Skidroad's Apostle

In downtown Seattle, south of "The Slot" (Yesler Way), is "The Skidroad." The Skidroad is the teeming hangout of dope peddlers, Negroes, Chinese, Filipinos, out-of-work loggers, miners, mill hands, sailors, slummers.

A denizen of the Skidroad for 32 years has been skinny, soft-voiced Peter Fitzgerald, ex-sourdough, sexton of Our Lady of Good Help Church. To down-&-outers in filthy flophouses Pete Fitzgerald guided priests to administer the last sacrament.

To the basement clinic at Our Lady of Good Help he brought many another derelict.

Last week the Skidroad was fit to bust with pride over Sexton Fitzgerald. For his 32 years of shy and selfless service, the Pope himself had sent him a gold medal--the Benemerenti medal originated in 1832 by Gregory XVI to reward distinguished civil and military service for the faith.

On Whitsunday Pete Fitzgerald knelt before the white-&-gold altar of Seattle's big St. James's Cathedral, received from Bishop Shaughnessy the Pope's reward.

With it went a name the "Apostle of the Skidroad" had never before been called: "A Strong Soldier of Jesus Christ."

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