Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-05-06
HISTORY OF THE
ARCHDIOCESE
OF OREGON CITY

City, yet published, is contained in
the eleventh volume of the new Cath
olic encyclopedia. The early strlv-
ings of Catholic settlers for recogni-
ton in western Oregon are graphi-
cally recounted and the rise OF the
diocese from its humble beginnings to
Its present day important position in
the community Is treated at length.
The general scope and influence of
the ecclesiastical, educational and
charitable work Of the diocese is tell
ingly reviewed. Interesting statistics
hitherto unpublished have been COM
piled by the author, Edwin v. o'Hara,
of Portland. Much new information
is contained in the following excerpts
taken from its pages
"The Archdiocese of Oregon City
includes that part of the state Of Or
egon west Of the Cascade mountains,
being bounded on the east by the
counties of Wasco, Crook and Klam-
ath. It comprises an area Of 21,398
square miles. By an indult of the
Holy See dated February 2S, 1886, the
Oregon county north of the American
line was annexed to the vlcariate
Apostolic of Manager Provencher of
Red River. BY letters of April II,
1848, Rev. F. N. Blanchet was ap-
pointed vlcar-general to the Arch
bishop Of Quebec and assigned to the
Oregon mission. The vlcar-general
established his first mission at st.
Paul on the Willamette, and on Jan
uary 6, 1889, dedicated at that place
the first Catholic church in Oregon.
The church had been constructed
three years earlier by the Canadian
settlers who had anticipated the COM
ing Of missionary among them.
"As the line of demarcatlon be-
tween British and American territory
was still undecided, and missionary
priests had been sent into the coun-
try both from Canada and from the
United States (De Smet had come
from st. Louis), Oregon, became
Joint mission depending upon the
Bishops of Quebec and Baltimore. At
the suggestion of these bishops, the
mission was erected into a vlcariate
Apostolic by a brief of December 1,
1849. On July "a, 1886, the vicarlate
was transformed into a province COM
prising the Archdiocese of Oregon
City and the Dloceses Of Walla Wal
la and Vancouver's Island. With the
transfer of the See of Walla Walla
to Nesqually (1S4S), the northern
boundary of the Archdiocese Of Ore
gon City was fixed at the Columbia
River and the 46th degree latitude.
This territory was diminished by the
erection of the vicariate of Idaho
(1S6S) and finally received its pres
ent limits by the erection of the Dio-
cese of Baker City Q9O3).
Bishops: Q) Francois Norbert
Blanchet was born September 3, 1895,
and consecrated July 25, 1S45. There
were in the diocese in 1S45, 10
priests, 10 Sisters of Notre Dame,
and two educational institutions. The
first priest ordained in oregon was
Father Jayol, the ceremony being
performed by Archbishop Blanchet at
st, Paul. September 10, 1S47. On
November 30, the archbishop conse-
Grated at st, Paul, Bishop Demers, of
Vancouver's Island lie convened the
First Provincial Council of Oregon
City, February 2S, 1S4S. On Decem-
ber 81, Archbishop Blanchet left st.
Paul and took up his residence at
Oregon City. In 1859 the first church
in the city of Portland was dedicated
under the title Of the Immaculate
Conception. 1t became the pro-cathe-
dral when Archbishop Blanchet
moved to Portland in 1862.
"(2) Charles John Seghers was
born December 26, 1899, at Client,
successor to the pioneer Bishop De-
mers of Vancouver Island, and was
transferred to Oregon City, Decem-
Der 10, 1878, and became coadjutor to
Archbishop Blanchet who at once re-
tired from active life. Archbishop
Seghers is remembered for his heroic
devotion to the Indian missions Of
Alaska which led him to resign the
See of oregon City in 1884.
"(9) William II. Gross (consecrat-
cd Bishop Of Savannah, 1879 was
promoted to the archlepiscopal See of
Oregon City, February /, 1885, and
invested with the pallium in Port
land by His Eminence Cardinal Glib
bons, October g. On his death No
yember IA, 1898, he was succeeded by
tho present archbishop (4) Most
Rev. Alexander Christie (consecrated
Bishop Of Vancouver's Island, June
49, 1S9S) was promoted to the
archiepiscopal See of Oregon City
February 70, 1899. Statistics for
1919. dlnneann nriesia hn. nrinaia nI