Father Jerome Marie Cloarec was the Rector of the Cathedral from 1861 to 1867 and he also was Pastor of St. Joseph’s Church for 48 years 6 months and 9 days. This article is made up mostly of articles from the Burlington Daily News and the Burlington Free Press. Monsignor Cloarec and Bishop De Goesbriand both came from Brittany, France and both were exceptional priests in Vermont. Jerome M. Cloarec, a close friend of Bishop De Goesbriand, came to America at the bishops invitation in 1855 [An Inland See – H. Coffin].
John R. Fisher 7-10-2019 Burlington, Vermont
Burlington Daily News, Tuesday evening 10 Feb, 1920
RT. REV. J. M. CLOAREC DIES THIS AFTERNOON FROM PNEUMONIA
Venerable and Beloved Prelate of the Diocese of Burlington was 84 Years Old. (sic 86 yrs 7 mths 24 days)
The Rt. Rev. Jerome M. Cloarec, the beloved and venerable prelate of the diocese of Burlington died of pneumonia this afternoon at 2:37 o’clock at the rectory on Elmwood Avenue. Funeral services will be held on Friday morning at 10 o’clock.
Those who have lived long in Burlington need no review of the life of the Rt. Rev. Monsignor J. M. Cloarec. His life was closely interwoven with the growth of the city, not alone in his own parishes where he had ministered so long, but in the neighboring parishes of Lakeside and Winooski.
When the half-century milestone of his priesthood had been reached the advance was fittingly observed with Masses and sermons by visiting priests. To the younger generation and those who have come from other sections of the country, in recent years, the death of Father Cloarec as he was affectionately called by Catholic and Protestant alike, comes as a great shock. There is little that can be said that can express the true feeling of the community and church in this great loss that has just been suffered, but to quote an article in St. Mary’s Monthly of a few years ago referring to the late Father Cloarec. “His praises are measured by the heartbeats of all who have come under his kindly paternal influence. His noblest monuments are temples neither of stone nor of wood, but living temples of flesh and blood reared by him according to the eternal principles of truth and righteousness.”
Jerome Marie Cloarec was born June 17, 1833 at St. Sauveur, in Brittany, France. Coming to America in 1855 he entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD and spent 3 years studying for the priesthood. He was ordained in Burlington by the late Bishop De Goesbriand, July 4, 1858, the ordination service taking place in the old St. Mary’s Church. One of his fellow students in the Seminary in Baltimore was James Gibbons, now the Most Eminent James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore.
Father Cloarec’s first appointment was Bennington, where he remained about two years or until 1861, when he was recalled to this city and made rector of the Cathedral. [During these 8 years he labored zealously to develop Cathedral parish and it was he who directed the construction of the Gothic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception which burned on 13 March 1972]. After faithfully directing the progress and destinies of St Mary’s parish, Burlington, for eight years, Bishop De Goesbriand appointed the zealous young priest rector of St. Mary’s parish Rutland which was the French Canadian parish of that city. He was not destined to remain long in the Marble City. The Rt. Rev. Bishop having in view the interest of the rapidly increasing parish of St. Joseph in Burlington, like the Egyptian king of old, was convinced that there was not another in his diocese more fitted by zeal, prudence and financial ability, to be placed over this parish, destined one day to be the largest in the state, than the Rev. J. M. Cloarec; this appointment was made August 1, 1871.
It soon became evident that the old St. Joseph church, located on the hill where St Joseph school is now located was much too small for the congregation. The site of the present church was secured and the cornerstone of the edifice layed (sic) July 4, 1884. The work progressed rapidly and the present St. Joseph church, the largest in the diocese of Burlington was solemnly blessed by Archbishop Fabre of Montreal, P. Q. on June 24, 1887.
Father Cloarec was responsible for the building of St. Joseph Orphanage, St. Anthony’s church at Lakeside and Holy Cross Chapel at Mallets Bay. Father Cloarec had been honored with all the favors that are usually conferred upon a faithful priest, exclusive of the mitre. He was chosen one of the Bishops Consultors on the first board elected in the diocese, July 1886. He has been chosen at every election since, held every three years. He was one of the trustees of the Diocesan Corporation, organized in 1896.
On December 6th, 1899, when Rt. Rev. J. S. Michaud was installed as the Bishop of Burlington, Father Cloarec was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese, which dignity conferred upon him the kind of right to govern the diocese with the Bishop. He had more than once been Administrator of the Diocese, during the absence of the Bishop. The crowning honor however, was conferred upon Father Cloarec when, in 1901, August 22nd, at the request of Bishop Michaud, he was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate by the Pope and invested with the regalia of that office. This imposing ceremony fittingly took place on the occasion of the Consecration of St. Joseph’s Church, since which date he was known more familiarly as “Monsignor Cloarec.”
