McIntyre, the first brick church—if we mistake not, the first public building of brick—ever erected in this province—a church which, at this day, is one of the finest on the island. Inspired by their enthusiastic priest, the poor French people made the bricks, hauled them to the site, laid the foundation, and built the church. They had little money, but much zeal; and they were led by a man of rare administrative ability. To the church at Tignish was added a handsome parochial house and a fine convent, both of brick. A church and parochial house were also about the same time built at Brae. The talents and zeal of Father McIntyre were soon recognized by a church which—whatever her faults—is not slow to see and reward true merit. On the death of Bishop Macdonald, he was appointed to preside over the Roman Catholic diocese of Charlottetown, comprising Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands; and on the 15th of August, 1860, he was solemnly consecrated Bishop of Charlottetown. The ceremony was performed by the late Archbishop Connolly, of Halifax, assisted by the late Bishop McKinnon and Bishop Sweeney—the late Bishop Mullock, of St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Bishop Dalton, of Harbour Grace, being also present. Under the administration of Bishop McIntyre great attention has been given to the education of the youth of the Catholic people and to the erection of buildings in which to carry on the work of the church; and the bishop’s talent for building has found scope. The first work of consequence which he undertook was the rebuilding of St. Dunstan’s College. The Catholic population of the island at the time of Bishop McIntyre’s consecration was 35,500. There were only thirteen priests to minister to their spiritual wants. The Catholic population is now about 55,000, and there are thirty-seven priests with well organized missions. The new parishes established by Bishop McIntyre are Cardigan Bridge, Montague Bridge, Cardigan Road, Morrell, South Shore, Hope River, Lot 7, Lot 11, Brae, Palmer Road, Little Pond, Bloomfield, Alberton, Summerside, in Prince Edward Island, and Bassin in the Magdalen Islands, which form part of the diocese. Besides the splendid episcopal residence in Charlottetown, which was much required for the diocese, he has built St. Patrick’s School (one of the finest buildings in the city); St. Teresa’s Church, Cardigan Road; St. Francis’, Little Pond; St. Mary’s, Montague Bridge; St. Andrew’s, St. Peter’s; St. Lawrence’s, Morell; St. Michael’s, Corran Ban Bridge; St. Patrick’s, Fort Augustus; St. Joachim’s, Vernon River; St. Lawrence, South Shore (the first stone church built on the island); St. Anne’s, Hope River; St. Charles, Summerside; St. Mark’s, Lot 7; St. Mary’s, Brae; St. Bridget’s, Lot 11; St. Anthony’s, Bloomfield; SS. Simon and Jude, Tignish; St. Thomas’, Palmer Road; Sacred Heart, Alberton; and in the Magdalen Islands, Notre Dame de la Visitation, Amherst; Etang du Nord, St. Pierre; Bassin, St. François Xavier. This is work enough, one would say, for one prelate and an indefatigable staff of clergymen for one generation; but besides these churches, many of them splendid specimens of architecture, there have been eight conventual establishments erected and founded within the last twenty-five years in various parts of the province, which educate annually thousands of pupils. The chief part of the labour of the churches was done by the zealous people in several of the parishes. In 1877 Bishop McIntyre organized the Central Council of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union, with affiliated societies in every parish of the diocese. He has accomplished a great work in the suppression of intemperance in many parts of the island. In 1878 he founded the City Hospital, which has already done a vast amount of good, and has stimulated others to found another hospital for the sick. His lordship has visited Rome four times since his consecration, and on one occasion extended his journey to the Holy Land. He took part in the Œcumenical Council of 1870, where it was generally conceded that no more imposing figure was seen in the grand procession of churchmen, than that of the venerable and stately Bishop of Charlottetown. In person his lordship is above the medium height, his carriage is stately and his step elastic. His activity is remarkable; few young persons could endure the amount of travelling and fatigue which is constantly undergone by Bishop McIntyre, upon whom it has no ill effect whatever. His voice, which is low and sweet, is so clear that he is easily heard even at a great distance. His prepossessing appearance and courtly manner, no less than his genuine kindness of heart, have made him hosts of friends. He is highly esteemed by Protestants throughout the province, from whom his blameless life and fearless advocacy of what he deems to be right