Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-05
Early Striving and Later Develop
ment of the Catholic Church.
UNCoLORED STORY OF PROGRESS
Humble Beginning and Present Das
Position Recounted by Rev
James Aherne of south
Omaha.


viewed and the general scope and lntiu,
ence of the ecclesiastical, educatlonai ana
charitable work of the diocese treated
at length. Interesting statistics have
baen compiled by the author, Rev. James
Aherne Of South Omaha. Much new In
formation will be found in the follow
ing excerpts;
The diocese of Omaha embraces all
that part Of the state of Nebraska north
of the southern shore of the South Platte
river. Area, s., 995 sduare miles.
The first missionaries in Nebraska
ware priests Of the Society Of Jesus, who
from about ISIS, occasionally visited the
native Indians. many Of whom received
bap,ls,r. IN 1851 the Holy See cut off
from the diocese Of ST. Louis all the
country north from the south line OF
Kansas 10 canada and west from the
Missouri river to the Rocky mountains,
and erected 1t into the vicariate Of the
Rocky mountains. with Right Rev. John
Il. Miege, :. J.. as first vicar apostolic
On January c, 1857, this vicariate was
again divided, and new vicariate called
the vicar;ate Of Nebraska was erected,
Bishop NIECE being authorized to govern
II until the appointment of resident
vicag apostolic of Nebraska.
First Resident Bishop.
The first resident vicar apostolic was
the Right Rev. James Miles o'Gorman,
ID. D.. born near Nenash, Tipperary
county, Ireland. 1904; took the Trappist
habit al Mount Melleray. Waterford
county. November /, 1889. and was or
dalned priest, 1si2 He was one of the
band who came to Dubuque. Ia, in 1870
TO establish New Melleray. In 1859 he
was appointed vicar apostolic of Ne
braska, and on May s of the same year
was conaecrated titular bishop Of Raph-
ane by Archbishop Kentrick of st. Louis.
The vicariate at this time embraced the
present state of Nebraska, the Dakotas
west of the Missouri river, Wyoming and
Montana east Of the Rocky mountains.
On his arrival at Omaha, Bishop OGor-
man found In his vast jurisdiction
Catholic population Of some 800 families
OF white settlers living along the river
counties, and a few thousand Indians.
chiefly in Montana. There were in the
entire territory two Seculars and one
Jesuit priest in Montana in charge of
the native tribes.
During the fifteen years of his episco-
pate Bishop o'Gorman labored to provide
for the needs of his scattered flock. He
placed priests in the more important CEN
ters OF population, and In the SOC, priests
of the vlcarlate minlstered to the Catho-
lies of western Iowa. During his adj
minlstration the Sisters Of Mercy we're
established in Omaha, the Benedictines
in Nebraska City and the Sisters OF
Charity In Helena, Mont. At his death
July 4, 1870 his jurisdiction contained
nineteen priests, twenty churches and
Catholic population of I,72.
Division of the VIcariate.
The second vicar apostolic was the
Right Rev James OConner, D. D., born
at Queenstown, ireland, September 10.
1923 At the age of Is he came to Amer
Tea He was educated at ST. Charles
seminary, Philadelphia, and in the Propa-
ganda college, Rome, where he was Or
dained priest in 1913. The following year
he was appointed rector OF ST. MchaeI's
seminary Pittsburgh, and in 1852 rector
Of St. Charles seminary, Overlook. Pa.
in 1872 he was appointed pastor of ST.
Dominio's church. Holmesburg, Pa. In
1876 he was appointed vicar apostolic OF
Nebraska. and on August % of the same
year he was eonsecrated titular Bishop
Of Dibons by Bishop Ryan of ST. Louis
During his episcopate the yicariate de-
veloped with wonderful rapidity. The
construction of the Union Pacific rail-
way in 1867. and more especially the ex-
tension Of the Burlington railway in the
rs and SOS. opened up Nebraska to col
onists, and white settlers began TO pour
in from the eastern states II became
tho duty of the new vicar to provide
for tho growing needs Of the faithful,
and the yearly statistics of the vicariate
show how successful were his labors.
In 1850 the Dakotas were erected into
vlcariate. and on April :. 1857, Montana
was cut off.
ON October :. 1855. the vicariate was
erected into the diocese Of Omaha, and
Bishop O'Connor was appointed its first
bishop. The new diocese embraced the
present states Of Nebraska and Wyoming
on August >. 1857. the diocese Of Cheyenne
and Lincoln were erected. leaving Omaha
fits present boundaries. Through the
generosity Of the Creighton family. Bishop
O'ConnOr was enabled to erect a Catholic
free day college in the city Of Omaha. On
its completion in 1872. the bishop. who
held the property in trust. decided over
the institution to the Jesuit fathers. who
are since in charge and hold the property
as trustees. Bishop O'Connor also in
troduced into his jurisdiction the Fran
ciscan Fathers. the Poor Clares. the
Religious Of the Sacred Heart, the Bene-
dictines and the Sisters of Providence. 4
most important work in the bishops life
was the foundation. in conjunction with
Miss Catherine Drexel. Of the Sisters Of
the Blessed Sacrament in 1859. Bishop
oConnor also helped to establish a
Catholic colony in Greeley county and
(iSSD the Catholic Mutual Relief Society
Of America.
Present Day Progress.
The present bishop Is the Ri Rev. |
Richard scanneii. D. D., born in the par
ish Of CIoyne, Cork county. Ireland. May
l.. 1876. Having completed his Classical
studies in a private school at Middleton, /
In 1856 he entered All HAlIows college, J
Dublin. where he was ordained priest, |
February =. ISL. In the same year he |
came to the diocese Of Nashville and was
appointed assistant At the cathedral In |
1873 he became rector Of st. COlUmbia's 4
church, East Nashville. and in 1s7s rector |
of the cathedral From sSo TO 1853 he 1
was administrator Of the diocese. sede /
v4eante. In 1ss5 >e organized ST. Joseph's 1
parish in West Nashville and built its |