USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume I > Part 6
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He first visited all the Catholic settlements within a radius of thirty miles of Vincennes, to ascertain for himself an accurate knowledge of their true condition. These visitations were often made on foot. After having thus made himself personally acquainted with the status of Catholicity in the vicinity of Vincennes, he deter- mined to make a similar inspection and obtain an accurate knowl- edge of all parts of his vast diocese. For this purpose he deter- mined to visit one-half of it in person, and delegated the Rev. Lalumiere to visit the other half. The eastern portion of it was. first settled, and at the time was provided with better accommoda- tions in the way of roads and inns. The western portion was still almost an unbroken wildneress with few settlements, and these- at great distances apart, without any roads, inns or other accom- modations for the comfort of travelers.
It would be according to the natural course of human action that the superior would take for himself the lesser of the two evils, and devolve upon the inferior the greater. But Bishop Brute did (56)
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not thus act. He assigned the eastern portion of the diocese to Rev. Lalumiere, and determined to take upon himself the inspec- tion of the wild and unsettled western part. Accordingly, on horseback he started from Vincennes, and threaded his way through the wilds of Illinois to Chicago, and thence around lake Michigan to the various Indian missions in the northern part of the state, and returning home along the course of the Wabash river. He was everywhere joyously received by the Catholics in the few settlements he found in his route, many of whom were Indian converts. When he returned to Vincennes, after this long and laborious journey through a wilderness country entirely un- known to him before this visit, he was fully advised by a personal inspection of the present and prospective wants of that portion of the diocese he had visited. Rev. Lalumiere, having a much easier and pleasanter task, had already returned from his tour of inspection before the bishop returned.
When he made his report of the information he had obtained of the eastern portion of the diocese, the bishop was fully acquainted with the condition and prospects of his entire diocese. The knowledge thus obtained at once convinced him he must procure material aid from outside sources, to enable him to successfully and quickly build up the new diocese committed to his care. For this purpose he determined to visit Europe and solicit aid, that being the only quarter where he could reasonably hope to meet with success. Accordingly he again visited his native France on this mission. He met with a generous reception from all classes and succeeded beyond his most sanguine expectations in procuring the necessary funds, and also a number of priests for his diocese, who were needed as much, if not more, than the funds he had col lected. Having successfully accomplished the object of his visit, he lost no time in hastening back to his wild field of labor with a large sum of money, which had been cheerfully and voluntarily given him.
After his return to Vincennes it might have been reasonably expected that his first care in the expenditure of the funds he had obtained would be the finishing and decorating of his cathedral, and providing for his own personal comfort by the erection of a suit-
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able episcopal residence. At least, such would have been the course pursued by a worldly-minded man. But again Bishop Bruté, by his course, was to disappoint the reasonable expectations of most people. He postponed these matters for future considera- tion, and devoted himself exclusively to provide for the education of the children, and of those who were destined to enter the min- istry. For the education of the clergy, he first erected a two-story brick building near the cathedral. He also began active prepara- tions to establish and put in operation free schools for both boys and girls, without any regard to religious belief. In a communica- tion published in the Sun, he announced that the schools he pro- posed to establish should be free for all persons. * *
Before that time, educational matters in Vincennes, as well as throughout the entire west, had been neglected, and the only educational facilities available were private schools conducted by individuals for pay, or through private tutors specially employed by such families as were able to do so. But Bishop Bruté was not discouraged by the doubts expressed of his success, but went on with his arrangements and succeeded in bringing here Sisters of Charity from Kentucky and inaugurated his free-school system for both boys and girls, and also a night school for the convenience of such as could not attend in day time. He also founded a college for higher education. These schools were all well attended and were perfectly free for every one.
This was the commencement in the state of Indiana of free- school education, and it must be remembered that it was more than twenty years before the present free school system of the state was authorized and organized under the constitution of 1850. In view of these facts am I not justified in claiming that, at least, so far as Indiana is concerned, Bishop Bruté was the originator and founder of the free-school system.
The schools he thus established in 1834 have been success- fully maintained and continued by his various successors until the present time.
A diocese whose teaching body consisted of a bishop and three priests with a charge of not over 1, 500 souls was not a very important institution. But situated in the then wilds of Indiana
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and eastern Illinois, and as far back as the year 1834, it was of consequence under the circumstances, and as history has since shown it to have been. It has been twice subdivided since that day to make place for the dioceses of Fort Wayne and Chicago; and at the death of Bishop Brute, in 1839, it had twenty-four priests, twenty-three churches, two religious communities, one seminary, one college, one female academy and two free schools.
