 Fr. William Stanislaus
McDermott, OP
Fr. William is remembered as a devoted and humble priest. Because of his devotion to
prayer, and to Blessed Mary especially, he held the position of Novice Master from 1931 to
1938. He also served as Pastor in Antioch and as Prior in Portland.
Fr. William was born and raised in Butte, Montana, and it was during his
high school years at All Hallow’s College in Salt Lake City, Utah that he set his
heart on a religious vocation. Hearing from a friend about the Dominicans of the
Western Province, he engaged in a lengthy clandestine correspondence with the Prior
Provincial at the time, for fear that his teachers might not look favorably on his
aspirations to the priesthood.
Upon completing his novitiate in 1913, he went to Washington, D.C.
for studies and was ordained there in 1918. Not much is known about the details of
his years in active ministry, although it is clear from the record of the steady stream of
appointments he received that he was a trusted and respected son of the Province.
Like many of his time, he suffered poor health in later years, particularly in his
eyes, and was virtually blind for the last several years of his life. Although he
was not able to continue his obligation to chant the divine office, he cheerfully finished
his days in the daily recitation of the Rosary.
 Letter
From: William McDermott
To: Fr. McMahon, Prior Provincial
February 4, 1918
My dear Father,
You have always treated me with such fatherly kindness, that I am
encouraged to ask of you a favor which shall certainly be the greatest of my whole life.
It is this—may I have your permission to go to Butte for my First Mass?
When I asked you to go to Kansas City, I thought my mother could come out there, but she
is getting very old now and is afraid to make the trip. It is for her sake that I
make this request. She has been praying God ever since I was born that He would give
her the grace to live in order to see me raised to the Altar of God a Priest and say my
First Mass.
Another reason is, Father, my pastor has written and has been
planning for my First Mass for a long time. Our Parish in Butte has been established
over twenty five years and I am the first to be ordained from it, and, they have never had
a First Mass there. So he is most anxious to have me come home, hoping this may stir
up vocations in the parish.
Trusting and praying that you may grant this great favor, I remain,
Humbly and obediently yours in St. Dominic…
Response
From: the same,
To: Fr. McMahon’s denial of his request
April 1, 1918
Your kind letter received a few days ago
and while I was disappointed in not being permitted to go to Butte to sing my First Mass,
still I am most anxious to submit my will in the matter to yours for I feel certain that
you would not have refused my request unless you had a very good reason…
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