command respect. The bishop takes a great interest in education, and is invariably present, when his duties allow him, at the examinations in his Catholic schools. It is to his lordship’s unflagging energy and zeal that St. Dunstan’s College owes its present hopeful position. Besides providing for their secular instruction, the bishop has always been much interested in the spiritual welfare of the little ones of his flock; it is his delight to preach at the children’s mass on Sundays, when the large congregation of young folk listen to his clear and practical instructions with profit and pleasure. He is a clear, forcible speaker, impressive if not eloquent, with a perfect command of good Anglo-Saxon. Though a zealous prelate, he has never been known to give utterance to any intolerant expression against those differing from him in religious matters. He has been to Charlottetown, and the island generally, a public benefactor. Though drawing close to the seventies, his eye is bright, his lip is firm, and his face fresh. He has a fine constitution, rises between four and five a. m., and has a day’s work done before most Charlottetown folks are out of bed. He has many years of usefulness ahead of him, and hopes not to complete his labours until he shall have built a magnificent cathedral in the metropolis of his province. That such a great worker deserves and receives the gratitude of his own people might be expected, that he should and does command the admiration of all classes is only reasonable; and that he enjoys the esteem of his peers is witnessed by the number of bishops and archbishops who did him honour on the occasion of his silver jubilee, which was celebrated in Charlottetown, on the 12th of August, 1885, amid the congratulations and good wishes of all classes, creeds and nationalities in the community.
Fitzgerald, Rev. David, D.D., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. This reverend and highly respected divine was born at Tralee, in the county of Kerry, Ireland, on the 3rd of December, 1813. He is the eldest surviving son of William Fitzgerald, barrister-at-law of Adrivale, county of Kerry, who married Anne, sole daughter and heiress of the Rev. Robert Minnitt, of Blackfort, county of Tipperary, and rector of Tulla, county of Clare, whose ancestor, Captain John Minnitt, came to the country in the reign of Charles II. One of Mr. Fitzgerald’s ancestors was a captain in King James’ army. This gentleman lived during the reign of six English monarchs, and died at the advanced age of 116 years. Rev. Mr. Fitzgerald was educated at schools in Clonmel and Limerick, and obtained his A.B. degree and divinity testimonium at Trinity College, Dublin. In February, 1843, he married Cherry Christina, second daughter of Rowan Purdon, M.D., a physician of established reputation and extensive practice in Kerry, his native county. His brother, Richard, was a fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and his son, George, was a scholar in the same university. In June, 1845, after a creditable examination by Rev. I. T. Russel, archdeacon of Clogher, he was ordained deacon at Tuam by Lord Plunket, bishop of the diocese, and in 1846 was ordained priest by Lord Riversdale, bishop of Killaloe, on letters dimissory from the bishop of Clogher. He began his ministry as curate to Rev. Geo. Sidney Smith, D.D., ex-fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, at Cooltrain, county of Fermanagh. He then had charge of the district church, at Maguire’s Bridge, in the same county, where as secretary to the Poor Relief Committee of that place, he established a soup kitchen for its famine-stricken inhabitants, and was the means by obtaining subscriptions from absentee landlords and other benevolently disposed persons, with a ton of rice from the Quakers, of providing daily suitable cooked food for four hundred families for several months, and left on his departure over £100 in the hands of the committee to carry on the work. In June, 1847, he came out to Prince Edward Island as assistant minister to Rev. Dr. Jenkins, then rector of St. Paul’s Church. On the retirement of Dr. Jenkins and that of his successor, Rev. C. Lloyd, in 1857, he was appointed rector of the parish, which he served without intermission for thirty-eight years, when in 1885 he retired from active duty. For upwards of twenty years he was a member of the board of education, and a trustee of the Lunatic Asylum, and for some time was chaplain of the Legislative Council. He is the author of several printed sermons and pamphlets, and has delivered lectures on various subjects for several years. In 1881 he took the degrees of A.M., B.D., and D.D., at King’s College, Windsor. On several occasions since his retirement, he has occupied the pulpit in the parish church and in other churches in the province, and hopes while he has the power of utterance to speak a word
