A Life of Kindness.: Msgr. William Bevington ’42 Remembered Msgr. William Bevington ’42, priest, pastor, teacher, builder, scientist, and inspiration to many throughout the diocese with his humility and kindness, died June 20, just hours after Pope Benedict honored him with the title of Monsignor.
But the priesthood kept calling, and in 1947, he enrolled in the seminary at St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa. He studied there for one year and then attended the North American College in Rome where he was ordained on December 8, 1951. From that date forward he virtually covered the diocese, teaching at Father Ryan for six years, Memphis Catholic High School for Boys for seven and principal of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, while also serving as and pastor of St. Francis Church. He returned to Nashville in 1967, and one of his jobs was as a part-time teacher at the former Cathedral High School. In 1969, he became simply a pastor, and his impact at each parish was enormous and understated…certainly by him. St. Rose of Lima in Murfreesboro for one year, Holy Rosary for 10 years, Immaculate Conception in Clarksville for two years, and St. Henry for seven years before his last stop–as pastor of Our Lady of the Lake. “When I came, the people were so welcoming,” Msgr. Bevington recalled in 2008, “I felt at home.”
Msgr. Bevington was the product of Catholic education and a proud example of its impact on his life and so many others. Born here on January 29, 1925, he attended Cathedral Grade School, Overbrook School (as one of the first students there) and Father Ryan, where the first thoughts of becoming a priest emerged. He credited Msgr. George Rohling for inspiring those thoughts in him and others–in fact of the 50 students in the class of 1942, Msgr. Bevington and six others became priests. “We had a good example in Msgr. Rohling. He had many gifts, one of them was encouraging people to go to the seminary,” Msgr. Bevington told the Tennessee Register at the time of his retirement in 2008. After graduating from Father Ryan, Msgr. Bevington wasn’t sure yet whether to pursue the priesthood. He went off to study aeronautical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, later joining the U.S. Navy as part of a program that allowed him to continue his studies while serving as a naval officer. World War II ended before he completed his degree and after leaving the Navy, Msgr. Bevington went to work for a short time at McDonnell -Douglas as an aeronautical engineer. And quite a good one–several aspects of early rocketry bore the marks of his work.
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There he donned his builder’s hat as the growing parish needed space. Eventually, Our Lady of the Lake parishioners decided to move to another section of Hendersonville and build a new church, which was dedicated in 1999. Our Lady of the Lake parishioners remember Msgr. Bevington as very involved in parish life, never failing to sing “Wabash Cannonball” at social gatherings. Outside of parish life, there were two causes that were of the utmost importance to him: the people of Haiti and Catholic education. Msgr. Bevington is preceded in death by his parents, John Laurence and Mary Catherine (Halloran) Bevington, and brothers, John, Richard, Milton, and his infant sister, Mary Leyden. Survivors include his nieces, Mary Leyden Johnson (Victor S. III), Michael Sayles (John), Carol Parriott (Doug), Doris Wright, Joan Barkve and Mary-Laurence Bevington; his nephews, John (Julie), Richard, William (Martha), Milton (Nancy), Rickey (Robin), George (Kathy), Christian (Tracy), Charles and Justin (Tracy), and a loving extended family, including nineteen grand-nieces and grand-nephews, four great-grand nieces and nephews; two sisters-in-law, Frances (Richard) and Paula (Milton). His nephew, Peter, died in 2003. (Excerpted in part from the Tennessee Register, June 22, 2012 issue).
LONG-TIME PRIEST HONORED BY POPE Those who have known Fr. Bernard Niedergeses ‘43 for years simply as Fr. Bernard will have to practice his new name…Msgr. Bernard. Bishop David R. Choby ’65 announced in June that this long-time pastor has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to be Monsignor with the rank of Prelate of Honor to His Holiness. Provisions for this particular honor are reserved to those priests who distinguish themselves in their service to the Church. The Bishop indicated that while on his “Ad Limina” visit to the Holy See back in January, he had presented a letter requesting this honor for both Fr. Bernard and Fr. Bevington (left), who each served the Catholic faithful of Tennessee for over six decades. “I could not be more delighted than I am,” stated the bishop. “All of the priests of the Diocese of Nashville, as well as priests of our neighboring dioceses, look upon Fathers Bevington and Niedergeses as models for priestly life. Both men witness to a generous, unassuming way in which the Gospel is announced and supported in the lives of God’s people. As the Bishop of the Diocese of Nashville, in my own name and that of the priests, deacons, religious, and faithful, I say thank you and congratulations on a much deserved honor,” the bishop added. Msgr. Bernard has been pastor in numerous parishes in the diocese in his 60-year career of service, but he is most associated with two he’s headed for more than 40 years–since January 28, 1970–St. Pius X Church and The Church of the Assumption in Nashville where his calm and humble manner has endeared him to a large number of Nashville’s Catholics. He was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee and attended Sacred Heart School in Lawrenceburg. After three years at Lawrence County High School, he graduated from Father Ryan High School in Nashville in 1943. Bishop William Adrian assigned him to St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland; and he went on to St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained by Bishop Adrian on June 3, 1950. Father Ryan joins the Bishop and the priests of the Diocese in congratulating Msgr. Bernard.