The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-21
THE ARCHBISH0P'S APPEAL.
" GREAT As 1HE DEBT rs, 81 From ET-
ERY C5THOLIC WOULD Pay IT."
Edward PurceIrs Part Fully Explained
How the Grent Obligation was swcIIcd-
The Aged CIerRyman's Gratitude for Ala.

|
published here to-day:
To my Fisnd, and he Pulr.
| l deem II my duty TO make known to the
! very large number OF persons to whom / hap
| pen to be more or less known in Europe and In
the United States. that in the S0h year OF my
age and the forty-0fth year OF my episcopato |
am burdcned with heavy debt which am un-
able to liquidate. This debt as all who know
me are aware was not contracted by waste,
| high living or extravaganza. 1t Is my only con-
solution that my conscience bears me this tcstl-
mony, and it is acknowledged by Catholics and
Protestants. rs well us 10y citizens Of every and
no religion.
| II is asked how ] camc to owe 30 much. !
must answer frankly. | wns born OF poor pa
| rents who had to stint themselves to giyo me
an education. tho best their means allowed or
the town afforded to attain the position in life
for which was consecratcd. IL God 50 pleased
before was born, felt that my only chance
was TO come to America and study for the
priesthood. When | succeeded in this regard
neither sought nor expected TO be rich. Food
and raiment was all received and with these
If may presume to say so like St. Paul. was
| perfectly contcntcd. | was sent to Paris by the
| venerable and sanity Dubois. First Superior Of
Mount ST. Mary Seminary. and afterwards
| Bishop OF New York. On my return M priest
! continued to teach well as | could in that
time-honorcd school Of the priesthood until |
was made Bishop and sent 20 Cincinnati In this
new sphere rs in my earlier life. began so
poor that had to borrow 5000 for my travelling
expenses to my see for myself and two or three
students and domestics. Then ! had soon TO
contract debts for the many wants OF n new do
cese. For this debt had to pay interest and
this interest growing yearly now makes accord
iu to the report Of the trustees appointed To- OK
anime the accounts aud liabilities Of the diocese
moro than half OF the Indebtedness OF the dlo-
ccsc. OF the dobt contracted ly thc financial
agent OF the diocese. think 1t can BE- safely said
that not more than $500 O01 was money depns-
tied win him. The rest is the result Of COM
A. a proof OF this l Will state one Of many
facts that have come To light Yesterday
creditor called with a ciaim of Sl.lOu. In pre-
scnting It he admitted that $500 OF the amount
WAS interest md expressed his readiness to
acrcpt for IL $500. the original deposit The
claims OF hundreds are of tue saiuc nature.
The indebt 'lness OF the diocese in equity docs
20 plncc II NJ its highest figure. In accounting
Tor the money loaned or deposited with the
financial agent of th" dorese the trustees and
others have overlooked ono very large item "
expenses Until 1852 no general collection was
ever taken up IN this diocese for the support
oi inc diocesan seminary. For twenty years,
therefore. tne burden Of educating priests fell
upon my financial agent. He supported the
Scinlnhry WITHOUT asking ald from the diocese.
When II was located in Brown County. upon
the farm now occupied by the Ursuline Com
munity. he paid the salaries of the professors
during many years and fed. clothed. and edu-
'ated the semlnarinns He paid all the ex-
rcnsrs during tue same long period Of eccles-
nsiica students at Mount st Mary. Emmitis-
burg. in France. and In Rome In twenty years
all these expenses which in justice the whole
diocese should have borne. amounted 10 u vast
sum. In my various voyages to Europe had
the interests Of religion IN my mind especially
in looking for priests for our missile lons-Cicr-
man, Irish. and OF other nationnlities-and de-
irnying the expenses OF "A library OF nt lcnst
10000 volumes n philosophic apparatus. &c..
AL OF which required large expenditures Of the
"a lee ID nj
Cumnins, ie, uf churches and the Cathedral.
and other buildings, for the support OF semi
nHrians Tor SO many yeArs. for schools for which
lad 70 20 heavily IN debt. finally swamped me.
