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The NEW BERN
?v02ional Li/orary
400 Johnson
V.Q\i Bern TC 2o^60
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
IN THE HEART OP
EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA
5t Per Copy
VOLUME 14
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1971
NUMBER 7
Passing vears have done little
to erase the memory of Mon
signor Michael A. Irwin.
Protestants and Jews, along
with parishi(mers at St. Paul’s
Catholic church, knew him well
as a familiar figure on the local
scene.
Much of his more than half a
century in the priesthood was
spent in New Bern, and during
those years he became part and
parcel of the town. Pew recalled
that he was a native of Ports
mouth, Va.
Everyone who knew him was
aware of his great love for
music. What many didn’t know
was that the Monsignor was an
accomplished violinist, who
once played in Norfolk’s St.
Cecelia orchestra under the
direction of Anton Kemer.
A non-paid community
organization, composed of 30 to
40 musicians in the Norfolk and
Portsmouth area, the St.
Cecelia orchestra presented
numerous performances in the
Old Dominion.
Father Irwin’s favorite
composers were Beethoven,
Chopin and Mendelssohn, but
his tastes were as broad as that
big body of his, and his
kn(^wledge of music ex
ceptional. He leaned^ strongly
toward any good conOerto.. ^
He credited Father Julius at
S elmont Abbey, in western
orth Carolina, with his basic
musical training. Later at
Norfolk, he studied under the
^reat Hernrah Singerhoff, a
German who was not only a
famous teacher but a musician
ot world note.
j Monsignor Irwin’s happiest
hour of earth came at the age of
84, when a golden jubilee
celebration was held here at the
time of his fiftieth anniversary
in the priesthood.
'At his request the observance
was delayed several months to
coincide with the dedication of
Sf. Paul’s handsome new
auditorium. Priests from 10
states—New York, New Jersey,
' Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,
Maryland, West Virginia,
Virginia, Georgia, North
Carolina and SouUi Carolina—
were here.
Included among high ranking
Catholic leaders present for the
occasion were four bishops and
eight monsignors. Never before
in all history nor since has there
been such a gathering here.
More than 150 priests were
seated together at lunch in the
spacious auditorium.
Father Julian Endler of New
Bern’s St. Joseph’s Catholic
church served as toastmaster,
with the usual complimentary
speeches by visiting dignitaries.
Incidentally, Father Julian’s
twin brother. Father John
Joseph, was here.
They looked exactly alike,
and even close friends had
extreme difficulty figuring out
just who was who. There were
two other brothers in the
family, and they were priests
also.
Solemn high mass was said by
Monsignor Irwin in the
auditorium that morning, in a
religious ceremony that is as
rare as it was impressive.
Seldom indeed are there enough
«Cniitinurd on page 8)
PROUD MOMENT—Congressman Walter Jones
and William V. Griffin of Route 3, New Bern have
good reason to beam happily as they pose for
cameras in Washington, D. C. Griffin won a
national award for efficient production
management in the raising of soybeans. It was
presented at a special luncheon honoring him, and
later Griffin met with Clifford M. Hardin,
Secretary of Agriculture. Hardin was impressed by
Griffin’s 36.5 bushels per acre average on 252 acres.