The Dickinson press., 1902-10-25

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Bishop Shanlcy's Visit Marks Import
ant Epoch in History of Western
North Dakota. Jubilee Festival a
Great Success-Procecds Amount to
Over Sc 900.
gone to an island in the South seas
and made myself a cannibal or some.
thing else rather than take the job as
signed me. However, after some hest
lance, | accepted of the work and came
to North Dakota to find a Catholic con-
dition of things that was to me simply
appalling. Let me give you some of the
statistics in the then diocese of James
town:-I found in this diocese 1923
popes and popesses, popesses probably
in the majority. | found 40 shacks or
shanties that we euphemistically entitled
churches. found some 80 earnest, de-
voted priests who were obeying the 49,
1873 popes and popesses, and | was put
there as bishop to do the best l could to
assert authority with the cannons of
the church. Glory be to Peter, the chief
OF all bishops. He had a hard time; and
SO did Paul, his great assistant; | had a
harder time, | will say, than either Peter
or Paul had. BY continued perseverance,
wearing a velvet glove over a hand OF
iron, | dethroned the popes, and with
Gods help dethroned the popesses. l
established the authority of the bishop
On an immovable foundation, as having
a right to rule in the church of God with
out having to ask the popesses. 1t took
me just four years to introduce order in
this mass that faced me, but order was
introduced eventually, thanks to SELF
sacrificing, laborious, jealous clergy,
and the growth of the church in the do
cese of Fargo began. What is it today
There is not in the United States, no,
there is not in the Christian world, a
more thoroughly organized Catholic do
cese than the diocese of Fargo. There
is not in the Christian world a diocese
that has better prospects of substantial
growth and development than the do
cese OF Fargo. Notwithstanding, the
people, the clergy and the bishop have
their duties assigned to them; they know
their rights, privileges and powers, and
are united in preserving their rights.
privileges and powers. Order reigns SUI.
preme.
Now under this new regime, this new
regime of order, we had 40 shacks, mis-,
cradle, tumbled-down things; not a doz.
en- churches in North Dakota; Father
!, Collins remembers it we'll, and Father
Rabsteinek also; God bless them both;
found them both here; they can bear me
out in the assertion that we had not &
dozen churches in the state of North Da
, kota 10 years ago. Today, instead OF the
-, 40 shacks, we have grown into I25 very
fine churches in this state, l NEAR
churches in use, and at the present mo
ment there are upwards of IL churches
either just finished or in the course Of
r construction and awaiting the blessing
and dedication by the bishop. UP te
the present time this year, there have
been arrangements made for the build
!, ing of about 20 more churches, work Il
. begin early next spring, and the numbeI
Of clergy in this diocese has nearly treb
. led; from 80 of us we have grown nov
to over 10. There is no a Catholic man
woman or child in the state of North Da
n kota who need be deprived Of the grac'
! and Of the privilege of assisting at mas
! for the priests are everywhere and il
E easy reach of the people.
l. | know that | am right in so thinkin
s that Catholic citizens of this state are nc
one whit inferior in any particular; i
J virtue, certainly not; in attachment t
the government of the country, certainl
0 not inferior; in intellect and in wealth
not inferior; not inferior to other relif
- ious or irreligious denominations. Til
= Catholics of this state are advancing ste
q by step with the other peoples of tn
S state, and will tell you, my dear friend
who are not Catholics, you will have
look OUT or we will get ahead of yor
u Now this is briefly a record of the
years that have been here, and the ne
church, which we are dedicating tn
: morning, is going to serve as anoth.
- starting point for greater progress.
'e Progress has come from the Eas
t. progress still comes from the East; pr
gress comes from the Red River vale
west, but now we are going to change
W. are going to start the work of pr
:" gress from the bank of Green river ca
from Dickinson, the Palmyra of II
d West-the great city Of the plains. Dicl
n inson is going to be the center fro
which all good and all progress henc
X forth shall radiate, and Father Rabstei'
IN elk shall be the prophet and preacher
as the new cult"
le Father Rabsteinek's modestv Ike
him from making an address when calle
n upon at this point, and he turned to h
ur old friend, Very Rev. Dean Collins, IL
III good Mandan priest who oficiated f
j. some time in the Dickinson parish a fe
e. years ago, and asked him to speak.
y, was a pleasure and a privilege for II
lie venerable gentleman, who had returnt
at so recently from a six-months' tour
h. Europe, to address the people of tn
IN county again. He spoke in the highe
at terms of Rev. T. L. Rabsteinek who
lie he had known as a co-worker in the D
is kotas for oyer twenty years, and of h
k great work so successfully commence
al in Dickinson. The good Dean W
is pleased to note the marvellous progre
rk that Dickinson and the surroundil
III country had made in the last few yea
and he was willing that this city shou
ift be called the Palmyra of the West, b
an he insisted that Mandan should be i
cluded as a twin sister.
,st This concluded the program and Il
tie orchestra commenced to play again.
e. 1t was found that nearly 1000 Peep
I'd had been fed at the banquet and abo
St everything was eaten. However, the
dies were able to serve good meals aga
ID, on the following day and again Tuesd
&. evening and also a midnightssupper +
b. the dancers. The ladies who had t
lly work in charge gave the multitudes t
best of viands.
Rev. T. L. Rabsteinek came to t
no Dickinson parish from the eastern p;
I OF the state early last spring and it is b
,p- right to say here that he has accomplis
les ed a great deal for so short a time.
is he who has made it possible for t
he members of St. Joseph's Corporation
Lie build a MAGNIFICENT church and schc