THE VERY REVEREND EDWARD SORIN, C.S.C.
THE CELEBRATION OF HIS GOLDEN JUBILEE OF ORDINATION
September 9, 1888
This memorial photo of invited guests to the Golden Jubilee festivities was taken by A. McDonald of McDonald Studio, South Bend, Indiana. In the September 8, 1888 issue of the Scholastic (48), this “most pleasing memento” was being sold for $1.00.
It is obvious from the prelates pictured with Fr. Sorin, that he was, if not revered by them, at the very least seen as a peer – a priest-founder – who during the previous four decades, successfully founded a university in honor of the Blessed Mother. Sorin relentlessly worked with other Holy Cross priests, brothers and sisters to build upon the space situated on two lakes in northern Indiana, the finest Catholic University in the Country.
Pictured with Sorin in the first row seated from the left are Bishop Gilmour of Cleveland, OH, Archbishop Elder of Cincinnati, OH, Fr. Sorin, Superior General, Cardinal Gibbons, Baltimore, MD, Archbishop Ireland of St. Paul, MN, Bishop Dwenger of Fort Wayne, IN, Bishop Watterson of Columbus, OH and Bishop Phalen of Pittsburgh, PA. Standing from the left are Bishop Ryan of Alton, IL, Bishop Janssens of Belleview, IL, Bishop Keane of Washington, D.C., Bishop Burke of Cheyenne, WY, Bishop Spaulding of Peoria, IL, Bishop Ryan of Buffalo, NY and Bishop Richter of Grand Rapids, MI.
Fascinating picture! A number of the bishops were themselves previously founders of seminaries/ colleges/ universities, and a few were the first bishop for some new dioceses. At the time of the photo, Bishop Keane was leading Catholic University of America– not actually shepherding a diocese, I believe. It also appears that BIshop Burke was an alum, likely to have known Fr. Sorin as a student?
Excellent, thanks, Chris, for being so knowledgeable about such things! It is a stunning photograph, indeed, when one thinks about the history and trajectory of Catholicism in the US.