The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-09
bishop ero.. and the colorsd Missions of Georgia.
zRE BENEDICTINEs AND THE CoLoREp Monks
AND SISTERS.
louisville Catholic Advocate1


II is an old saying and IL trne one, that new
br0oms sweep clean. 1t 10 equally true that if
shs broom be of good quality it will continue
10 sw eep clean until worn ont by labor And
-hat is true of brooms il also true in this par
1ienlaT of Bishops, we propose illustrating
by sketch of the labors of Bishop Gross ia
behalf of the colored population of his vast
diocese, Savannah.
Bishop Gross, formerly % Redemptorisk Mis-
AsODary of high repute, AS consecrated Bishop
% Savannah, Georgia, on April 81, 1873. We
10 not propose recounting the numerous ex-
3HEnal labors he has performed during his brief
5geiacy, but may remark that he is not only u
new broom, but also broom of excellent IN a.
serial. Above all and verything else, he is o
missionary bishop of the choioes Rede mptorist
pattern. For the present let US confine our
calves to the work he has accomplished for the
SE9OIed people in Georgia, who number about
9D00OU. This Is new work and one of most
sander mercy.
Soon after his conservation, Bishop Gross be-
gan earnestly to look around for efficient and
apostolic missionaries 10 meet the wants of the
crowds of colored people for the Disseminate
N Abe true faith amongst them. The harvest
Vas great and the laborers very few. Accord
JBgly the bishop addressed the Rev. Father
Abbott Cassaretto, General of the Benedistiue
Fathers of the Congregation, and obtained
abe two Fathers, Revs Dom. Raphael Vessel
and Dom. Gabriel BergIer, o. 5. b, both ex-
9eSisnced in sacred duties of their Order, in
SGking for the salvation of son!s
Rev Father Vessel, originally from Bavaria
~
Bishop Gross. and II fluent master of English
ERA sent from Italy by the Abott General who
zDufd not resist the importunate solicitation
of the Bishop for his old classmate With him
EAme Kew. Gabriel Bergier, a native of France
SOa member of the BenedicLine Order for over
TTODty years. These Fathers arrived in Sa-
Tannah in May. 1874, and were most gladly
Ialeomed by the Right Rev. Bishop.
At onGe, like industrious laborers, these two
priests entered upon their duties, assisting the
hShop nnder the rules of their Order, and
especially gathering together aud organizing
mto congregation all the colored Catholics
vth hundreds of Others who had stray ed
away into apostacy. One of the first steps
they undertook in connection with the church
services was a day and night school. The i'm
mediate effect of these church and school
lBbOTs was the baptism of several hundred, the
bpnkrmation of over sixty children, and the
laying the foundation at the same time of n
Ehnroh, forty feet by sixty. This ChGFch il
devoted exclusively to the oolored people, and
n now in every particular complete, being the
-6Tsi Catholic oolored church in Georgia.
At tie Isle of Hope, six and half miles by
TSiTOad from Savannah, and in the midst of n
9snSe negro population, these Fathers located
aASir monastery grounds. Rev. Father BerHier
sSMAins there in charge of the mission and the
1zsleus of community which has been form
DAich has been donated to the Order, and
Rhich was dedicated by Bishop Gross, fur
9ehes facilities for the daily celebration of the
kAVine Sacrifice. The Bishop preached to a
UABt concOurse, on the occasion of the dedica-
EiOn of this chapel of Our Lady of Good Hope,
SStened to by Protestants who expressed
themselves astOunded at the way in which
SAsy had misconceived the doctrines of the
Church, aud asked to hear more on the su beet.
Could anything in missionary work surprise
Catholics who are used to the wonders of grace
Z might be matter of surprise that, in less
han one year, two poor monks, trusting in
SD and their VOWS OF poverty, should have
arrived in Georgia, IN poor diocese under
ashop poor in means and laboring among the
- g.
Igeal is being erected at Savannah, the Pho Mono
Eollege ct Macon, and the Jesuit College at
Augusta, all dependent on the Bishop being
lAle TO give them nothing more than his bless.
fOck, and leaving to them the use of $50 acres
Sg laud on the Island Of Skiddany that yields