By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent

For 62 years, the Mercer County Federation of Holy Name Societies has hosted a breakfast and scholarship award ceremony, an event that is regarded as an occasion to honor the late Msgr. Richard T. Crean, who died in the March 14, 1956, fire that destroyed St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

This year, Msgr. Crean was lauded for his humility and priestly devotion by JoAnn Tier, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, who was the keynote speaker at the March 18 breakfast held in St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton.

“Msgr. Crean was a humble man,” Tier said. “It was related that personal praise or recognition was not a comfort level for him, yet he was lauded for his talents, his personality, his attainments and his character, which caused him to stand apart. He has been described as a man among men, a priest among priests. He had an amazing capacity for work, and he used it in complete disregard of self. There was in his bearing great dignity, there was that in his eyes and in his smile, which showed forth a heart that loved with the love of Christ.”

“It is interesting to note that Msgr. Crean was born in 1901 and met his untimely death in 1956,” Tier continued. “At his death he was only 55 years old.  He placed much into the 55 years as evidenced in his memory.  The annual tribute that remembers and honors Msgr. Crean exceeds his lifetime; he lived to 55 and this is the 62nd annual scholarship breakfast.  How amazing!”

Msgr. Crean, who was the Cathedral rector and spiritual director of the Mercer County Federation of Holy Name Societies at the time, died while trying to alert others with whom he lived in the rectory about the early morning fire. Along with Msgr. Crean, two housekeepers also perished in the fire.

The scholarship that was awarded was sponsored by the Mercer County Federation of Holy Name Societies and is presented to a deserving high school student. This year’s recipient was Clare Barlow, a student in Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, and member of Assumption Parish, New Egypt.

Bob Zotta, the scholarship committee chairman, in introducing Barlow, praised her for her academic success as well as her leadership abilities.

“She’s a young lady who dreams life can be better for others; for the less fortunate,” he said, adding, “Clare is a dreamer who will have a positive impact on the world.”

The high school senior is a resident of New Egypt and a parishioner at the Church of the Assumption, Wrightstown.

While Barlow has not yet decided on her college of choice, she is certain that she wishes to pursue public health as her major and is interested in epidemiology.

Upon accepting the scholarship, Barlow thanked the federation then reflected on the life of Msgr. Crean, whose legacy she hopes to model in her studies.

“It is an honor, and I’m very blessed to receive this award,” Barlow said. “I plan on studying public health, and I feel this is very fitting because Msgr. Crean sounds like a healer, and that’s what I want to do with my life. So this scholarship will help me very much to pursue the career of my dreams.”

Msgr. John K. Dermond, the spiritual moderator of the Mercer County Federation of Holy Name Societies, read the closing prayer, the Holy Name Pledge.

As  her daughter was handed the scholarship, Joanna Barlow looked on with pride saying, “We’re very proud of her.  We’re honored and blessed. She’s worked very hard; she doesn’t stop.”

There are currently six parish communities represented in the Mercer County Federation of Holy Name Societies and include: St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton; Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton; Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing; Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton; St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, and Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton.