|
Bishop
Urban McGarry, TOR was born on November 14, 1910 at
Warren, Pennsylania, U.S.A. His parents were Mr. James
McGarry and Margaret Farlay. He had five brothers and three
sisters of whom only one sister is living. He had his early
education in the Parochial School at Erie, Pennsylvania.
Before joining the Franciscans in 1936 he worked at
Struthers-Wells Co. for three years. He made his first
profession on 5th July 1937, the Golden Jubilee of which was
celebrated at Bhagalpur on 7th July, 1987. He completUnder
the able leadership of Bishop McGarry and due to his
indefatigable efforts the diocese has grown remarkably and
reached its present stature. About 20 new churches were
blessed by Bishop McGarry. All this meant a lot of work for
the Bishop. He was an early riser. Up at about 3 a.m. he
said his Prayers, made his meditation and said Mass, and
after breakfast, he used to be at the Chancery by 5:30 a.m.
driving the car himself which he did all the time, except
the last two years when his eye sight failed and he was
forced to keep a driver. It is remarkable that in spite of
driving thousands of miles over the years, he never met with
an accident. He had to keep up a voluminous correspondence
but he did it all with the help of his faithful typist, Mr.
Joseph Murmu who served the Bishop over 30 years. After
caring for thy diocese 32 years, Bishop McGarry retired at
the age of seventy eight on December 22, 1987. He was
granted Indian citizenship on 13th July, 1989. A pastor to
the core Bishop McGarry never made any distinction between
the poor and the rich. He offered the same chair to the VIP
and the villager who came to see him. Bishop McGarry died on
16-09-2000 (R.I.P.) and was buried in the Cathedral.ed his
college and Philosophical studies at St. Francis College,
Loretto. Bishop McGarry was among the eight Franciscans who
left U.S.A. in December 1939 and arrived in Bhagalpur on
February 17, 1940. After his Theological studies at St.
Albert’s College, Ranchi he was ordained a Priest on October
3, 1942. His first appointment was at Godda with Fr. Ernst
S.J. and from there he looked after Sundermur also. In 1944
he appointed Headmaster of the Mission School at Gokhla and
also the Novice Master there. He became Commissary
Provincial in 1953. In 1956, Bhagalpur was cut-off from the
diocese of Patna and a Prefecture Apostolic was established
and Rt. Rev. Urban McGarry was appointed its Prefect
Apostolic on August 7, 1956. The Prefecture made rapid
progress in the able hands of its first Prefect Apostolic
and it was made a Diocese on January 30, 1965 and Rt. Rev.
Urban McGarry, TOR was appointed its first Bishop and was
ordained Bishop on May 10, 1965 at Atloona, Pennyslvania,
U.S.A.
Under the able leadership
of Bishop McGarry and due to his indefatigable efforts the
diocese has grown remarkably and reached its present
stature. About 20 new churches were blessed by Bishop
McGarry. All this meant a lot of work for the Bishop. He was
an early riser. Up at about 3 a.m. he said his Prayers, made
his meditation and said Mass, and after breakfast, he used
to be at the Chancery by 5:30 a.m. driving the car himself
which he did all the time, except the last two years when
his eye sight failed and he was forced to keep a driver. It
is remarkable that in spite of driving thousands of miles
over the years, he never met with an accident. He had to
keep up a voluminous correspondence but he did it all with
the help of his faithful typist, Mr. Joseph Murmu who served
the Bishop over 30 years. After caring for thy diocese 32
years, Bishop McGarry retired at the age of seventy eight on
December 22, 1987. He was granted Indian citizenship on 13th
July, 1989. A pastor to the core Bishop McGarry never made
any distinction between the poor and the rich. He offered
the same chair to the VIP and the villager who came to see
him. Bishop McGarry died on 16-09-2000 (R.I.P.) and was
buried in the Cathedral. |
