Father William Gleeson
Encyclopedia
Father William Gleeson was a Roman Catholic priest
, missionary
, linguist, and historian
.
He was born January 29, 1827, in County Tipperary
, Ireland
, and was privately educated before entering All Hallows College
at Drumcondra
north of Dublin to prepare for missionary service. He was ordained in 1853.
Soon after his ordination, Father Gleeson volunteered for service in India
and was sent to Agra
under the supervision of Ignatius Persico
. He was placed in charge of a nearby congregation at Saldana, where he learned Hindustani
and the Persian language
from his parishioners.
Father Gleeson was at Agra when it was taken by Tantya Tope during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
, and subsequently served as a chaplain to Catholic soldiers in the British Army
. It was in this capacity that he became acquainted with Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde
and Sir James Outram, 1st Baronet
.
Unfortunately, a few years after peace was restored, a serious illness nearly deprived Father Gleeson of his voice and convinced him to leave India to accept a teaching position at Vincentians' College at Izmir
in Turkey
. There he learned Arabic.
Father Gleeson was eventually invited to spend a year doing missionary work in the Diocese of Salford
in England
, and three years in Glasgow
, Scotland
. But, the climate in those two places disagreed with him, and he accepted a calling to teach ancient languages at St. Mary's College of California by 1870.
It was while teaching in San Francisco that Father Gleeson wrote his most famous work: History of the Catholic Church in California. It was published in 1872, a year after he had resumed parochial work in East Oakland, Fruitvale
, and Alameda, California
.
Father Gleeson continued to enjoy learning foreign languages as a pastor, including the Portuguese language
of his parishioners and the Hebrew and Syro-Chaldaic writings he studied.
He died on his seventy-sixth birthday, January 29, 1903, having suffered a stroke
four days earlier while preparing for late Sunday Mass at St. Anthony's Church. His funeral was held there on January 31, with burial following at nearby St. Mary's Cemetery.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, linguist, and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
He was born January 29, 1827, in County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and was privately educated before entering All Hallows College
All Hallows College
All Hallows College is a Roman Catholic college located in Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland. All Hallows is one of six linked colleges of Dublin City University, meaning that the college's degrees are validated and accredited by the university.-History:...
at Drumcondra
Drumcondra, Dublin
Drumcondra is a residential area and inner suburb on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. It is administered by Dublin City Council.The River Tolka and the Royal Canal flow through the area.-History:...
north of Dublin to prepare for missionary service. He was ordained in 1853.
Soon after his ordination, Father Gleeson volunteered for service in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and was sent to Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
under the supervision of Ignatius Persico
Ignatius Persico
Ignatius Camillus William Mary Peter Persico was an Italian Cardinal.-Life and career:He entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order on 25 April 1839, and immediately after ordination was sent in November, 1846, to Patna, India. The vicar Apostolic, Anastasius Hartmann, made him his socius and confidant...
. He was placed in charge of a nearby congregation at Saldana, where he learned Hindustani
Hindustani language
Hindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
and the Persian language
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
from his parishioners.
Father Gleeson was at Agra when it was taken by Tantya Tope during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
, and subsequently served as a chaplain to Catholic soldiers in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It was in this capacity that he became acquainted with Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde
Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde
Field Marshal Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde GCB, KSI was a British Army officer from Scotland who led the Highland Brigade in the Crimea and was in command of the ‘Thin red line’ at the battle of Balaclava...
and Sir James Outram, 1st Baronet
Sir James Outram, 1st Baronet
Lieutenant General Sir James Outram, 1st Baronet GCB KSI was an English general who fought in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and is considered a British hero.-Early life:...
.
Unfortunately, a few years after peace was restored, a serious illness nearly deprived Father Gleeson of his voice and convinced him to leave India to accept a teaching position at Vincentians' College at Izmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. There he learned Arabic.
Father Gleeson was eventually invited to spend a year doing missionary work in the Diocese of Salford
Diocese of Salford
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese centred around Salford Cathedral in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and three years in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. But, the climate in those two places disagreed with him, and he accepted a calling to teach ancient languages at St. Mary's College of California by 1870.
It was while teaching in San Francisco that Father Gleeson wrote his most famous work: History of the Catholic Church in California. It was published in 1872, a year after he had resumed parochial work in East Oakland, Fruitvale
Fruitvale
Fruitvale can refer to:*Fruitvale, California** Fruitvale, Fresno County, California** Fruitvale, Kern County, California** Fruitvale, Oakland, California** the Fruitvale Oil Field, underneath Bakersfield, California*Fruitvale, Colorado, USA...
, and Alameda, California
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
.
Father Gleeson continued to enjoy learning foreign languages as a pastor, including the Portuguese language
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
of his parishioners and the Hebrew and Syro-Chaldaic writings he studied.
He died on his seventy-sixth birthday, January 29, 1903, having suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
four days earlier while preparing for late Sunday Mass at St. Anthony's Church. His funeral was held there on January 31, with burial following at nearby St. Mary's Cemetery.