Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 16.djvu/49

 DEVEREUX

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DEZA

[lioluresque site on an estate of Henry Deaclee's in the Province of Nainur, for the erection of a monastery in which to establish the monies of Heuron. The mon- astery of Mareilsous, ronstriictrd in the purestr Gothic style of the thirteenth century after the plans of Baron Bethime, is one of the finest and most re- markable masterpieces produced in Belgium by the movement for the restoration of the architectural art of the Middle Ages. Its 120 monks devote their hves to the liturgy, study, and education. Maredsous has thus become an important centre of religious influence and the practice and teaching of Christian art. A college or abbey school and a technical school were added to the monastery in 1S82 and 1902. The monks have also taken an active part in the reform of the religious chant.

In 1882 the Descl6e brothers also founded an im- portant printing estabUshment at Tournai, under the title of the Society of St. John the Evangelist, their object being to restore Christian art in liturgical pub- lications. The aesthetic principles by which their en- terprise was to be directed were those of the Middle Ages. Here also Baron John Bcthune assisted them. At first the society relied upon English workmen, com- positors, and printers, England being the country in which the old traditions had been best preserved. The first publications attracted the attention of con- noisseurs, and the technical perfection of the work soon earned for the house a world-wide reputation. The Society, following first the work of the Rev. Dom Pothier, and afterwards the studies of the Benedic- tines of Solesmes, issued the first publications for the re-establishment of the liturgical chant, commonly called "plain chant". These editions served as a basis for the edition brought out. by the Vatican print- ing press, and imposed by Pius X on the universal Church. About 1880 the Descl^e brothers resolved to apply to other branches of Catholic literature the same principles of artistic restoration which had met with such success in the liturgical domain. Under the title of the Society of St. Augustine they founded a separate business, devoted to the publication of all kinds of books relating to ecclesiastical studies, as- cetic theologj', religious history and literature, hagio- p-aphy, art, archaeology, education, etc. The produc- tion of religious images forms also an important part of the work of the society, which possesses two estab- lishments, one at Bruges in Belgium, and the other at Lille in France.

A. Vermeersch.

Devereux, John C, b. at his father's farm, The Leap, near Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Ire- land, 5 Aug., 1774; d. at Utica, New York, on 11 Dec, 1848. He came from a patriotic and pious family, and was a son of Thomas Devereux and Cathe- rine Corish. His brother Walter was in several battles in the Rebellion of '98, and a price set on his head ; while his brother James was killed in the battle of Vinegar Hill. His sister Catherine became Superioress of the Presentation Convent, Ennis- corthy. John C. Devereux landed at New York about 1797, gave dancing lessons in Connecticut, and in 1802 opened a store in Utica, New York. He was successful and became wealthy; was public 8pirit<'d and enterprising. He was elected the first mayor of Utica in 1840. He and his brother Nicholas founded the LHica Savings Bank. Dr. Bagg in "The Pioneers of Utica" says, "a settler of 1802 and a very prince among his fellows was John C. Devereux whose honourable career and many deeds of charity left behind him a memorj' as verdant as that of the green isle whence he came". He loved his Church and its institutions, and in 1813 was a trustee of St. Mary's, Albany. Visiting mi.ssionary priests always stayed at Devercux's home, where local Catholics heard Mass on Sundays. He and his XVI— 3.

brother Nicholas brought the Sisters of Charity to Utica to open an orphanage and each gave $5,000 towards the object. He was twice married but had no children; he was buried in the grounds of the Sisters of Charity.

Thomas P. Ivernan.

Devereux, Nicholas, b. near Enniscorthy, Ire- land, 7 June, 1791; d. at Utica, New York, 29 Dec, 185.5, was the youngest brother of John C. Devereux. Nicholas reached New York in 1806; on the first Sun- day following his arrival he attendedMass in St. Peter's, Barclay Street, and put on the plate one of his last three gold coins. God blessed his generosity; when he died fifty years later he had amassed as a merchant half a million dollars. He purchased from the Holland Land Company four hundred thousand acres of land in Allegany and Cattaraugus counties, New York, and started there an Irish settlement. He gave largely towards the foundation of churches, colleges, and charitable institutions. He visited Rome in 1854 accompanied by his wife, his daughter Mary, and Rev. Michael Clarke. He brought to America six Franciscan Fathers and gave them $10,000 towards building a monastery at Allegany, N. Y., which has now become the Franciscan college and seminary of St. Bonaventure. On his return from Italy he wrote a letter to the New York "Free- man's Journal" offering to be one of one hundred persons who would each give $1,000 towards found- ing a seminary at Rome, for the education of American priests. He had, moreover, several con- versations with Cardinal Wiseman who promised to use his influence with Pius IX to carry out the project. After his death his widow carried out his wishes and thus was begun the foundation of the American CoUege, Rome.

Nicholas Devereux was a lover of the Holy Scriptures and read the entire Bible through seven- teen times. To circulate the New Testament he had an edition of it printed at Utica at his own expense. The plates of this edition were afterwards purchased by Messrs. Sadlier, of New York, and about 40,000 copies printed. He taught Sunday- school in St. John's Church, Utica, and gave a copy of the New Testament to any boy or girl who memorized the Gospel of St. John. In 1817 he married Mary D. Butler. His daughter Hannah married United States Senator Francis Kernan; his daughter Mary became a Sister of Mercy and laboured for thirty years in the convents in Houston and 81st streets, New York. Nicholas Devereux was very charitable and hospitable — a cultured, pious, progressive Irish-.\merican. He was proud of his nationality and of his faith, and this pride was expressed in action whenever and wherever the opportunity arose. He was always glad to help the Church, deeming it a privilege to give and thus to be the instrument used by Providence in establish- ing and building up our Catholic institutions. A noted instance of his spontaneous generosity refers back to the early days of the (Church in Connecticut. Happening to be at Hartford one Sunday he learned that owing to the bigotry and Knownothing .sentiment in the town, it was impossible for the parishion{^rs to obtain a certain piece of property for their church, as they were too few and too poor to provide the ready cjish demanded. Devenmx, thovigh a stranger, did not need to be appealed to, he immediately advanced the required sum of $10,000, without asking or receiving any assurance that the money would ever be returned to him, though the grateful pioneer Catholics did in fact repay him later.

Thomas P. Kernan.

Deza, DiEOo, theologian, archbishop, patron of Christopher Columbus, b. at Toro, 1444; d. 1523.