Thursday, October 14, 2010

Bishop Kerfoot: A Man Full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.



The first Bishop of Pittsburgh, the Rt. Rev. John Barrett Kerfoot (seen here) was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1816 and consecrated Bishop at Trinity Cathedral on January 25, 1866. On February 1, 1866 he made his first visit to the Monongahela Episcopal Mission and was pleased with the work being done here. He returned to lay the cornerstone of the church on September 3, 1866. It was in honor of Kerfoot’s consecration on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul that our church was named and it is to him that our altar is dedicated

Bishop Kerfoot’s great affection for and special relationship with St. Paul’s is attested to by the Rev. John Norman. The following is Norman’s account of his assignment to Monongahela by Bishop Kerfoot, written in 1884:

In April 1880, the present Rector was placed in charge of this Parish… by the Bishop of the Diocese, who was then prostrated by the illness which eventually proved fatal. He was not able then, or afterwards, to leave his room and yet none the less felt “the care of all the churches coming upon him daily.” St. Paul’s Church was ever dear to him and his concern for her welfare and success continued undiminished as long as his life was spared. I well remember my first visit to this Parish in April 1880. On my return I called to see the Bishop, as he had requested I should do, and told him about the Church and her work which I found less discouraging than had been feared. When I told him how warmly I was welcomed and that much interest was manifested, and an earnest desire felt for services, the look of care and concern that at times was to be seen during his illness vanished, his face brightened, his whole manner changed and grasping my hand he exclaimed, “Hold on to that place – never let it go!” I felt then, and have since often felt, that if we all loved God’s Zion, as our First Bishop loved her, most assuredly “Peace would be within her walls and plenteousness within her palaces.”

Norman took Kerfoot’s advice seriously and never did let St. Paul’s go. He remained here for the rest of his career, nearly forty years. The Rev. Norman also leaves us this prayer in remembrance of our first Bishop:

May the Divine Master whom Bishop Kerfoot so dearly loved and in whose service he cheerfully spent and was spent, give us grace that as he was, so we may be, full of good works and that being “full of the Holy Ghost and of faith,” much people may be added to the Church, not indeed through any merit in us, but that seeing our good works, many may glorify the heavenly Father, who alone inspires us to do them. Amen.
(the dedication plate of St. Paul's altar is seen here)

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