Fitzmaurice, Reverend Walter J.

Other Events:

• Religious Vows: Abt 1877, St. Francis Seminary, St. Francis, Wisconsin, USA
• Ordained: 15 Jul 1886, Salzburg, Austria
• Celebrant: 19 Aug 1886, St. Augustine Catholic Church, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA; First Mass by Rev. Fitzmaurice
• Stationed at: Between 1 Sep 1886 and 1 Nov 1887, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Omro, Wisconsin, USA
• Stationed at: Between 1 Nov 1887 and 25 Nov 1887, St. Mary Catholic Church, Appleton, Wisconsin, USA; Assistant Pastor
• Stationed at: Aft 25 Nov 1887, St. Mary Catholic Church, Appleton, Wisconsin, USA; Pastor
• News Mention: 22 Jul 1892; Kaukauna Times
• Biography: 1911; History of Outagamie County, Wisconsin Page 1018
• Obituary: 26 Sep 1930; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

News Mention:
Father Fitzmaurice, of Appleton in a sermon last Sunday denounced the lakeside dance hall known as the Waverly Resort and also the Turner Hall, and scored members of his congregation for being found there.

Biography:
REV. WALTER J. FITZMAURICE, pastor of St. Mary's Church at Appleton, Wisconsin, was born in Kossuth, Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, July 27, 1859. His parents, Michael and Bridget Fitzmaurice, were born in Ireland. After completing the course in the public schools he taught school for three years in Manitowoc county. In the fall of 1877 he entered St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee and was graduated therefrom in 1883. He then entered the University of Salzburg, Austria, to continue his studies in philosophy and theology and was ordained to the priesthood at Salzburg, July 15, 1886. His first mass was celebrated at St. Augustine, Manitowoc county, August 19, 1886. His first appointment consisted of two parishes in Winnebago county, Wisconsin, viz., St. Mary's at Winneconne and St. Mary's at Omro, which appointment he held from September 1, 1886, until November 1, 1887, when he was made assistant to Rev. Ferdinand Tanguay at St. Mary's Church, Appleton, Wisconsin. Upon the latter's death, November 25, 1887, he succeeded him as pastor. On September 18, 1911, the Golden Jubilee of St. Mary's congregation, together with Father Fitzmaurice's Silver Jubilee, were celebrated. St. Mary's congregation presented him with a purse of gold and the parish representative, who presented the same to him, among other things said: "Twenty-four years ago you came to us. You were then a young man, able, ambitious and enthusiastic. You found our congregation heavily in debt, without a parochial school, which is so necessary for the salvation of our children, and without proper parish social intercourse, which is so necessary for the welfare of society. You took up your work with courage and enthusiasm. You spared neither your muscle nor your brain. You crowded into a quarter of a century a life's work, and today, as a result, St. Mary's congregation, religiously, socially, educationally and financially is among the foremost in the diocese."