 Fr. Louis John Daniel, OP
Few clergymen were better known throughout central California than the Rev. Louis John
Daniel. Born in Dublin July 25, 1831, he came to San Francisco in 1856, intending to
become a secular priest. Later in the same year Hyacinth Derham also came to California and went to the
seminary at Mission Dolores. In California,
where the Church was so new, the seminary studies were irregular. Louis complained to the Archbishop several
times. His vocation solidified and he told
the Archbishop his intention was to become a religious.
After some months, the Archbishop gave
his recommendation to Fr. Vilarrasa, OP. Hyacinth
Derham followed for the same reason. Unexpectedly,
Louis got sick and went to the hospital. The
Archbishop recommended speedy ordination for the sake of his health, and so he was ordained in 1864, after only five years in the
Order.
At that time, Vallejo was served from St. Dominic's in Benicia, California. Priests took turns and Mass was said once a month at first. Also, Martinez was served three times a month. Vallejo gradually was served three times a month.
Fr. Daniel walked between Benicia and Vallejo in his first year, and took up
residence in a small house in Vallejo the next. Vallejoites preferred Irishmen, so Fr. Daniel drifted naturally into the position of Pastor
that year. The church, school and rectory were built under his leadership. He
was spiritual director for many in the town, priests, religious and lay. He died in
1896 after five days of being paralyzed. At his funeral the whole town, including
those of every faith, turned out. |
