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Ordained Priest at
Valladolid on the 16th of February, 1787, Bishop Macdonell kept his
jubilee on the 16th of February, 1837. The following account is taken
from the papers of the time.
A novel and interesting
ceremony took place to-day in the Parish Church of St. Raphael,
Glengarry, which drew a crowd of more than 2,000 persons into that
spacious edifice. It is a custom of great antiquity in the Catholic
Church for a clergyman on completing his fiftieth year of priesthood to
celebrate a jubilee of thanksgiving to God and renew his vows to
continue in the faithful discharge of his pastoral duties for the
remaining years of his life. Bishop Macdonell having on this day
completed the fiftieth year of his priesthood, came down from Kingston
for the purpose of complying with this ancient ordinance of his Church.
The Superior and gentlemen of the Seminary of Montreal expressed an
earnest desire that the ceremony should be performed in the magnificent
Parish Church of that city; but the Bishop found it more in accordance
with his own feelings, as he knew it would be more gratifying to his
countrymen and former flock, among whom he had spent upwards of thirty
years in the discharge of the duties of all missionary, to appear before
them on this occasion, which would probably be the last in his life. The
Bishop of Montreal and many of the clergy of Lower Canada who wished to
be present were prevented by the depth of snow and the severity of the
weather. Nineteen priests, however, attended, and all the Protestant and
Catholic gentlemen of the county, besides several from the County of
Stormont and the Ottawa district. Many of these latter gentlemen were
also Protestants, but their long acquaintance and high respect for
Bishop Macdonell induced them to travel more than fifty miles across the
country in the most severe snowstorm that has been known for many years.
The Bishop addressed his countrymen before Mass in Gaelic, their native
tongue ; he called to their recollection the destitute state in which he
found their mission, and indeed the whole Province, in regard to
religion on his arrival in the country in 1804, there being no clergy,
no churches, no presbyterics, nor schools; and what rendered the labour
of a missionary more arduous, no roads. His pastoral labours were not
confined to the County of Glengarry; they extended from one end of the
Province to the other, and for many years he had no fellow-labourer to
assist him within a distance of seven hundred miles. Under such
overwhelming difficulties, he had much reason to acknowledge and thank
the merciful Providence of Almighty God for making him, although
unworthy, the humble instrument of procuring for them the many temporal
and spiritual advantages which they at present enjoy. lie trusted that
they would pay proper respect and submission to his worthy coadjutor,
the Bishop of Tabracca, whose ardent zeal to promote the glory of God
and the interests of the Catholic religion had induced him to leave a
quiet and comfortable position, where he was respected and beloved among
his own countrymen, to encounter privations, fatigues and difficulties
in this Province. In conclusion, as this might be the last opportunity
he should have of appearing before them in this world, Bishop Macdonell
begged their forgiveness for any bad example he had given them, and for
any neglect or omission of his duty during his ministry among them for
so many years; trusting much to their prayers and supplications to the
Throne of Mercy on his behalf, to enable him to prepare his long and
fearful accounts against the great and awful day of reckoning, which, in
the course of nature, could not be far distant: and he promised them
that he would never cease to offer up his unworthy prayers for their
spiritual and temporal we]- fare. Tears flowed in abundance from the
eyes of the Bishop and his hearers during this short but affecting
discourse. After Mass, Vicar-General Macdonald delivered an eloquent and
impressive sermon, and the ceremony being finished, the clergy and many
of the gentlemen repaired to the presbytery, where all the clergy and
such of the gentlemen as could be prevailed upon to remain had a
comfortable dinner prepared for them by the coadjutor" |
