William Patrick Power
Encyclopedia
William Patrick Power, C.S.Sp.
(1843–1919) was the first head of Duquesne University
, founded as the "Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost". Power was born in 1843 and ordained in 1866; he had spent many years teaching in Spiritan missions in India
, Mauritius
and Trinidad
before coming to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
, the founder of the College, was not happy with the Spiritan Superior General's choice of Father Power as the first rector of the Pittsburgh Catholic College, since he believed Pittsburgh's immigrant Catholics would perceive a German rector as more industrious and disciplined than an Irish one. In fact, he specifically requested that the rector not be Power, but he was selected nonetheless.
While the German Holy Ghost Father John Bernard Graff served in Power's capacity as he traveled from Ireland, the Irish-born bishop of Pittsburgh, John Tuigg
, showed his animosity for the interim rector's nationality and offered little support for the newly-established institution, even refusing the Holy Ghost Fathers the right to exercise priestly functions at the College, such as saying Mass
or hearing confessions
. Father Strub left two weeks after the College was opened on October 1, 1878 for Arkansas, eager to avoid further provoking Bishop Tuigg.
Power was rector during an essential and formative stage Duquesne University's history: he was in office when the College received its state charter on July 7, 1882, and as the Old Main administration building was built on Boyd's Hill
overlooking the Monongahela River
. The "Victorian Medievalistic" structure was at that time the highest point on Pittsburgh's skyline.
Father Power's tenure was brief: only two months after the administration building was dedicated in April 1884, Power was assigned to St. Mary College
in Trinidad. He was succeeded by the German-born Father John Willms
.
branch and a casual dining restaurant. The Power Center officially opened at the beginning of the Spring 2008 semester.
Holy Ghost Fathers
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, lay brothers, and since Vatican II, lay associates...
(1843–1919) was the first head of Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
, founded as the "Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost". Power was born in 1843 and ordained in 1866; he had spent many years teaching in Spiritan missions 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...
, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
and Trinidad
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
before coming to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
First rector of Pittsburgh Catholic College
Father Joseph StrubJoseph Strub
Joseph Strub, C.S.Sp. , an Alsatian missionary priest with the Congregation of the Holy Ghost, was the founder of what is today Duquesne University, which was called the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost until 1911....
, the founder of the College, was not happy with the Spiritan Superior General's choice of Father Power as the first rector of the Pittsburgh Catholic College, since he believed Pittsburgh's immigrant Catholics would perceive a German rector as more industrious and disciplined than an Irish one. In fact, he specifically requested that the rector not be Power, but he was selected nonetheless.
While the German Holy Ghost Father John Bernard Graff served in Power's capacity as he traveled from Ireland, the Irish-born bishop of Pittsburgh, John Tuigg
John Tuigg
John Tuigg was the third Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
, showed his animosity for the interim rector's nationality and offered little support for the newly-established institution, even refusing the Holy Ghost Fathers the right to exercise priestly functions at the College, such as saying Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
or hearing confessions
Sacrament of Penance (Catholic Church)
In the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the method by which individual men and women may be freed from sins committed after receiving the sacrament of Baptism...
. Father Strub left two weeks after the College was opened on October 1, 1878 for Arkansas, eager to avoid further provoking Bishop Tuigg.
Power was rector during an essential and formative stage Duquesne University's history: he was in office when the College received its state charter on July 7, 1882, and as the Old Main administration building was built on Boyd's Hill
Bluff (Pittsburgh)
The Bluff or Uptown is a neighborhood in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the southeast of the city's Central Business District. It is bordered in the north by the Hill District and just a short trip across the Monongahela River is the city's South Side, which is home to a flourishing...
overlooking the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
. The "Victorian Medievalistic" structure was at that time the highest point on Pittsburgh's skyline.
Father Power's tenure was brief: only two months after the administration building was dedicated in April 1884, Power was assigned to St. Mary College
Saint Mary's College, Trinidad and Tobago
Saint Mary's College is a government-assisted Catholic secondary school situated on Frederick Street in the heart of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The school was established in 1863 with only a handful of students but enrollment today is close to 1200. The school's motto 'Virtus et Scientia'...
in Trinidad. He was succeeded by the German-born Father John Willms
John Willms
John S. Willms, C.S.Sp. was a German Roman Catholic priest in the Congregation of the Holy Ghost. He worked in a missionary capacity among the Catholic population in the United States, serving as the second rector of the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ,...
.
Power Center
On 14 March 2006 Duquesne University began construction on a 130000 square feet (12,077.4 m²) facility named in honor of Father Power. The building dedicates 80000 square feet (7,432.2 m²) to fitness facilities, and also includes a Barnes & NobleBarnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
branch and a casual dining restaurant. The Power Center officially opened at the beginning of the Spring 2008 semester.