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Collection: Directories and Documents
Bishop Eugene O'Connell - Pioneer Bishop of Grass Valley (April 1, 1976) (4 pages)
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Page: of 4
However, the year 1877 was marked by the death of “the good man and true” Father Patrick
Farrelly of Red Bluff. In 1875 he had been saddened by the news that the beautiful St Mary’s in
the Mountains had been destroyed in the great fire of October 26, 1875, which burned most of
Virginia City to the ground. Likewise, fires had wiped out the churches in Yreka in 1875 and in
Reno in 1879. Bishop O’Connell continued his round of visitations and the establishment of new
parishes until finally by 1881, his twentieth year, he felt satisfied that all the principal areas of
population had a priest. Colusa, Smartsville and Cherokee had become parishes in California so
that the total was now 25 with 31 priests, a remarkable advancement from six priests and six
parishes in 1861.
Finally, on October 29, 1889, Rome named the new coadjutor bishop of Grass Valley in the
person of the pastor of St Mary’s in the Mountains in Virginia City — Father Patrick Manogue. He
was consecrated bishop in San Francisco in Old St Mary Cathedral on January 16, 1881.
In the spring of 1882 both bishops attended the Second Provincial Council called by Archbishop
Alemany in San Francisco. In 1883 both set out on the rounds of confirmations and visitations in
the parishes. Bishop Manogue visited Weaverville and its two missions, Oregon and Arcata. This
proved to be Bishop O’Connell’s last round for on March 26, 1884 Rome finally accepted his
often tendered resignation. Bishop Manogue was automatically the second bishop of Grass
Valley.
Picture from Diocesan Archives
Third Plenary Council of Baltimore 1884
Meanwhile a call had come for the US Bishops to come to Baltimore for the Third Plenary
Council. Both the new and the former Bishops of Grass Valley attended. When it ended in
December 1884, Bishop O’Connell did not come home. He began an extended visit to friends in
the east which lasted some nine months. In May 1886, Bishop Mora of Monterey-Los Angeles