First Bishop, Burke

By Bishop McGovern

When on Aug. 9, 1887, the Territory of Wyoming was erected into a separate diocese, the choice for bishop fell upon Rev. Maurice F. Burke, a priest of the archdiocese of Chicago. Born in Ireland, May 5, 1845, at an early age he came to America with his parents, who settled in what has since become the great metropolis on Lake Michigan. His education was begun in Chicago; and when he had finished the grammar-school, he entered the university of St. Mary of the Lake. Feeling himself called to the sanctuary, he applied to Bishop [9] Duggan of Chicago and was sent to the American College, Rome, where he was ordained May 22, 1875.

His first appointment was as assistant at St. Mary’s church, Chicago, and so zealous was he in the performance of his duties that within three years he was given charge of an important parish at Joliet. Here his ability manifested itself in the building of a church and parochial school. Accomplishments so conducive to the advancement of religion naturally attracted the attention of his superiors, and he was named bishop of the newly created see of Cheyenne.

The conditions which the young prelate found on reaching Wyoming, may be gleaned from the following statistics: Diocesan priests 5, religious 1, churches 8, hospital 1, academy 1 (with 130 pupils) parochial schools 2 (with 175 pupils), baptisms 181, marriages 20, families 448, Catholic population about 7,500, Indian Mission 110. There was a neat brick church in Cheyenne with a seating capacity of 300; this became the pro-cathedral, the titular being changed from St. John the Baptist to St. Mary. Beside the church was a brick rectory to which a substantial addition was now added to make it suitable for an episcopal residence. After taking stock of his vast territory, the bishop concluded that the establishment of the see had been premature, and set out for Rome to have it suppressed.>Letter of Bishop Burke to the writer, Mar. 24, 1916.> [10] Owing to the opposition of the bishops of the province (then St. Louis) this proposal was rejected. Bishop Bonacum, of Lincoln, was delegated by Rome to investigate conditions, and reported against the suppression of the see. Several years later (June 19, 1893) Bishop Burke was transferred to St. Joseph.