Nv brother the very Rev Edward Purcell.
whemed by all these abor- and rcsponsibii-
ties. generously helped me 10 bear these bur.
no kind oi mercantile or financial training TO
III him for the hard work he assumed. and To
devote hi himself HIS His i iva was "T one 90 Of I'm Immense men
labor and no reward hut the consciousness OF
serving God the Church and his brethren 10
the extent OF his ability. Taking no RECREATION.
no respite from toll or any rest. his self sacri-
nrlnf splrlt any one WHO Knows nm can tell;
anu ne never put one doiiar OF the money oi
the Church or OF the people 10 his own personal
account or credit. Tho official report OF
nous debt Of s3GOOO00 has emphatica-
ly declared that not the slightest stain
intrusted with the financial affairs Of the dio-
cesc. They repeat the conviction which all who
know him mold. that kind-heartedness and an
excessive trust IN the honesty Of others who
borrowed from him. united with the paym. Mt
oi compound interest, have alone been IT.: cause
of my financial calamity. Still hon.stly owe
my three thousand creditors. TIE debt is large:
4 has crushed me with It's weight. Ofmy forty.
i've years in the episcopn,y this is the darkest
most painful, and sor.owful hour. When ths
storm broke upon me should have sunk into
my grave haI 1 not been strengthened by the
remembrance Of my duty as n bishop Of Gods
chur"h s"d had | not been sustained 10y the
Generous sympathy WHICH thousands OF Gath
olics and Protcstants alike have shown mo in
my distress.
made me tholr debtor forever by their offer OF
assistance. Though unworthy OF so much uni
versal kindness, still rejoice over II because 1t
gives me the hope OF meeting my obligations.
II cheers me that the charity OF SO many has
been stirred 10y the mlsfortunes Of an old mis-
slQnHry bishop whose rnce Is nearly run.
After this truthful and faith full expose Of facts
| appeal TO all Catholics and others who feel for
others woes 10 help me out of my embarraes-
ments: TO relieve the poor and toling creditors
who lent me their money 10 build churches. 10
educate youth, and TO perform sundry works Of
charity. religion, and benoVolCnce; and merit
the assistance Of Almighty God that such good
works may never fail. Great rs the debt is, a
dollar from every one would soon cancel IL. The
charity that has been SO forvently manifested
on all sides II now my strong reliance 10 wipe
ont any disgrace that may attach to the Church.
or any injury that may arise to the faith through
the mismanaRcment OF the deposits OF poor peo-
pie. God bless God reward a hundred fold tho
klnd hearts mat nave cohsoed poor lnS9lvcnt
debtor, and God enrich with all temporal bless
lngs all those who hfc ready 10 welcome him or
ms representatives. with generous hands. They
have created Tor me now debt greater than
even my lurge dcbt OF uOllArA, n ueht Ot graft
tudo that can never pay, For this universal
sympathy unexpected and unmerited. ! give
all that have; the last prayers Of my old age
aud the last masses Of my long priesty life
j. Is. PURCELL. Archbishop OF Cincinnati.
Several of tho creditors Of Archbishop Pur-
cell have cancelled al or, II part OF their
lleman. who had 81 100 on deposit with
him, and had drawn, $500 in compound
and accepted a due bill for $500 ms the pres
ent AMOUNT of the Archbshop's indebte edness to
him. The parish priest OF Piqua. Ohio held a
claim Of $1,000 against the Archbishop. Ho
has cancelled the claim and sent II the assignee
Another gentleman did the same thing with his
claim OF n precisely similar amount.
About 300 Of tho wealthiest and most infiuen-
tlal Catholics Of the Cathedrql congregation
met In its basement on Tuesday evening and
organized Debt Association" Father Hol-
ley called the meeting to order, and
Andrew Ward. rich lawyer. took the
chair. It was announced thnt the object OF
the meeting was to form an association for the
purpose OF collecting moneys to be- expended
IN assisting to liquidpto tho debts of Archbishop
Purcell. Various plans OF action were pro-
posed. and it was finally agreed to al.
init all to membership who would bind
| themselves TO contribute ten cents and inward