The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-28

Dung CldJdrO was 6OuCdJeQ dG
Mt. St. Mary's college near Emmits-
burg, Md. In 1857 Archbishop Ken
rick of Baltimore sent him to the
College Of Propaganda in Rome
where in 1868, he received the title
of Doctor of Divinity. In November
of the same year, he was made vice
rector of the American College in
the Eternal City and in 1868, given
the full rectorship.
1t was during these years of con-
tact with high church dignitaries
and government officials that he &C
quired that polish and refinement
that made him such a striking fig
ure in later years at public gather
ings on Hoosier soil over which he
spiritually presided. Chivalrous by
nature and a true gentleman, he
owed much of his fine traits to his
French lineage.
On March 26, 1878, while in the
United States on a mission entrust-
ed him by Rome, he was named
bishop of Vincennes by Pope Leo
XIII. On May u, he was conse-
Grated in Rome by Cardinal Fran
chi and was enthroned as Bishop at
the Cathedral Of St. Francis Xavier
at Vincennes, Aug. IL, 1873.
His very first pastoral letter es-
tablished the new bishop as class
ical scholar and theologian of the
first rank. His predecessor in office
had been granted the right to move
the See City from Vincennes, if he
so chose, but that right never had
been exercised.
HOWEVER, as soon as Bishop
i Il Chatard had been installed at
Vincennes, he announced that he
would reside at indianapolis, the
capital and metropolis of the state,
For the time being, his Diocese still
retained the name of The Diocese
of Vincennes." On his arrival at
Indianapolis Aug. 7, 1873. he was
met by Governor Williams and state
officials as we'll as by Mayor Caven
of Indianapolis and city officials
who joined in escorting him from
the Union Station to the episco-
pal residence.
On the following Sunday Aug Is,
the bishop pontif1cated solemn mass
for the first time in st. Johns
church on South Capitol avenue. A
parade was held the same after
noon after which Father Denis
ODonaghue welcomed him in the
name of the societies Of the city.
On Dec. 10. 1878, Bishop Chatard
summoned the priests of the Diocese
for a synod, known as the Second
Diocesan Synod. At this gathering,
there we're present seventy-two
priests out of total of 1877. The
synod was held it st. Johns church.
AS a result of its deliberations.
Bishop Chatard soon afterwards is
sued an important pastoral letter
in which he dwelt at length on the
pressing topics of that tine-the
clergy, the laity, the church. matri-
mony, mixed marriages. Catholic
schools, secret societies and Catho-
lie societies.
Soon after, he issued another pas
toral in which he stressed the dire
consequences of mixed marriages,
condemning them most unequivo-
cally. Another diocesan synod was
held in 1880. These synods, afford
ing an intimate discussion of all
matters pertaining to the welfare
of the Diocese and its people, we're
productive of great good.
BY the time that Bishop Chatard
had established his episcopal resi-
dence at Indianapolis, the rugged
pioneer life of the early and middle
XIX century largely had disap-
peared. Thriving towns and cities
had taken place of the rude villages
and settlements of the earlier days.
The life of the Catholic people of
the diocese, no different from that
of their fellow Hoosiers, concerned
itself much with political and eco
nomic problems. Industry slowly
was ,revolutionizing the social as
pect of the state and its inhabi-
tants. Factories and railroads in
urban centers were growing apace
with the agricultural developments
of the country and farm districts.
In 1880 the population of Indiana
was 1,978,S0l; in 1890 it was 2.192,-