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Our Parish History - 1854 to 2011
157 Years!
The history of the parish can perhaps be defined as the collective accomplishments and failures, hopes and
disappointments, prayers and sacrifices of its people. During the course of this history, many people arrive on
the scene, some by choice, many by circumstance!
St. Brigid Parish was established in 1854 in East Baltimore as a mission from Saint Patrick Church in Fells Point.
Reverend James Gibbons, newly ordained, was assigned as the first resident Pastor. He would, in later life, be
renowned throughout the World in being named "Cardinal" the first in these United States.
As the community of Canton developed, the Irish immigrants were among the first to settle in the
neighborhood church, named after their Patron Saint. The German immigrants followed and established
Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in Highlandtown. The Polish people came next and established Saint Casimir
Church. Finally, the Italian immigrants came and established Our Lady of Pompeii Church. Truly, it can be said
that the Canton/Highlandtown community is the "Melting Pot" of the East Baltimore Metropolitan area,
strongly founded in its ethnic religious background.
Throughout its over 150 years of service to the community, St. Brigid Parish has touched the lives of the
families of the Canton Community. Many of those families have established strong roots, any have moved on,
many have gained renown for their own unnoticed -- except by their families and close friends. However,
each has contributed in some way to the evolution of Saint Brigid Parish.
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James Cardinal Gibbons
1834-1921
President William H. Taft praised James Cardinal Gibbons for his "single-minded patriotism and love of
country on the one hand and (his) sincere devotion to his Church and God, on the other." And another
president, Theodore Roosevelt, said to him directly: "Taking your life as a whole I think you now occupy the
position of being the most respected and venerated and useful citizen of our country."
The subject of such heady praise began life humbly enough in Baltimore, MD on July 23, 1834. The upstairs
bedroom of his parents' two-story home looked out on Gay Street, not far from the great dome and the
booming bells of Assumption Cathedral which was to play such a large part in his life.
PRIEST AND PASTOR
He was ordained June 30, 1861, and began his ministry in and around Baltimore when the city pastor of
sorts at the mission parish of pastor of sorts at the mission parish of . His pastoral zeal and effective . His
pastoral zeal and effective St. Brigid in Canton, St. Brigid in Canton, preaching soon came to the notice of
Archbishop Martin J. Spalding who named him his preaching soon came to the notice of Archbishop Martin J.
Spalding who named him his secretary in 1865 and delegated to him much of the preparatory work of the
coming Plenary Council.
bishop of a newly created vicariate of North Carolina. Consecrated bishop in 1868 he was, at 36, the
shepherd of 700 Catholics scattered over 50,000 square miles.
In 1869, Bishop Gibbons went to Rome as the youngest prelate at the First Vatican Council. Three years later
he was named bishop of Richmond, VA and five years after that (April 15, 1877) he was appointed co-adjutor
bishop of Baltimore. When Archbishop Bayley died the same year, Bishop Gibbons became his successor.
In his inaugural sermon the new Archbishop gave a brief review of his illustrious predecessors in the See of
Baltimore. " . . . I might speak of Bishop Carroll, who possessed the virtues of the Christian priest with the
patriotism of an American citizen; I might speak of a Neale, whose life was hidden with Christ in God; of a
Mareschal, who united in his person the refined manners of a Frenchman with the sturdy virtues of a pioneer
prelate; of a Whitefield, who expended a fortune in the promotion of piety and devotion; of the accomplished
Eccleston, who presided with equal grace and dignity in the professor's chair, on this throne, and at the
Council of Bishops; of a Kenrick whose praise is in the Churches, . . . I might speak of Bishop Spalding
whose paternal face is to this day stamped upon your loved him most. His soul never hesitated to make any
sacrifice that God's honor and his conscience demanded." He held out the glory of his predecessors, not his
own.
CHURCHMAN AND CITIZEN
At work in his office the day after the church ceremonies, the new archbishop began a 40 year episcopate
which was to see him active and influential at the very heart of American life. He played an important role in
improving Church-State relations, integrating great waves of immigrants into American society, defending the
poor, preaching morality, coping with the turbulence of World War I, championing the rights of labor. The list
goes on and on. Gifted by God with talent and a long life, he made the best of both. When he was made a
cardinal in 1886, legions of his fellow citizens, Catholic and non-Catholic, were mightily pleased. His
following grew steadily until his death on March 24,1921.
Looking for a word to characterize the cardinal, people often settled for "priestliness." Speaking of this in a
Requiem Mass, Bishop Thomas J. Shahan said in part: "It was as a minister of Jesus Christ, as an humble,
unselfish and zealous priest, concerned chiefly about the divine and eternal interests of his people and his
country, that he went about his beloved city and state, teaching in the name of the Divine Master, charity and
tolerance, mutual respect and mutual service, and emphasizing at all times the ties which bind us in unity
rather than the lines which denote our separate or particular interests . . . To the end he was faithful to his
high priestly task of healing and consoling, of comforting and guiding a society whose defects and errors he
well knew were rooted in spiritual ignorance rather than in malice." (from the CIN (Catholic Information
Network ))
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