The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-03-28
Letter f,.o,. Archbishop Purcell.
HE TELLS HOW he GOT INTO TROUBLE, AND
APPEALs TO THE PUBLIC FOR HELP.

HE TELLS HOW he GOT INTO TROUBLE, AND
APPEALS TO THE PUBLIC FOR HELP.
CINCINNATI, March 2O.-The following
letter from Arch chbishop Purcell is published
to day:
To MY FRTESDs AND THE PUBLIC: I deem il
my duty TO make known to the very large num-
Der OF persons 20 whom happen 20 be more or
less known ~ Europe ana III the United Stales
that in the eightieth year OF my age and the
forty year OF my episcopate am burdened
with heavy debt which ain unable 10 nQui-
date. This debt, as all who know me are aware,
was not contracted 10y waste, high living or ex-
travagance. Il IS my only consolation tnat my
conscience bears me thls testimony, and II Is &C
kuowIedged by Catholic aud Prutestantsa as well
as citizens OF every and no religion. 1t isasked
how l came to owe so much. | must answer
frankly, was born OF poor parents, who had
TO stint themselves to give me an educatlon'
the best their means allowed or the TOWn in
which l was born afforded. To attain The posi-
tlOu IN lie Tor which was conSecTated, II GOc
pleased. before I was born, felt that my
only chance was to come To America and study
Tor the priesthood When / succeeded ia this
regard l neither sought nor expected to be
rich, Food aud rdimeut was all received, and
with these, il may presume TO say so, like st.
Paai, 1 was perfectly cOntsnted. | was sent 70
Paris by the venerable and sanity DUBOIS,
first Superior of Mount st. Mary Seminary aud
afterWHrd Bishop Of New York. On my return
priest l continued TO teach as well as could
in that time houOred school OF the prizes hood
until was made bishop and sent to Cincinnati
In ;hIs new sphere, as 10 my earlier life. he
gan so poor that l had TO borrow $500 for my
travelling expenses TO my see Tor myself and
two or three students and dUmestics. Then |
had soon TO contract depts Tor the uany wants
of u new diocese. For this debt l had to pay
interest, ana this interest growing yearly
makes. according to the report OF the trustees
appointed TO examine the accounts and liabili-
II"S Of the diocese, more than halt OF the in
dtf..eJuess Of the diocese OF the debt con-
tractsi 10y the financial agent of the diocese l
think II Ue safely said that not more than
$4,000 was money deposited with him, The
rest is the result OF compound interest. As a
proof OF this 1 viii state one OF many tacts that
have come TO light: Yesterday creditor call
30 fNgf Ia Ff IN HFaf-
admitted that SSOO OF the amount was interest,
and expressed MS readiness to accept for 10
$500, the original deposit. The cinIms of hun
d, eds OF others are OF the same nature. The In-
debteduess OF the diocese in equity does not
it At Its highest figure. In accounting Tor the
money loaned or deposited with the financial
agent OF the diocese the trustees and others
have overlooked uue very large item OF expen-
ses. Until lSj2 no general collection was ever
taken up In tie dipcese Tor the support OF the
Diocesan Seminary.
For twenty years, therefore, the burdea Of
educating priests ie!I upon my financial agent.
He supported the seminary without asking AID
from the diocese. When il was located in
by the UrSuiine community, he paid the sala-
ries of the prot tessOrs during many years, and
fed, clothed and educated the seminHrisus.-
He paid ali the expenses during the same long
period OF Cccesiastical students at Mount ST.
