The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-12-13
THE BLACK MISSIONARY.
colored Priests Experience Among
His Own People.

High mass in the only Catholic church
in this city exclusively used by the col
ored people, says the New Orleans
Picayune of a recent date, had more
than its usual solemnity and interest
for the very large concourses Of worship
pers that filled the sacred edifice. They
came TO assist at the holy sacrifice in
which a priest of their own race was
both celebrant and preacher. There
are only two colored Catholic priests in
the whole United States-Rev. John
Henry Dorsey, at present in New Or
leans, and who officiated at st. Kath-
arine's yesterday, and Rev. G. r. I'm
cles, a professor in a college in Balti-
more. Father Dorsey was born in 1874
in Baltimore, and was ordained in June
last by Cardinal Gibbons. He is max
ing tour of the southern cities to find
out how the sentiment is with regard
to a priest of the colored race, and up
to this time he has met with uniform
kindness on the part of the people.
He is of medium height, spare built,
and of an intelligent and amiable cast
Of countenance. His voice is sonorous
and under perfect control, and his die
tion elegant and flowing.
Father Dorsey preached just before
the last gospel was read.
Il am a priest of the Holy Roman
Catholic church" said he, "and there
IS only one other priest of my race in
the whole United States. This is not a
question Of social equality with me, but
simply of being recognized as a priest
Of the grand, noble and enlightened
Roman church. In all my travels
have met with ovations. In Boston,
Philadelphia and New York 1 was re-
ceived by the colored people and by
men Of prominence of the white race,
and was warmly congratulated. The
white people Wed with the colored peo-
pie to do me honor. In Washington a
leading Catholic put his team at my
disposal. In Boston l said high mass
in the Boston cathedral before a con-
gregation ree-fourths composed of
white people, and at the conclusion of
the mass they pressed forward to ask
my blessing. Just think Of it, my
Christian friends. The white ladies of
Boston kneeling before a colored priest!
OF course they did not recognize me as
a man, but were reVerencing the priest
ly character bore; and this shows the
respect TO which the priesthood is en-
titled.
1T was the same thing in the south.
The white people understood that 1 was
not seeking social equality. 1 was con-
graduated by the best citizens of the
south. In Nashville L was received
most cordially by Father Plunkett and
Bishop Byrnes, who gave me the place
of honor at their table. In the evening
1 visited the Dominican convent and
was received by the white Sisters as if
] was a priest of their own race They
knelt and asked my blessing.
Il was told by a prominent gentle
man: Father Dorsey, your ordination
as priest has advanced your race 100
years. In a certain sense that is true,
because the colored priest can be a
power for good among his people. This
is why l am touring the south, to show
what the Roman Catholic church has
done for the colored man, so that my
people viii be impressed thereby and
resolve to be good, law-abiding citizens;
respecting not only the laws of the
state in which they live, but also the
laws of Cod