The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-04
CHRISTIE IS APPOINTED
He Is Archbishop of the Province
of Oregon.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER
He Was Born in Vermont, 40 Years Ago.
Learned and Zsalous Prelate and
an Eloquent Preacher - Pro-
vince Includes Montana

Portland, Ore, May 3.--Very Rev. F.
x. Blanchet, administrator of Oregon
has been officially informed by the
most Rev. Bishop Christie of Vancou-
yer Island that he Bishop Christie)
has been appointed archbishop of Ore
gon. Bishop Christie will take charge
Of the archdiocese of Oregon on the
18th Of June.
Rt Rev. Alexander Christie was
born in Vermont 46 years ago When
child he came with his parents to the
West, settling first in Wisconsin, where
the family remained until the close of
the civil war. After the war they re-
moved to Minnesota, settling at Austin,
where the future bishop attended
school. Afterwards having decided to
study for the priesthood, he went to
st. Johns college, Stearns county, in
charge of the Benedictine fathers,
where he made his classical course He
then took the course of philosophy and
theology at the Grand seminary, Mon
treal, where he was ordained priest,
about 20 years ago, for the diocese of
st. Paul. Returning to Minnesota, his
first pastoral appointment was at
Waseca, where he remained II years,
building up magnificent parish. He
was next called to Minneapolis to take
charge of the new Ascension parish in
that city Here his work was also
marked with energy and success His
next appointment was to the large and
important parish of ST. Stephens where
he remained until his conservation as
bishop of Vancouvers island last June.
He took charge of the diocese in the
month of August. With quick percep-
ton it was not long before he took hold
of the situation; what had been done
and what was to be done. He imme-
diately secured from the Catholic Indian
commission at Washington as much as
could be expected from that source to
help him ito commence his work of i'm
provement.
His next step was to send Rev.
Father NichOlaye to Central America
to inquire into the details of the death
of his predecessor, the lamented Bishop
Lemmens, and to secure, If possible, the
fruits of his labor and economy in these
missionary countries.
Then, realizing that he had but scanty
resources to depend upon in his diocese
to carry on the work that necessity and
zeal demanded of him, he sent another
of his devoted priests, Rev. Father AL
thoff, to Europe to appeal to the charity
of such societies as would lend support
to his undertaking.
And, last January, facing the storm
of the severest winter ever experienced
IN tnlS country, ne crossed the cOnll-
nent of America and went to Ottawa
to try and secure from the Canadian
parliament some appropriation for the
missions on the west coast of Vancou-
yer island.
Now that everything was in readi
ness for the work that he had contem-
plated, the news comes from Rome that
he has been elevated to the high dignity
of archbishop of Oregon.
RiSbOn Christie iS a learned and zeal
Gus prelate and an eloquent preacher,
and his eminently successful career is
regarded by all as an earnest promise
of like results in the higher work which
will now be committed to him.
The archdiocese of Oregon City, to
which Rt Rev. Alexander Christie has
been appointed was created an arch
diocese in 1850. 1t comprises the entire
state of Oregon. The former archbish-
ops of the see We're Most Rev. Francis
N. Blanchet, D. D., 1850-1SS0: Most Rev.
Charles J. Seghers, 1SS0-1SS4; Most Rev.
William II. Gross. 1SS5-1S9S. The arch
| diocese, according to the last Catholic
directory, has so churches and chapels,
two seminaries, two colleges for boys,
| 70 academies for girls, % parish schools,
two orphan asylums and eight charit-
| able institutions. The Catholic popula-
| ton of the archdiocese is $4,000.
| The province over which the arch
bishop of Oregon presides includes the
| states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho
and Montana, and also British Column