Rev Patrick Venantius McLaughlin 1843-1879

MCLAUGHLIN, FEEHAN, SMITH, HODNETT, TRANT

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 4/13/2017 at 18:21:02

The Daily Herald, Clinton, Clinton Co. Iowa
Thursday Evening, January 16, 1879

Death of Rev Patrick Venantius McLaughlin, for Twelve Years Priest of the Clinton Catholic Parish.

Not withstanding the fact that for many years their beloved pastor had been ill with that dread disease consumption, and that many times his life had been despaired of, his late serious illness did not become so generally known to the parishioners of St. Mary's Catholic church as to cause apprehension that the end was near, and the announcement this morning of the death of Rev. P.V. McLaughlin fell unexpectedly upon the ears of his congregation, and has awakened no little interest in the city. The reverend gentleman had presided over the parish so long, had built up the society, in fact, from its very foundation, and had endeared himself so much to his people that his death has created a deep feeling of sadness, and in his congregation a manifest feeling of gloom.

Rev. Patrick Venantius McLaughlin was born in the county of Wexford, Ireland, May 18th, 1844, being nearly 35 years of age at his death, which occurred at 8:30 o'clock this morning. He came to America with his parents when a child, and was educated at St. Thomas academy, Bardstown, Ky, and at Cape Girardeau, Mo., Seminary, finishing at St. Francis' Academy, Milwaukee, where he received the orders of sub deacon and deacon. He received other orders subsequently at the hands of Bishop Smith at Dubuque. He was ordained a priest of this diocese by Bishop Feehan, of Nashville, at St. Louis in 1866, and was assigned to the Clinton parish, then just organizing, early in 1867, having been the pastor of St. Mary's congregation for about twelve years. Early in his ministration he developed the disease which finally ended his existence and for the past six years has had an assistant, and has taken frequent trips for his health, once to California, but without any perceptible improvement. His present assistant was Rev. Father O'Reilly, a worthy young priest.

Through the labors of Father McLaughlin St. Mary's congregation has grown from a society of 65 members to a society embracing over three hundred heads of families. He built the church, school house and parsonage, founded the Catholic Temperance Society and was instrumental in various other ways in building up one of the most prosperous Catholic societies in Iowa.

In accordance with custom and the wish of the deceased, the remains will be buried under the altar of the church where he has so long labored. His remains, kept from view during the day, will be taken to the church this evening and will lie in state, guarded night and day by the R.C.T.A. society, in regalia, until next Tuesday morning, when, as now arranged, they will be interred with imposing ceremonies.

During his closing hours deceased was faithfully attended by his brother and sister, Rev. E.J. McLaughlin, of Sigourney, Iowa, and Miss Lizzie J. McLaughlin, of Dubuque, the latter having been with him several weeks. Jas. N. McLaughlin, Esq. and wife, of Dubuque, the parents, have been sent for. There are also present to-day, assisting in the funeral preparations, Rev. T.P. Hodnett, of Dixon, and Rev. Stephen Trant, of Highland, Wis., classmates of deceased, who were visiting him. Further announcements of the funeral will be given.