The man who first stood at the helm of the church in these parts, who laid the foundations of future dioceses and institutions of the church, who set the example of the Good Shepherd, and cared for his sheep both in season and out of season, was
RT. REV. SIMON WILLIAM G. BRUTE,
who was born at Rennes, in France, March 20, 1779; was ordained priest, in France, in 1808; landed in America, 1810; was created bishop in 1834, and died at Vincennes, June 26, 1839. These are the dates of the chief events in the life of Bishop Brute, while his . life of sixty years, devoted to religion and the uplifting of human- ity, is in itself an epoch. Passing over mere family record and the details which others delight to dwell upon, we find the head and the heart of this great and good man far more than we are able to do justice to.
Intellectually, he had few superiors in his day. This means not merely his power of mind and thought-range, but rather his thorough and practical knowledge on a great variety of subjects- theology, philosophy, history, mathematics and medicine-not for- getting what he himself was accustomed to call "The Science of the Saints." To a naturally bright and inquiring mind he added much by an early-acquired habit of study and of attention to detail. He had finely developed faculties for order, organization and executiveness, which, with a reserve of ripe scholarship, were of incalculable advantage to the cause to which he devoted his life.
In the moral order, he excelled. The grandest elements in the saintly Brute were the moral. His piety and humility were equaled only by his charity. In him nearly all the moral virtues appeared to have had their proper abiding place. His very manner breathed forth virtue. Hopeful, trusting, patient, prayerful, he
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denied himself to such a degree that he almost annihilated self -- eliminated it from all he said or did or suffered. The ideal ecclesiastic, the typical bishop, the self-sacrificing follower of the Master-it was fitting that such a holy man should have been the first bishop of the " diocese in the wilderness."
He has had able and zealous successors in the see of Vin- cennes, but none of them are to be preferred before him in the things that belong in the life and work of a bishop of the Holy Catholic church.
Bishop Bruté was buried beneath the altar of his cathedral at Vincennes, June 28, 1839. A large number of ecclesiastics and a multitude of his fellow-citizens, who admired and loved him in life, were present at the last sad rites over him, now that he had " gone home." After about five years of episcopal labors he laid down his burden, which was taken up by his vicar-general, Very Rev. Father Hailandiere, who was consecrated bishop, in the the chapel of the Sacred Heart in Paris, August 18, 1839.
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CHAPTER IV.
ADMINISTRATION OF BISHOP DE LA HAILANDIERE, SECOND BISHOP OF
VINCENNES-THE FIRST DIOCESAN SYNOD-BISHOP'S RESIGNA- TION-HIS DEATH-BISHOP BAZIN'S SHORT REIGN.
T "HE diocese of Vincennes had prospered under the administra- tion of its first bishop, the saintly Brute. It had increased from a very small beginning as a diocese in 1834 to a see of some importance five years later, when it had twenty-four priests, twenty- three churches, and institutions of learning growing in flattering proportion. In 1837 the first directory of the diocese gave the following facts as to parishes, missions and priests:
IN INDIANA.
Vincennes, Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, Right Rev. Simon G. Bruté, D. D., Rev. Clestin de la Hailandiere, Rev. John Corbe.
Black Oak Ridge, Daviess county, St. Peter's, Rev. Simon Lalumiere; St. Mary's, Rev. Maurice de St. Palais.
Chicocos, an Indian village on the Tippecanoe, is attended by Rev. Mr. Deseilles, of Michigan.
Duchee River, visited occasionally.
Dover, Dearborn county, St. John's, every other Sunday, Rev. Joseph Fer- neding.
Fort Wayne, Allen county, St. Joseph's, Rev. Claude Francois; St. Mary's, Rev. Louis Muller.
Huntington, attended from Fort Wayne.
Logansport, Cass county, Mount Pleasant, Madison, Rev. Patrick O'Byrne.
New Alsace, Dearborn county, St. Paul's, a large German congregation, attended every other Sunday by Rev. Joseph Ferneding.
New Albany, and the Knobs, Floyd county, attended occasionally by Rev. Ignatius Reynolds, of Kentucky, and Rev. Joseph Ferneding.
Peru, Miamiport, Wabashtown, Salomic, Gros, occasionally visited by Rev. M. Ruff.
Rising Sun, Richmond, Shelbyville, Columbus, Indianapolis, occasionally attended.
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South Bend, St. Joseph county, and St. Mary's of the Lake, Rev. S. T. Badin, of Michigan, and Rev. Mr. Deseilles, of Michigan.
There are stations on the Ohio river, which are visited by Rev. Elisha Dur- bin and Rev. Charles Coomes, of Kentucky.
