The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-03
COLORADO CATHOLICS.
The Alleged Discrimination
Against Irish Priests.
WHAT TOURIST SAW ANDSAYS
Zeal for Gods Housewould Seem to
Have Given Way to Zeal for
the lightly Dollar.

WAA11Ou 81 last ny RAIL- Auy hnieAho w
Cured at night, so that 1 could get but
fait glimpse of the country, till l ar
rived in Denver, the capital of the
State. Here l took my stand, for few
days rest. Having heard so much OF
the healthiness OF the town, and OF Its
fast increasing population, made up
my mind to see for myself, and learn
all that could be learned by Euro
pean stranger on his first visit to 'go-
ahead" thriving city, with its energetic
population. On inquiry learned that
the rush of emigrants and fortune
seekers was to the productive mines of
the Rocky Mountains. During my
short stay in Denver strolled to take
look at the churches of the various
denominations. believing that l, at
once, could form an opinion of the
state of religious progress, by the style
of architecture. exterior as we'll as in-
terror. The churches of the various
dissenting denominations reflect much
credit on the ministers officiating, and
not less on the congregations. Guided
to take look at the Catholic Cathedral,
painful became the contrast between
it and the other churches; instead OF
what my Imagination fancied to be
magnificent, Gothic ecclesiast ical struc-
ture, doing credit to the zal
and energy of $4,000 Catholics of
this rising and important flourish
ing town. or rather city of
Denver, l found miserable little low
walled, low-rOofed. narrow little chapel,
which in times rast may po'sbly have
served as a stable. This quasi Cathedral
of the vast diocese of Colorado is a
monument of enduring reproach to
American civilization. Zeal for the
glory of Gods house would seem to
have given way to zeal for the mighty
dollar. The Catholics of Denver can
not forget that their forefathers contri-
buted largely and ungrudgingly to build
up and ornament the magnificent
churches, cathedrals. converts, am
educational institutions of the eastern
States. / have been told that the Den
yer Catholics have contributed millions
of dollars during the past twenty years
for church purposes, yet | see no evil
dence or monument of the application
Of such contributions to the purposes
for which these funds were generously
contributed. Should the Catholic tourist
or intelligent Catholic emigrant arrive
at rational conclusions from the COM
paratively few attending the place of
worship in question on Sundays and
great festivals, indifferentlsm is fast
creeping in among the Catholic popula-
ton. To promote the interest of the
church, the noble and generous of Den
yer are not behind their brethren of the
east, where they see a standing monu-
ment of their zeal. What, it may be
asked, is become of this money. Here
a,beg leave of the reader and pass On to
| the town of Pueblo. hive OF industry
with population of nearly 10000
From information received, not less
than 10 600 of these are Catholics.
| mostly Irish or of Irish descent; vet l
learn with pain, that one tenth OF these
never enter the church Of their ancient
faith, because. they say, with one
solitary exception, they have never
had an Irish priest amongst them.
When this one Irish priest had
built up churches and converts, he
was, they say, despotically removed,
to the detriment of the. then increasing
congregation, and favorite put in his
place, whose language, customs and
manners were SO foreign to English
speaking people. that a spirit of
smothered dissatisfaction became at
once manifest, and as sequel, the in
dignant End spirited among them
barred up the church doors. and since
then gave up attending at the celebra-
ton of the Divine mysteries. This
state of affairs reflects little credit on
the Bishop of the Diocese.
Millions of dollars, l am informed,
have been subscribed by the generous
Irish and Irish-Americans for the sup
port of churches and pastors. In return
Italian and French priests are sent
amongst them, whose language in the
pulpit and confessional is to them a
dead Letter. Why is this? The question
admits of easy solution. 1t is to get
good living for favored naJionalities,
whilst the good irish priests, who have
organized respectable, but scattered
elements, have been ordered to outlying
posts of the diocese, VIII re a few Jack
rabbits can barely get living.
I press on to Leadville. with popula-
ton of about $4,000. It is the most
extraordinary mining camp l have ever
visited. Shelters on extensive scales,
with all modern accessories for refining
purposes, are actively at work both
night and day. In this vast mining
centre there is but one church, one
priest and his curate. There was
second church, have learned, but it
was sold out-church, lots and ALTO a
company named the Midland Railway
Company, for 81 900, but the jealous
and talented pastor, Father Ponsardin,
and his loyal congregation. brought
the matter before the judges of the civil
courts-and obtained judgment to the
amount of So 800 against the vender, the
ordinary of the diocese. The ousted and
wronged Father Ponsardin is in Rome
pleading his case ia the ecclesiastical
courts. His congregation are hopeful
that he will soon return to open ND a
new parish church with the approba-
ton of the Holy See. So far as opinion
guides me, would say that three
parishes could reasonable be made out
of the one now in existence. A sum of
$50, 900, am told, is annually raised for
church purposes there-more than suf-
fcient for the support of three parish
priests and their curates. Were the
treasurer of this church fund to give
such an explanation of this fund as the
President has given of the surplus in
the Treasury at Washington, it would |
be very desirable. Some starving mis-
siOns would come in for a Windfali