The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-02-07
DEATH OF BISHOP BARAGA.
The Life and Services of the Catholic
Bishop of Lake Superior.
From the Detroit Tribune, Jan. a5.

On Monday last, Rt. Rev. friedrich Ba-
raga, catholic bishop of Saul Ste. Marie
and OF Marquette, in the upper peninsula,
died at Marquette, aged 70 years. The de-
ceased preiate was born at Dobernick, in
Austria, 10 l197 and was of noble family,
and of great wealth. More than thirty
years ago, indeed, it is believed nearly
forty years siI.ec, being than priest, he;
determined to come to AMERICA and enter
upon missionary work. With us in view,
he assigned all his large property to
brothers and sisters at home, only reserv-
ing tor himself an income Of $500
jear, which pittancc he gave up also. AL
most at once on arriving here, he went to
the Saul and took up his residence there
at "A time when the north of Michigan, and
especially the Lake Superior region, was an
almost unbroken wilderness, inhabited only
by Indians and a few trappers and explor-
ers. Catholic priests had more than two
centuries ago passed through portions of
this country and up Lake Huron, through
the straits of Mackinac, into Lake Michi-
gan, and so on west to the Mississippi; but
the territory of the upper peninsula and
the other shores Of Lake Superior had new
er been visited by them to any extent, and
the tribes scattered over that vast district
were almost entirely unacQuaiDted with the
truths Of christianity. Father Baraga ap-
piled himself to the task of converting them
making his headquarters at first at Saul.
He commenced his labors among these In-
dlans who lived in that vicinity and those
who resorted to the station, and soon made
many convert to the Catholic faith among
the Indians, and also among.the half breeds
and other trappers who visited the shores
OF the upper lakes in search of game
Gradually he became we'll known and
greatly beloved by all the people Of that
vicinity, and was wont, as much as posi-
Bile, to draw together and form into villages
his converts as soon as christianized.
With means obtained from Germany,
where he had great influence notwithsand
ing his residence in far of wilderness, he
built cabins for them and furnished them
with tools and household apparatus of such
simple character as was suited TO their
wants and other means OF civilized lie
As the Indians in the neighborhood of the
Saul became converted to the faith and
subject to his directions, he began to ex-
tend his excursions farther and farther
throughout the country. travelling exactly
as did the Indians and enduring all their
hardships, until at last he acquired all their
endurance, ability to bear fatigue, and
simple habits of diet. 1t is not too much
to say that to his efforts all the Catholic
Indians Of the Upper peninsula, and most
OF them living along the shores of lake SUI
perlor, owe their conversion.
AT length the country in that vicinity be-
gan to be settled up somewhat by whites,
and 1t was tOrseen that it must soon contain
large population. Originally the Catho-
lie diocese of Detroit embracing all Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, and even stretched as far
as.the Mississippi in the northwest. On
the recommendation of bishop Lefevre,
Michigan, was constituted diocese by it.
self ever which he was bishop, and when
he saw that the upper peninsula was about
to assume great importance, and especially
IN view of the fact that communication with
that district was cut off during a great
portion of the year, he deemed it advisable
to constitute a bishopric of it, with head
quarters at the Saul. He accordingly rec
commended Father Baraga to the council of
bishops, and Nov. |, 1868, the new do
cese was sanctioned by Rome and Father
Baraga was confirmed as the bishop He
was authorized to make his Headquarters
at Saul or at Marquette and accordingly,
during the earlier part of his bshopric he
resided at the Saul, but for several years
had lived at Marquette, in consequence Of
its greater size and the greater magnitude
of interest arising there. Though appoint
ed a bishop, he did not in the least afte,
the severe simplicity of his life, which al
most rlvaled that of the monks of the most
gloomy and ascetic orders. He never slept
on bed, but on the f1or or a bench, even
on the occasion of his frequent visits to
bishop Lefevre, ia Detroit, Of whom he
was most intimate friend, and by whom
he was greatly respected; he walked his
forty miles per day on snow shoes over
northern SHOWS during the winter, and slept
like the Indians, under the snow at night :;
he travelled completely over this vide dis
trict, confirming and making converts
among both Indians and whites at frequent
intervals, and by most self sacrificing and
laboIlous lite sought in every way to chris
tianize the heather and advance the inter
ests of the Catholic church. Bishop Bar
aga was emarkably well educated, man,
conversant with many languages, and was
thoroughly familiar with the Indian dialects
of all the tribes with whom he came in
contact. He had the religious books of the
Catholic church translated into their dial
ects, and printed and distributed among
his subjects. His life had been so laborious
that when nearing the age of 10 his consti-
tuition was almost worn out, and while in
attendance upon the council of bishops at
Baltimore, in 1866, he was attacked by a
stroke of palsy, which rendered him an in
valid during the remainder of his life, and
it was only with the greatest diffiulty that
he could use the pen at ALL Not many
months before his death he wrote to bishop
Lefevre, of this city, expressing his belief
that he could not hope to live long, thatIhis
constitution was steadily failing, and that
it was impossible for him to regain his
strength. SO, when the news of his death
reached the bishop and his clergy here, the
blow, though sudden, cannot be said to
have been expected. 1t excited the utmost
regret, however, among all, by whom he
was regarded as man of heroic characte +,
an honor to the church and a devoted
christian. 1t is, of course, not without
extreme difficulty that the bishop could 20
to Marquette at this season, or he would
celebrate funeral cervices for his dead friend
there, but it is believed that the bishop of
Wisconsin will 60 from Milwaukee 1t is
2 hornIt h. oe tbo Ill l.