, 1891-06-06
DIOCESE OF CHEYENNE.
Bishop Burke Considers it Practi-
cally, Without Sentiment.
The Circular For Aid Which He is
Sending Over the Country.
Bishop BOnicum's Report Spoken of
in UnmistakabIe Terms.

For the past few days the papers ofthe
East have contained reports of a circular
letter sent by Bishop Maurice w. Burke
Of the diocese of Cheyenne asking for
financial aid for the diocese.
The st. Louis Globe Democrat contains
the following in regard to the matter:
A reporter called upon a Catholic divine
who is considered as authority IN general
matters pertaining to his denomination
for some information relative to Bishop
Burke's tribulatioDs. He said: mot
long since Bishop O'Conner, of Omaha,
now deceased, In whose diocese was then
included Wyoming, and the bishop of
Leavenworth, Kan, were of the opinion
that there were more Catholics IN their
diocese than could be properly supervised
by them, and s~uggeated that additional
dloceses should be created. The result
was a provincial conference, over which
Archbishop Kenrick presided, IN st.
Louis. 1t was agreed at that conference
that four new dioceses should be created.
two in the former Omaha jurisdiction and
two IN Kansas. A petition to that effect
was forwarded to Rome with the recon-
me0datiOn OF the new bishops. Among
the names suggested was that of Father
Burke, then in charge OF a congregation at
Joliet, Ill. He was appointed bishop of
Cheyenne. Now, it is customary for Catho-
lie bishops to ofhciate sometimes as priests
only, and | have known quite a number
who have passed the greater portion OF
their lives in sleeping on Buffalo robes.
Bishop Burke took a different view Of
the matter, and went to Rome, where he
rendered his resignation upon the ground
that his church was not self sustaining in
his diocese. Rome asked Archbishop Ken
rick for information, and the archbishop
detailed Bishop BoDicum to investigate.
Bishop Bonicum reported, recommending
that the diocese be maintained. The re-
suit was that Rome declined to accept
Bishop Burke's resignation. The bishop
then returned TO Cheyenne and issued an
address appealing to the Catholics of the
land for aid, stating that there we're only
four priests under his jurisdiction. none
Of whom we're self-sustaining and that the
cathedral was in debt. He also dealt with
Bishop Bonlcum in rather a caustic man
ner."
A reporter of THE LEADER showed the
above extract to Bishop Burke last even
ing and asked him if there was anything
in reference to the matter which be de
sired published. While the circular was
intended for the outside, vet l have no
objection to having it published here"
was the reply. A copy of the circular
was then furnished which is as follows:
CHEYENNE, WYO., May 27.-Cheyenne
vas erected into a diocese in 1887, being
a part of the division OF the diocese Of
Omaha. At the time of its erection the
diocese had four secular priests and one
Jesuit who was lent to the bishop of
Omaha for three months to take charge
OF the Indian mission in the interior OF
the territory. The number of families in
each of the missions IN charge OF the
priests when the diocese was erected, was
as follows: Cheyenne, the episcopal city,
$50; Laramie, 10; Rawlins, As; Evanston,
IS. Since her one small parish has been
established at Rock Springs. These mis-
slons are all on the line of the Union Pa
ciic railway, which runs along the south
cru boundary of the state. The whole
territory off the line Union Pacific was,
and is at the present time without a priest
except the Jesuit father above mentioned
who is $50 miles by stage from the near
est priest,
In the e episcopal see, the entire
property in the name of the bishop con
sisted OF two lots with a small church and
a miserable house scarcely fit for a priest
10 live in, and even this was almost in a
state OF bankruptcy. and the debt bearing
interest at u per cent. After spending
two years in this intolerable situation |
went to Rome for the purpose of getting
Cheyenne attached to one of the neigh
boring dioceses; at the same time tender
ing my resignation to the propaganda.
The authorities at Rome resolved at
once to undo this outrageous act of inius.
tice. and stated that they had been OPP
posed to the erection of the diocese from
the beginning, but we're finally overruled
in their Judgment. While these matters
were pending at Rome, the bishop OF
Lincoln, Neb., was deputed bv the arch
bishop Of St. Louis on a mission to Wyo'
ming to obtain information regarding
the present condition and future pros
poets of the diocese of Cheyenne" The
report of the bishop OF Lincoln, whatever
were his motives therefor, was a deplor
able MISREPRESENTATION of the state o
afflirs-full of ~falsehoods and speculative
exaggerations about the present condi
ton and future prospects of the diocese.
In concluding his elaborate report to tn