595,:,5.!:55555Q355,,5gg551233533zEzfgggggigi5!5Q555:5E5E5:5:.E3E '-i:533'., i5E5iEE5Ei5E,15S2Si!:'fvfiiiiiiz'2131355152-:igizfllfiraiigf- Q N 39f:2E':5 ':Z?f5 in wi lvflwgffiwl iff , , ll s'tEsieiE3.'' 5:5ss':s:i:2fsai: 'f'iiiif: 'A'A'A fl Ef '-'-' ' .. J 'i V32'tZ'iQaffgiifirf-..45 -'-'.- ' ' - ' , , gi -1 .L+ W- -- - - - -- Una, - ana, .a L4 L aw-, lm, .Kslnm....:W:-Wi..-. .Y - - j Bishop Muldoon, The Friend It is difficult to analyze or describe the qualifications for friendship. To scru- tinize, analyse, or weigh them detracts from the nobility of the relationship itself. ln its highest sense it entails an inde- pendent dependence, trustful and secure, between those who enjoy its privilege. I do not stand alone as one who is proud to know Bishop Muldoon as a friend. That were impossible, for he has always had an indefinite capacity for making and keeping friends. I believe that l can best describe his friendship by describing the strong personal attributes which make all men who know him want to know him well. The greatest of these attributes is his character-the character of a friend- fearless and courageous in matters of principle: gentle and sympathetic toward those who errg broad and understanding toward those who do not comprehend. ln him courage and understanding are effectively coordinated. Those who know our Bishop always know that no matter how difficult the issue. how involved the principle, how repugnant the duty, if an obligation is his it is courageously and effectively performedg that no matter what the error or the transgression, his just and tender ministration is corrective rather than harshg that no matter what bigotry, ignorance, or malice, his decision is broad, human and just. His next attribute is his justice-in him justice is a natural and instinctive characteristic, his impartial adherence to truth and fact, and his ability to separate the due from the undue and the merited from the unmerited, make justice a rule of his life. He knows that charity can be misplaced, that sympathy can be un- earnedg that faith can be corruptiveg but that justice is always virtuous, always equitable, and always good. The next attribute is his sincerity. ln all the positions he has ever occupied in his widely diversified life, he has always applied himself with an energy which knew no flagging, a devotion which knew no turning. This characteristic pervades his entire life work and illumines his every action. Besides his sincerity there is a complete honesty in all his transactions which is beautiful to know. ln the attribute of his spirituality he is in all things a man of God,-gifted by Almighty God in the call to His Divine Duty he has been so trained and set apart from and above the affairs of men as to become an Alter Christus reflect- ing through his own heart in terms of human understanding, the light of love which emanates from the heart of God. lt is in the attribute of his humanness that most of us know him best. VVe who knew him in our childhood often 1'ecall his entrance to the classrooms of St. Thomas High School. VVe recall his pa- tience and his care in pointing out that character and perseverance are far more important than the immature mind can comprehend: we recall his counsels of encouragement to those who needed en- couragement and his stern advice to those who needed restraint. Vliith his understanding heart, his cou- rage. fearlessness, and strength, his justice, sincerity, honesty and priestly character, who can measure the power of the example of such a man upon his friends, to impress upon them that after all to be worthy of such a friendship they can only return it by emulating his sim- ple living, just thinking, and noble ac- tions. ln a broader sense and a more imper- sonal way all the students of St. Thomas High School may call him friend-for that institution is essentially and pecu- liarly his own foundationg it was con- ceived in his broad and generous mind, it was born through his personal sacri- lice, it was reared by his kindly hand and gentle tolerance until now it has burst into the full vigor of strong and early manhood to stand as a monumental trib- ute to our Bishop-our Friend. C. E. McDonald, ,l5. ' Q. , i. 'f ' 4 , , ' ' ' .,. Al' A 'Qu,3,3133 -5-f-2' i 5: if i-1-a5,i,ia .Zee ff 2- 1 LW: f ' ' f 1 f:-.ilk l30l