Terre Haute, Merom. LaFayette, Shaker's Prairie, occasionally attended.
Washington, Daviess county, Rev. Simon Lalumiere.
IN ILLINIOS.
Chicago, Rev. Irenaeus St. Cyr and Rev. Bernard Schaefer.
Paris Prairie, Edgar county, Thrawl's Station, Riviere au Chat, Coffee Town,. Lawrenceville, visited from Vincennes.
Shawneetown, Carmi, Albion, visited from Kentucky, by Rev. Elisha Durbin ..
Father Hailandiere, who had accompanied Bishop Bruté from France, in 1836, was again in that country in 1839 collecting assistance in money for the needs of the diocese and inducing young ecclesiastics to accompany him to the scene of his labors in Indiana, when the sad news of the death of Bishop Bruté reached him in Paris. Having been previously preconized coadjutor with right of succession to Bishop Bruté in the diocese of Vincennes, he- was thereupon consecrated bishop, as above stated, in the chapel of the Sacred Heart in Paris by Mgr. De Forbin Janson, who was. assisted in the ceremony by the bishops of Versailles and Beauvais.
Bishop Hailandiere had done more work while in France than the mere collection of money, or the inducing of acceptable young men to prepare to enter upon mission work in the western wilder- ness. Besides these he had higher aims, for he had an eye to future permanent and much-needed educational institutions, the resolve to establish which he held in common with his saintly pred- ecessor; to carry out these ideas he devoted himself to securing the co-operation of French educational religious orders in founding colleges in his diocese. Hence the Eudists undertook to found a college at Vincennes; the society of the Holy Cross sent a delega- tion of Brothers with a priest at their head to found a college, schools for boys, and the congregation of the Sisters of Providence to establish schools for the education of girls in the several parishes.
It can be seen from this how faithful Bishop Hailandiere was in carrying out the intentions and desires of Bishop Brute in the matter of education. To these two bishops the Catholics of (62)
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RT. REV. CELESTINE RENE DE LA HAILANDIERE, SECOND BISHOP OF VINCENNES.
IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.
Indiana owe the existence in their midst not only of fine parochial schools but also of such famous institutions of learning as St. Mary's academy, Vigo county; St. Mary's academy, St. Joseph county; and the university of Notre Dame. The individuals accompanying Bishop Hailandiere on his return from France to his. diocese in 1839 were Father Sorin, founder of the university of Notre Dame; Father Bellier, founder of St. Gabriel's college, Vin- cennes; Mother Theodora Guerin and Sister St. Francis Xavier --. all of these persons of worth and ability, as their record shows.
Having been installed in his cathedral as bishop the Sunday after his return from France, November 14, 1839, he thereupon redoubled his efforts to develop his diocese both spiritually and materially. He expended the money which he collected in France, not alone in finishing and beautifying his cathedral, but also in building churches, asylums, seminaries and hospitals in various. parts of his diocese. He also secured property for church pur- poses in nearly all the populous and promising centers in the state, and was singularly happy in his choice of locations for the various. institutions which, since his day, have grown to great importance -notably the university of Notre Dame and St. Mary's of the Woods.
In the early years of his administration, as well as later, either consuming zeal, or else the lack of ability to direct others, com- pelled him to be first in every work and to be the active man in its. direction and management. He could find no one to do things as he wished them done, perhaps because he did not know how to. give the proper directions, or because to a degree he lacked confi- dence in the ability of others to do at least some things well. Because of this he was practically without assistants, although he had good ones. He had the machinery, but did not know how to employ it to advantage. Others could put the wheels in motion, but they were not in authority.
Bishop Hailandiere convoked, May 5, 1844, the first synod held in the diocese, at which twenty-five priests were present, with eleven absent. The object of this meeting of the clergy was to regulate discipline in accordance with instructions from Rome, touching missionaries in a missionary country.
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The priests who attended the synod were Revs. John Vabret, Stanislaus Buteux, John Bellier and John B. Chassé, members of the Eudist order, whom Bishop Hailandiere brought from France in 1838, when he was Bishop Bruté's vicar-general, to establish a college at Vincennes. Also Rev. Michael Shawe, the eloquent Englishman; and Rev. John Corbe, who came to the diocese in 1836. Rev. Aug. Bessonies and Rev. John Timon, the latter of whom became bishop of Buffalo, and the former raised to the dignity of bishop of the Papal household and yet lives (1898) at the cathe- dral, Indianapolis. Next were Rev. Louis Neyron, M. D., who served as a surgeon in the Napoleonic wars, and Rev. