The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-10-26

THE CATHOLIC BJ
amongst them. Chief of these, between
1915 and 1925, were F. Rodriguez, and,
in 1S20-50, the first Vicar Apostolic, F.
Benito Fernandez, both Spaniards, and
famous for their evangelical work in
the now essentially Protestant colony.
With the breaking out of the revolu-
ton in Santo Domingo, many Haitian
refugees TO- nd asylum in Jamaica, and
these, being all French Catholics, as
sisted materially in Strengthening the
interests of the Church in that island
So many were they that sermons for
the first time were preached in French
and French priests replaced the Span
iards who had hitherto directed the
destinies of their religion. Especially
Jealous were both priests in the con-
verting of the slaves, whose souls, if
we accept their own statements, were
little valued by their Protestant mas
tiers or by the ministers of other re-
ligions, who were often slave-owners
themselves. It is recorded, and on
good authority, that baptism by ship
loads was no uncommon feature of the
early work of the Franciscans among
these unfortunate and benighted Afri-
cans.
4 Under the Jesuits.
AS successor to Father Fernandez in
the Vicarship Apostolic was Father
Dupeyron, the famous Jesuit, and the
first of his order to arrive in the
| island. His 1abors, begun in the early
fifties, lasted for close on forty years
and are still spoken of in the highest
praise by Catholics who remember
him. Equally famous was his success
sor, Father Porter, also Jesuit, and
brother of the Catholic Archbishop of
Bombay; while Father Gotham, con-
temporary of Father Porter, and the
first English priest of note, has also
left his name in the religious history
of the colony. .'
| These priests were not only the
spiritual advisers Of their flock, but
were also the consulters and assistants
in secular matters, even in law and
medicine. Distinguished for his ready
versatility as general guide, and
friend was Father Dupont, a Jesuit,
who died as recent as the early eigh-
ties, after forty-five years of constant
labor on the island. Perhaps more
than any other of his noted predeces-
sors, he was the adored of his flock
who knew him Familiarity as Father
| D."
Under the vicarship of this distin-
guished priest, and mainly through his
efforts, the Cathedral Church of Holy
Trinity was built in Kingston.
The government of the Church had
hitherto been directly under the au-
thorities at Rome, but in 1894 it came
under the Maryland-New York Prov.
ince of the Jesuit Society, by which
it is now administered. Prior to this,
and shortly after Father Dupont's time
the vicarship was exalted to a See and
Father Gordon appointed the first
Catholic Bishop.
The First Bishop. ~
Under the guidance of Bishop Cor.
don the Church grew in the number OF
it's converts and especially in the mat.
ter of education in Catholic schools
and through the Strengthening of mis-
sion work in various parts of the
island A body of Salesians was also
encouraged to settle in the island and
to devote themselves to the training
of waits and incorrigibles, and farm
for their use was laid out in the sub
urbs of Kingston, where with the as
sistance of the Sisters of Mercy it was
hoped to accomplish considerable good
among the Unfortunate youths of the
city. Owing, however, to lack of finan
cial aid, the scheme was abandoned
and the Salesians left.
In the early fifties the first convent
was established in Jamaica, there be
ing at the present time two of these
institutions-the older Convent of The
Sisters of st. Francis and the Convent
of the Sisters of Mercy. English in
stitutions both of them, the majority Of
the nuns were English women, but g
few, and some from the more respec
table families of Kingston are, jana
lea born. Connected with the converts
is Alpha Cottage, an industrial anC
commitment school that ranks high ir
the estimation of the general public
AS an influence for good, not only
along purely UNCONVENTIONAL lines, but
in the broadcast possible sense, it il
doubtful if any other public institution
accomplishes such benefits among the
young as does this school under the
Sisters of Mercy.
/. One of the most influential of the
Sisters, and a distinguished nun, is the
superior of the st. Francis Sisters, the
Venerable Mother Paula, who has beer
fifty years on the island.