Handyman to Washington

When Bishop James Hugh Ryan departed from the Catholic University of America in Washington to become shepherd of Omaha's Roman Catholics (TIME, Nov. 25), the trustees of that Pontifical institution decided upon a convert Catholic for the University's next rector--Dr. Robert Howard Lord, once of Harvard, now a Church History professor at St. John's Seminary, Brighton, Mass. The Holy See and its Apostolic Delegate in the U. S., however, do things in their own way. Last week was announced the appointment to the Washington post of Monsignor Joseph M. Corrigan, 56, rector since 1925 of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary at Overbrook, Pa.

Tall, portly, affable Monsignor Corrigan brings an able administrative hand to the University which Bishop Ryan endeavored to make a Catholic Harvard or Yale. Philadelphia-born, he studied, like many another able young U. S. seminarian, at the North American College in Rome, was ordained priest there 33 years ago. Returning to Philadelphia, he became an ecclesiastical handyman and good personal friend of Denis Cardinal Dougherty. Father Corrigan worked among Italians, published a newspaper called La Verita, taught Dogmatic Theology at St. Charles, was diocesan censor of books, moderator of priests in conference, presiding judge of the diocesan matrimonial court and finally chancellor of the diocese. A brilliant preacher, lie made the principal address when Desire Cardinal Mercier of Belgium visited Philadelphia in the autumn of 1919. For 14 years Monsignor Corrigan has conducted what is believed to be the largest laymen's retreat league in the U. S., at Malvern, Pa., where last year 4,100 male Catholics prayed and studied.

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