The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-24
SAINTS OF THE CRESCENT CITY.
FATHER DAGOBERT, THE JOLLY
FKsAR-HIS TORRENTS AND
TORMENTORs.


FRiAR-HIs TORRENTS AND
TORMENTORs.
Father Antonio de sedelia, the Original
| Pere AntOine-First Attempt to Estab-
| lish the HDuuisiti0n In Louisiana
| Troubles of Father Antonio.
| 1t would, indeed, be strange II the Spanish
domination had not bequeathed to this city
something Of ecclesiastical, as well as of legal
and OF military something OF
rnonastic legend as we'll as the history craven
tablets Of severe and extraordinary laws, or
the traditions Of colonial wars and soldier
governors. austerely dignified as the por-
traits of Velasquez. 1t would be strange II
the priests and the friars OF hieratlc Spain
| had not taken a hand in the early history OF
Louisiana, and left behind them popular
memories much more clearly outlined than
the picturesque figures OF Alcaldes or Alferez-
Reals. 1t would be stranger STILL however,
Il the>saml1re-g CARRIED and ron-featured &C.
clesiasticism of Catholic Spain, and the al-
most ioyially pious, paternally benevolent
ecclesiasticism of Catholic France had en-
countered one another without producing In
the social body disturbing ferment, as OF
antagonistic chemicals brought into sudden
conjunction. The spirit Of church discipline
in France. from the period OF Louis the
Grand and, indeed, long before it also-,lntil
the fall of the old regime, had softened
the austerity of its countenance in
accordance with the polished luxury
of the period; while that of Spain had re-
laxed nothing of it's gloomy and grim severn
ty. and had lost but little of its fear-inspiring
judicial power. The inquisition was still
mighty when Louisiana was coded to Spain,
and / am afraid that at this very time the
French eccesiastics who administered ghost
ly comfort to the Creoles were leading rather
jolly lives. At least it Is certain that the
Spanish monks who came to the colony with
the now administration were greatly scandal
lied at what they heard and saw: there was
much fuss and fury in consequences; and the
history Of that church quarrel is one OF the
most curious episodes in the chronicles OF
Louisiana.
FATHER DAGOBERT, OF SAINTED MEMORY,
was the thorn upon which the newly arrived
piety of austere Spain unexpectedly sat down
He was Superior of the French Capuchins OF
Louisiana, and Vicar-General OF the diocese
There had been a tremendous row in 1755 be-
tween the Jesuits and the Capuchins, which
ended In the expulsion Of the Jesuits from
the territory, owing, in chief to the wonder
full diplomacy of Father Hllaire de Gene
vea,1x, Superior of the Capuchins. Father
Geneyeaux was, if not a strict disciplinarian,
at least q learned abbot; but he refused to
assist the Superior Council in their scheme OF
revolt against the Spanish government which
proved at last so fatal to the sehemers. SO
they shipped Father Hlaire out of the coun-
: try, and Father Dagobert reigned abbot in
his stead.
, There were many things about the charac-
ter of this Father Dagobert, which remind
one of Balzacs jolly friars; we're it possible
to believe what the Spanish monks wrote OF
him, he might be compared to the monk Anna
} dor, "who was glorious abbot, OF Turpe-
, nay" He lived comfortably and wore clearly
attire He was fat and rubicund, and hated
trouble much more perhaps, than he hated
even the devil. Nevertheless he would
7 have put himself to trouble at any time in
, preference to troubling anybody else. He
loved a good dinner, and enjoyed q good
laugh; he delighted to go to christenlngs and
weddings; he liked glass Of good wine, and
revealed In an uproarious joke; he enjoyed
. the fun of pinching q rosy cheek and poking q
sly joke at some pretty maiden he mixed
piety with iovialty, as he mingled water
, with wine; he made it q rule Of his life never
9 to disagree with anybody when he could help
1t; and he ate with publicans and sinners
+ He agreed with the Supreme Council in their
; scheme of revolt; but he also agreed to re-
. ceive Count O'Relly and the Spanish troops
as Vicar General OF the colony, and to bless
> the Spanish coIors. Such is the joy-loving,
merry making, charity questioning character
of this holy man, as pictured to us by the his
; torians of Louisiana; and it is not surprising
, that the Creoles loved him and revered him
, at once Nobody but Fathar Dagobert had
married any French couple, or christened any
French children for years before the Spanish
monks came from Havana to the city of New
0 rleaDs.
Before that time of course, the fame Of
3 Father Dagobert had gone abroad He had a
3 reputation even in Havana as most holy
and influential ecclesiastic. He was reported
to be q saint H. was believed to live like a
; hermit 1t was rumored that he wore sack
= cloth and fagellated himself with appalling
severity and almost starved his body OF the
necessares of life. What other manner Of
L holiness indeed, could the mind of a Spanish
; ascetic comprehend? When the Spanish Ca
. puchins appeared upon the scene they found
, that mere rumOrs cannot always be trusted
: Instead of finding Father Dagobert mourn
ing for his, own sins and everybody else's
: they found him a constant visitor at wedding
. banquets and christening dinners; instead
. of being seated in sackcloth and ashes, they
= found him perambulating the streets Of New
= Orleans in comfortable raiment; instead o.
= being gaunt with notifications and pale with
prayer, they found him fat and sleek beyond
! the ordinary degree; instead OF being pool
!, and his monks were rich and happy; insteac
of being uttery secluded from the world anc
its temptations, they saw that he lived in 6
fine building, well furnished with comforts
and was daily waited upon-O shocking rev
s elation by handsome quadroons and mulat
: tresses.
r Just at this unpleasant juncture of affairs,
e the Spanish monks fell in with Father
q Hilaire de Geneveaux, the former Superior OF