▁G ass on ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁in ▁Seven o aks , ▁Kent ▁in ▁England . ▁His ▁ancest ry ▁on ▁his ▁father ' s ▁side ▁was ▁French ▁H ug uen ot , ▁while ▁that ▁on ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁side ▁was ▁a ▁long time ▁family ▁of ▁Kent , ▁which ▁produced ▁several ▁rect ors ▁of ▁St . ▁Nicholas ▁Church ▁in ▁Seven o aks . ▁He ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁St . ▁Stephen ' s ▁School ▁in ▁London , ▁before ▁imm igr ating ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 . ▁He ▁had ▁little ▁money ▁or ▁belong ings , ▁and ▁sust ained ▁himself ▁as ▁an ▁err and ▁boy . ▁Though ▁he ▁had ▁intended ▁to ▁live ▁in ▁Philadelphia ▁with ▁his ▁older ▁brother , ▁he ▁was ▁taken ▁under ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁two ▁Catholic ▁women . ▁They ▁had ▁him ▁instruct ed ▁in ▁the ▁Catholic ▁faith , ▁and ▁in ▁October ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁formally ▁received ▁into ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁at ▁the ▁Chap el ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁Family ▁in ▁Philadelphia ▁( l ater ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁Ges ú ). ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁early ▁career ▁ ▁Short ly ▁there after , ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁Jesus ▁on ▁November ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 8 7 5 . ▁While ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁be ▁ord ained ▁a ▁priest , ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁teach ▁at ▁St . ▁Francis ▁X avier ▁College ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁He ▁then ▁returned ▁to