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Updated: June 24, 2025
To George Hecker and his wife he wrote often, his letters being full of affection, of entire submission to the Divine Will, and of religious sentiments. The following may be of interest as indicating the return of his disconsolate frame of mind: "I have taken to writing fables. Here is one: Once upon a time a bird was caught in a snare.
The United States now forming a separate province and Father Bernard made Provincial, he demanded Fathers Hecker and Walworth as his subjects, and they were given to him.
One thing annoyed him much, and that was the blank silence and stupid wonder with which some instructed Catholics listened to him as he spoke of the guidance of the Holy Spirit as the way of Christian perfection, treating it as beyond the reach of ordinary mortals, intricate in its rules, "mystical," and visionary; whereas Father Hecker knew it to be the one only simple method, with a minimum of rules, useful for all, readily understood.
"Did you hear where Sam wants to play?" asked Tom. "No," answered his chums. "Come on now, boys, line up!" called the captain. "We'll play a scrub game. Hecker, Miller, Jones, Reilley, you'll be on the scrub for a while," and Morse called on other names to make an eleven. "Regular team over here!" went on the young captain "that is what's left of 'em. Tom Fairfield, you'll be left half, I guess.
At Johnstown, Pa.: After two or three days a man happened to die on the railroad, and all the men at that station, perhaps a hundred in number, accompanied the corpse to the church. Father Hecker seized the opportunity to address them and to give them a mission ferveroso. The result was successful.
What Father Hewit further says of Father Baker applies exactly to Father Hecker: "For the Congregation in which he was trained to the religious and ecclesiastical state he always retained a sincere esteem and affection.
"But where are you going?" "I thowt o' the strip 'tween Long Patch and Bootherboomp's Roostens." "Here, stop a moment," cried the engineer. "I've heard that name before. Who was Mr Bootherboomp?" "Hi hi hi! hecker hecker hecker. Heigh!"
All this contributes to prepare non-Catholics to hear from the same teachers the invitation which our Lord intended in saying: "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." Furthermore, it was necessary that Father Hecker should be made personally known to the bishops and priests of the country.
This was a truth which Father Hecker, in common with all discerning minds, took carefully into account. His fundamental principle of Christian perfection may be termed a view of the Catholic doctrine of divine grace suited to the aspirations of our times.
Before following him thither, it may be well to give at once such further references to this period of his life as are contained in the memoranda. The following extract is undated: "À propos of Emerson's death, Father Hecker said: 'I knew him well. When I resolved to become a Catholic I was boarding at the house of Henry Thoreau's mother, a stone's-throw from Emerson's at Concord."
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