The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-05-24
FLORIDA.

lie NOureau Monde contains letter from
Catholic missionary in Florida, some in
teresting particulars from which we append:
The hotel where lodged at New Smyrna
| was kept by an old Protestant lady and her
children. One of her daughters recognizing
that was a priest, threw herself on her
knees before me and asked my blessing.
supposed that she was Catholic, but she
told me that she was not, but her greatest
desire was to become one. encouraged her
in her intention, and she is soon to visit St.
Augustine in order to make there her abju-
ration and her first communion.
After visiting the Catholics of the town,
1 baptised their children, and re-embarked
for st. Augustine, ninety miles distant
There met with the Redemptorist Fathers,
engaged in giving a mission. God blessed
results, and great many conversions fol-
lowed. The success of these men of God
was even more striking at Jacksonville,
where st0pped O few hours. The town
contains about six thousand souls, of which
about six hundred are Catholics. Two
arrived. observed that the Protestants
f1ocked to the church to listen to the true
doctrine of the Scriptures as they expressed
it. Twenty of them became Catholics, and
I feel convinced that this number would
have been doubled could the good Fathers
OAAy nave Icuuhlucu 1OuRcT. lueTe eXlSCS
on the part of the people a kindly feeling
toward Catholics.
The church, which is too small, is soon to
be rebuilt on larger scale, and of stone.
The parsonage is comfortable. Jacksonville
promises to become an important point,
situated as it is on the st. Johns river, and
linked by the railroad to the northern part
of the State. By these two channels it re-
ceives the products of the whole State.
However, here as everywhere else, business
| Is stagnant, money scarce, and the cost of
! living very high. Cotton this year offers a
very poor prospect and the blacks, since
their emancipation, refuse to work, living
| only by pillage and robbery.
While there, a telegraph dispatch reached
me, that person at Fernandina was dying
| who wished to receive the last sacraments,
and 1 repaired thither at once. The new
town, distant about mile from the ancient
site, occupies the finest part of the island of
Amelia and has pretty large population,
of whom two. hundred and fifty are Catho-
lies. -:
| Here, as in other American cities, churches
of all denominations are found. The Epis-
copalians, however, are the most numer-
Gus. Their bishop is a man of large for
tune, who by n rich marriage has acquired
the means of conducting, without too much
anxiety, the flock of the Lord. Neverthe-
less, he is fine man. He has around him
only Catholic servants, good Irish men and
women, whom he has brought from New
lork. To induce them to remain with
| him, he is very anxious that Catholic
priest should dwell there. He has even
written to Bishop Nerot ON this subject,
and, indeed, it is the desire also of many
other Protestants.
The village of Starke, seventy-tive miles
from Fernandina, is almost entirely Profess
tant. found there but two Catholic fami-
! lies.
Gainesville, forty miles distant, is much
more recommendable i'll every respect The
Catholics there are very numerous. The
Officers and soldiers of the garrison almost
all of whom are Irishmen, on meeting me,
said: Father! we are all Catholics, and by
the grace of God we'are not ashamed to say
so to every one. y dozen Professionals are
actually preparing to become Catholics
but, alas! the care and aid of IL priest is
wanting. Unfortunately, it is the same
case for many other poor souls throughout
these vast missions which l alone at least
habitually visit.