In the lovely hillside cemetery of St. Joachim's Church, Old Mines, one headstone stands out because of its size and the story carved in stone. It's the story of a young Irish priest who fell from his horse and drowned in the Meramec River while accomplishing his priestly duties.
Erected by the Priests of the Archdiocese
of St. Louis
in
the memory of
their beloved brother in the
ministry
REV. JOHN JAMES CAFFREY
Franklin County
who was drowned in the Maramec River
on the 7th of
February 1856
“The Good Shepherd giveth his life for his Sheep”
St. John
St. John
Requiescat in Pace
St. Joachim's was also John Joseph Hogan's first assignment after his ordination in 1852. Pastor and mentor to the two young priests was Father James Fox, a native of County Wicklow Ireland. Far flung settlers and parishes required arduous travel, mostly by horseback, for the few frontier priests who tended the Lord's scattered sheep. St. Patrick's at Armagh was one such parish that Fr. Fox - and undoubtedly his assistants - served. This more detailed account of Father Caffrey's accident comes from the website of St. Patrick's near present day Pacific, Missouri:
An illustration of the extremely arduous and sometimes dangerous life led by the missionary priests of the time occurred during Father Grace’s administration. While the pastor was away, either soliciting funds or making a retreat, Father John McCaffrey, a young pastor at Richwoods, Washington County, took care of Armagh parishioners. He responded to a call for a priest to visit a sick settler living north of the Meramec River. In attempting to cross the river at a point known as “Withington Ford” his horse baulked (sic). Father McCaffrey was evidently injured in falling from his horse, sank into the river and drowned. A few days later his body was found and brought to Old Mines for burial. He was described by a contemporary as a man of excellent qualities of head and heart, and more familiar than any other of the time with Holy Scripture.
No comments:
Post a Comment