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Mgr Jerome Marie Cloarec Prelat Domestique |
Monsignor Jerome Marie Cloarec Domestic Prelate |
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What is a Domestic Prelate? An honorary distinction conferred by the Holy See upon clergy, entitling them to some of the privileges of a bishop. Most domestic prelates are named directly because of merit or because of their position in authority (e.g., most are vicars-general). Sculptor: Sherry Fry Dimensions: 7 feet high & 3 feet wide |
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Born in Brittany 1833. Ordained Priest At Burlington 1858. Pastor of St Joseph Church From 1871 until his death on 10 Feb 1920 Erected in 1922 by his Parishioners |
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Ne en Bretagne 1833 Ordonne Pretre A Burlington 1858 Cure de L;Eglise St Joseph De 1871 jusqu’a sa mort le 10 fevrier 1920 Erige 1922 par ses paroissiens |
Burlington Free Press - 4 March 1922
Erected in St. Joseph’s church and to be unveiled tomorrow afternoon
The erection was completed yesterday afternoon of the tablet in memory of the late Monsignor Jerome M. Cloarec. The tablet has been placed on the west side of St. Joseph’s church, between the first and second windows. It will be unveiled by the Rev. Norbert Proulx at the dedication service, which will be held Sunday afternoon at 3’oclock, follow the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament which starts at 2:30. Immediately after the unveiling, the choir will render the Libera and a sermon will be delivered by the Rev. E. M. Salmon of St. Michael’s college. At the end of the ceremony, all wishing closer view of the tablet will be given an opportunity to view the same. All those interested are invited to the ceremony, which will be held at 3 o’clock tomorrow afternoon.
Burlington Free Press - 5 March 1922
Tablet Unveiled in Memory of Pastor
Parishioners at St. Joseph's Church pay tribute to late Monsignor Jerome M. Cloarec
Eulogy by the Rev. E. M. Salmon
The unveiling and dedication of the tablet to the memory of the late Monsignor Jerome M. Cloarec occurred yesterday afternoon at St. Joseph's church before a large congregation of the parishioners and friends of the late pastor. The ceremony took place at 3 o'clock, following the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The tablet, which was placed on the west side of the church, was unveiled by the Rev. Norbert Proulx, assisted by four altar boys. Immediately after the dedication service, St Joseph's choir rendered the Libera, assisted by the boys choir which was in attendance in the chancel.
The Rev. E. M. Salmon of St. Michael's college delivered the sermon and gave a eulogy of Monsignor Cloarec. He told of his affection of St. Joseph's parish and how his parishioners joys were his joys, and their sorrows, his sorrows. He enumerated the works of the Monsignor in the parish, such as the erection of Mount Calvary cemetery, the schools of the parish, St. Joseph's church and the rectory, the church being consecrated in 1903, free of debt. Father Salmon drew from the teachings and works of the late pastor a lesson that can be expressed in the word "Loyalty". Loyalty to the church, to the family traditions and to the parochial schools, where where the moral education and sound, secular instructions are the building of good citizenship for future generations.
The tablet dedicated yesterday to the memory of the late pastor of St. Joseph's church is the work of Sherry Fry of New York and was pronounced by many to be a good likeness of Monsignor Cloarec. It is a national size figure, with the base seven by three feet in size. The money for the tablet was raised in April, 1920, among the parishioners and friends, by the following committee: The Rev. Norbert Proulx, P. E. Crady, George Gratton, F. H. Robillard, Eugene Chausse, Henry Lavigne, Arsene Boucher and A. H. Duhamel.
FATHER CLOAREC'S LONG AND USEFUL LIFE
Monsignor Jerome Marie Cloarec was born June 17, 1833, at St. Sauveur, Brittany, France. In 1855 he came to America, spent three years at St. Mary's seminary, Baltimore, MD., preparing for the holy priesthood. He was ordained in the old St. Mary's Church in this city by the late Bishop De Goesbriand on July 4, 1858. The Rev. Father Cloarec was given Bennington as his first parish, where he remained for two years. He was called to Burlington in 1861 to become rector of the Cathedral. For eight years he labored zealously to develop St. Mary's parish and was later transferred to Rutland to take charge of the French-Canadian parish. He was made pastor of old St. Joseph's Church in this city on August 7, 1871. Father Cloarec was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese in 1899, when the Rt. Rev. J. S. Michaud was installed as Bishop of Burlington. His crowning honor was conferred in 1901, when he was raised to the rank of domestic prelate by the Pope and invested with the insignia of that office. The imposing ceremony took place on the consecration of St. Joseph's Church in 1903 after which date he was more familiarly known as Monsignor Cloarec. He died Tuesday afternoon, February 10, 1920. Click her to learn more.
Sherry Edmundson Fry (September 29, 1879 – June 9, 1966) He was an American sculptor, born in Creston, Iowa. After completing high school, he enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he studied sculpture with Lorado Taft. He then moved to Paris, where he attended the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts, and worked with Frederick MacMonnies, who had been a student of the famous 19th-century American sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He also created a statue of Ira Allen at the University of Vermont in Burlington.
The 2001 Renovation of the Church by Father Steven Hornat
In 2001 the tablet was removed from its original position and was cleaned by Steve Richer, Raymond Nichols, Donald Lacroix and Fred Dusablon. It was then reinstalled on the left side of the church, to the right of the existing entryway where there was originally an altar, which had been removed in a previous renovation.