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St E CYO Reunion Gazette

Mattingly Edition  Reunion: Saturday Nov 12, 2011 

Born in Paris IL: 1908


The Legendary and The Untold
Ordained: 1933
The stories are legend about the man relatives still call “Fr.
Lawrence”. Many stories, however, of his charity remain Died: 1978
largely untold: providing food for hungry families; money for Service to St. E
electric and gas bills; a quiet hand shake with a laid-off mill
worker, a $20 bill hidden in his palm; visiting hospital and Baptisms: 1,955
prison residents, praying with the sick. His kindnesses were Marriages: 509
performed quietly, hidden from public view. st
1 Communions: 1,586
In his younger years, he especially enjoyed working with St. E Built: St. E Grade School
students: teaching hundreds to be altar boys, giving summer School addition
jobs to parish teens, always holding high expectations for St. E cafeteria
behavior and academic performance. Born more than 100 Msgr. Lawrence Mattingly
GC St. E church
years ago in a much simpler time, he was strong of opinion St. E Pastor: 1952-1977
and one always knew where he stood. convent/offices
Monsignor Mattingly left quite a legacy: 45 years of pastoral
duties, building a thriving St. E parish in GC, helping provide On the reunion website:
over 5,000 student-years of tuition-free Catholic education, - St. E School Essays:
guiding his parish to financial stability and longevity. The What was St. E like 50 years ago?
prayer on his remembrance card, below, seems very fitting. - Growing Up STL Sports
Lawrence Mattingly was a man of faith, dedication, and - Reunion Facebook page
charity. May he live in God’s eternal care. email: cyoreunion@gmail.com

MSGR. LAWRENCE MATTINGLY My experience with Msgr. Mattingly was very different
(from his funeral remembrance card)
from the young people growing up in the parish. He was
To live in the midst of the world never stern or authoritarian with me. Over the years, I’ve
without desiring its pleasures; had many bosses: deans, college presidents, pastors,
To be a member of each family, administrators, and bishops. I think he was the best. He
yet belonging to none; would give me an assignment as well as support and
never criticize. I always felt I had his unconditional
To share all sufferings;
To penetrate all secrets; support. Following his lead, we were formal with each
other. It was "Father thisother
and Father that." The day I was re-assigned, it became
To heal all wounds "Larry and John”. … Fr. John Franklin
To go from men to God and offer
Him their prayers;
To return from God to men to As a seminarian, I sought the wisdom and insights of
bring pardon, peace and hope; seasoned pastors – one of whom was Fr. Larry Mattingly.
To have a heart of fire for charity We had a good rapport and he was instrumental in
and a heart of bronze for chastity; fostering my own vocation. I enjoyed his friendship and
To teach and to pardon, his distinct solicitude for my vocation. I considered him a
To console and to bless always, friend who was easy to talk to. In 1969, four years after
My God, what a life! my ordination, I was thrilled to learn that I was to work
And it is yours, with him at St. E. Once settling in, I quickly realized his complete focus was on his
0 Priest of Jesus Christ! parish. He was totally dedicated to the people of St. Elizabeth’s.
Jean-Baptiste-Henri Dominique Lacordaire, ….. Msgr Virgil Mank
Notre Dame Cathedral, 1835

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