Roads to Rome: Father Aloysius Russell Nevins, C.S.P. (1853-1899)

THE REV. FATHER NEVINS DEAD
Brought up for the Ministry of the Episcopal Church,
In Early Life He Became a Roman Catholic
The New York Times, August 14, 1899


The Rev. Aloysius Rusell Nevins of the Community of the Paulist Fathers died yesterday morning at the home of his physician, Dr. H. Robinson, at 352 West Fifty-eighth Street. Born in the Protestant Episcopal Church, and brought up for the ministry of that church, he at an early age became convinced that the Roman Catholic Church was the true Church, joined it, and became a zealous missionary in its service for the remainder of his life. He succeeded in winning over several of his friends in society, and even his mother, who at his conversion showed much opposition to his action, and felt great distress, was gradually won over, and was baptized into the Catholic Church when on her deathbed.

His family is an old one, and his father claimed descent from Sir William Nevins, who shot King William Rufus in Epping Forest, and then had to flee to Galway, where the family settled. From that place other ancestors came to this country, and were associated with Sir William Penn in forming the colony in Pennsylvania. His grandfather, David Nevins, was of Puritan stock in Norwich, Conn., and took part in the American Revolution, and attained the rank of Captain.

Father Nevins was born in Philadelphia, Feb. 11, 1853, and was educated in the schools there. His name was Hubbard Russell Nevins, but on joining the Catholic Church he adopted the name of Aloysius. He received his early education in Philadelphia, and was then sent to the Protestant Episcopal Seminary at Annandale, N.Y., to study for the ministry. He was a diligent student, and while there he formed a friendship with one of the professors, and together they studied and discussed the works of the early fathers of the Church. Gradually they came to the conclusion that the Roman Catholic Church was the true Church of God on earth. They reared a small altar in his room, and in secret they performed their devotions according to the ritual of the Catholic Church, and kept as much aloof from possible from the other students.

Both went to Albany in the spring of 1875 and were there publicly received into the Roman Catholic Church. The following Autumn Father Nevins went to Troy to enter the Roman Catholic seminary there, but had to leave for a while, on account of his health breaking down. The next Summer he came to New York, to the Paulists’ Community, and carried on his studies here, and was ordained a priest in 1879.

During the early years of his priesthood he was connected with the parish of St. Paul the Apostle, and then he devoted ten years to missionary work in the United States and Canada. In 1890 he was appointed Superior and Novice Master of St. Thomas’ College, in Washington, and there he remained four years. His health gave way, and he returned to parish work in New York. His health did not improve, but, on the contrary, kept declining, and his physicians advised a change of climate to San Francisco, where he spent last summer. At San Francisco he pursued his labors with zeal.

He retuned East last March, stayed two weeks in this city, and was advised to go to Siasconset, on Nantucket Island, where his brother and family were summering. But he continued sinking, and nearly five weeks ago he made his final return to New York. Here he rallied slightly, and then came a change for the worse. He had a stroke of paralysis, and wasted away. He was an authority on the rubrics of the Catholic Church and preached many sermons.

The funeral will take place on Wednesday morning, at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, at Sixtieth Street and Columbus Avenue. The office for the dead will begin at 9 o’clock, and at 10 o’clock solemn requiem mass will be celebrated. The funeral will be private.