Mary, Emmittsburg, in France and in HOme.-
In twenty years all these expenses, which, in
justice. the whole diocese should have borne,
amounted TO vast sum, In my various Voy-
ages TO Europe 1 had the interests Of religion
10 mud, ana particularly in looking tor priests
Tor our mls5lDn-German, Irish and other
tIonaItIes -and dcirHyinR the expenses OF
library Of at least 1900 volumes a ghiIOsopbic
apparatus, etc, ali OF which required large ex-
pehuItures OF the diocesan resources, which,
exclusive of sums spent IN the building of the
orphans asylum a. Cumtni ngsvilie, oil church S
ana Ihc cuIhtural uud Other DuhdlEgS, Tor the
support OF semiuaraus for 50 many years, for
schools tor which had to go heavily ia debt,
finally swHmped me. Ny brother, the Very
Reverend Edward Purcell, ordained Il priest in
l63s, seeing me ONeT,ghetmed ed by all these laUors
ana responsibilities generously helped me TO
bear these burdens. But they were TOO heavy
Cor one who had 10 kind Of mercantile or fllHn-
cial training 10 fl him for The hard work he as
sumed and TO which Tor forty Years there was
no one else to devote himself. His Iife uasCp
OF immense labor anu no reward but the con-
sCiOusnusS OF serving G cd. the Church and his
brethren to the extent OF his ability, taking no
recreation, no rCspi.e from toll or any rest for
him can tJll, and he never put ore dollar Of the
money Of The church or OF the nrauir To NE
own persona! account or credit. The UfHcirl
report OF The trustees, while il shows an cnur-
nous debt Of +3GU0,O0J nas emphatcuIIy de-
the honesty OF my brother, who was entrusted
with the financial affairs Of the diocese. They
repeat the conviction, which all who knew him
mold, that kind ncartedugss ana an excessive
trust in the honesty of others who borrowed
from bin, united with the payment OF COM
pou!iu interest, nave ai1hG ISen tue cause OF
my financial calamity. sun honestly owe my
three thousand creditors THc debt Is large;
u has crushed me with its weight. OF my forty
five years III the CuIsCupEcy this is the darkest,
most painful, most surrOwtul hour When the
storm broke upon me should have sunk into
my grave had not been StTeup theued by the
fttutElt:EuSc Ji my duty as a Bis1Dp OF Gods
Church aud had ] not been sustained by the
generous sy npstby which thousands OF Cttho-
lies ana PrOicstuut5 alike have shown me ia my
distress. Tue Catholic Bishops OF the country
nave made ue their debtor forever by tueir Of
fer OF assistance. Though unworthy OF 50
muCh universal kindness, st!H rel dice over iI,
because II gives me hope of unueJiuss my ObIi-
EaJloGS- Il cheers Cbut the charity or 80
many has been stirred by tHe misfortune OF an
old missionary b-SnOp whose race iE Eour!y rum.
AilEr this truthful Hua TaIjhiuI expose uI
luctS appeal 60 All Catholics, aud gtGyr~ who
tgui fer others Woes. To- bell lut ont OF ig !. en-
3uFrE-sfue eTlfs, 90 relieve the poor and taf..rar
creditors WHO leHt We their money 10 tEIiI
cHuTSI--. 10 educate YOUTH and to perform
sunny works uf c'IagItF. religion and HCuevB-
ieuCg- and merit tue assistance Of \ imiguty
God that such good works may never fail.-
trtHt as the ceDi ., a dollar tTutH every one
would CIuCEi Dc. The charity that has been so
icrFeHi.N manifested on All sides Is now uly
may attach TO thr tHurcu or amy injury tHat
may arise 10 the laitu through tine mi-uauHge-
meIt Ol tue deposits Ui poor people. God bless
God reward a hundrCdfOia-tue kind hearts
thht baNe cOusOicu q poor. IusniVcut debtor.
ana bod cbricu Win all temporal blessings all
these who are ready TO welcome him or his rep
Ge7rHtHiIECs with generous hands. They uuv,.
created Tor me u new ucHt, greater than even
MY large Gsbt OF CgiIIr---a debt OF gratitude
HAT can never puy. For thIS universal GYM
thRj have-the last prayers OF my old age and
the last Masses ot my long pricstiy life.
}. B. PURCELL,
Arch bIsIpD OF Cine .nnH:i.
1t is gratifying to sta C in ibis connection
that several OF the AIchbishup's creditors
have Cancelled all or a Considerable portion
Of their claims, thus reducing the debt bv
thousands Of dollars.