The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-10
nrOCESE OF SAVANNAH.
re BEING DONE BY THE
VIZ A1oT1C CHURCH IN GEORGIA.

The First Catholic B'shop ~ Tno O.
ne 80, other Bishops Were Ap-
.+-1mprovements to Church
ortv-some Facts About Col
s Cathollcs-Interesting Items
oI'. Matters in the Diocese
sIways some interest in noticing
81 IL dome or under Roadway, IN any
tlg IS denomination, but especially SO IN
rslS-' living attention as bulwarks of
's.,-cative force, such as IS conIeSseuiy
'Ca+bolic church Therefore, we gather
'-' a.,irts we'll authenticated, as to the
W. -a,-rss Of tie church in Georgia.
Is the wear 1850 the first Catholic bishop
& cavonnab was appointed, for up
.ro, time the whole of the state OF
~ 80 was under the charge of the Bishop
8 ~ charleston, S. G. The first bishop was
8 ". D. Francis X. Gartlaud OF Philadel-
49,. pa and he labored strenuously
80, + nr wears, when he died IA victim to
'.I-F7n in the epidemic of 1854. In 1857
h;ssnccessor. Dr.. Barry, well and favorably
i-,,n., &c nastor in Augusta, Ga, received
n. annointment, and, after two years OF
I'll o,d uuremitting self-sacrifce, he also
dioI l,meuted by all who knew him.
Dr Verot. a highly learned French
.ii,.,,,.,nep professor at st. Mary's college,
Fillmore Md. became the chief pastor in
so His was the arduous task Of welding
the crcsier during the late civil war. rev
more thoroughly wel-educated men IN every
branch could be found in the United States,
LA afrer elaven years he accepted the more
60 tho hi
Of St Augustine, Fla, at the request of
the Holy See leaving the diocese OF oaVah-
nah widowed in 1870
At the suggestion of the bishops of the
nrovince the Rt. Rev. Ignatius Persico,
formerly bishop of Agra, East India, and
here for his health, was selected by the Pope
IN toke charge of Savannah. But as he
continued to suffer, in 1872 his resignation
was accepted, and he returned through
Canada. trying the climate for ameliora-
tion. and from that region, inhospitable
rar-icularly for son OF Italy, he returned
r. Naples. and was made bishop of the natal
diocese of st. Thomas. the Angelic Doctor.
Since then he has been named arc lhishop
Of Damietta, and had a particularly diff
cult office assigned him in Ireland aud Eng
landand may at any time be named cardinal.
Ills successor In Savannah was the genial
and eloquent Bi.h0p Gross, chosen from
among the the members of the congregation
of the Most Holy Redeemer. Few men had
more boldnes, in pu hing on the work of
Improvement Under his guidance many
large undertakings were begun, and from
1873 to 1888 works long in contemplation,
and f-r which very considerable means had
been carefully prepared, had an active com.
Uenceme4t. The present cathedral,
for the plan of which Bishop
Persico had offered large
premium $500 was begun, and amidst
very 6 eat difficulties, rooted in and fitted
for actual use, under Bishop Gross. and
college was built near Macon, Ca, under
the title of PHO Mono, and a newspaper
was begun, and large returns were ex-.
pected. but, unfortunately, imam pro-
poses" often too much, and reverses were
for some Inc the orde of the day
The present bishop Thomas A. Becker
was appointed Marca %, 1886, having been
transferred from Wilmington, Del, of
wAlca see ne was the first bishop, and had
been tuere for eighteen years.
With the kind help of a very generous
people the debt OF nearly $4,000 was re-
moved from the cathedral almost at once.
ms ended, IN 50 far, a high rate of interest,
ana the constant annoyance of having calls
made Ju when it is difficult to have fund
on hahd from which to draw, and that
must, OF course, be losing gama.
Then the college was simply matched
with mortgages and bonds at equally high
interest, and the whole amount possible
from even good sale, would simply meet
the Indebtedness The college was not. had
never been, a success; in the very nature of
things It never uld succeed. How could
mel and incompetent youths, looking for.
ward to entirely different labor, with very
niue remu GRAFTON, be expected to be
teacnersI The college was an immature
taought and prematurely died. Yet. there
come nv Al
BY special protection it was kept from fall
nag into other ha d or from being converted
70 base purposes, an the Very Rev. Theobold
"@iteF buLer, >. j., with the consent and
appreciation OF the superior general at
nome ds2lne' and the bishop, by and with the
4 abbJ'.s.in9n0 OF Propaganda, R me, settled
sne matter forever, paid off every cent of
G T % placed the college under perm anent
odthpnc auspices, ard ended an incubu;
, maiIch Had threatened to be disgrace, and
" as decided lnJurJ to the diocese. That
covered q snm of $25. 600.
IHe church In Brunswick, Ca, was en-
tfely covered by mortgages and debts. nor
was Ide Title even in good condition than Suf-
n NC ~ 10 say that besides some $500 paid for
- ih by rather Catferty, as administrator
" eie uloGese, there were more than S4.OJO
oI; 4.neI Claims against it. These have been
IoJa 0teI - Iha5 the diocese and the bishop
isbod Lr o uepls III their own hands, dimin-
- ny IuIly ole-half, whilst the balance
II IN fair way of settlement
Iga9 churca of ST. Patrick
Of R iie"ylly mortgaged, and in the hands
DiSI np Moore and those of the Southern
a. an - In7 former we're taken from externs
n,,,ot ooCn are IN part liquidated. and very
con(-1. unfinished. In the meanwhile the
a 80 as7,3 eSaV'on OF So. Patrick's church show
90 -,sI IoIe zeal for the honor of religion.
nave, INV nave not only fixed up their basement.
baloFeu heir clurch, but are building a
P II 01I5 residence for their pas or, Rev.
tbav ~ N c5aaEon, and they are paw as
n :, 80, Cost of house will be in full SIS OOO
'V'Uoo "hen finished and furnished.
catb he library hall, which was the former
rear E,ii Co9ether with the houses in the
nan 49, g+li tlceiy lifted with the usual accom-
ciE-e e,l' oi mortgages, and invariably at
t resS,'o '@oeS), had to be sold in order first
hava ~ the cathedral, and secondly TO
1 n"'o some funds for the new honse nro.
in t5a 10 De built for the bishop and CLERGY
best car OF The cathedral 1t was deemed
fnanco the bishop and his able
vice committee, without whose ad-
the Ne does not act. to allow
nrioa S3uhg mea every possible low
wee IN IN ont of fact, only some S1OO00
ment %Fs'ually realized by the sale after raw
bu.ldiTlltn Mortgages, etc. Yet it the whole
Cafhoiia' was thus kept under permanent
lie wbot suaI dlanship, and it is questiona-
Or for ~ 81 any work done in the di cese
yonre, ~ ~ Is better than the keeping of our
for tie b est tS0getne !, giving them taste
Al q IN.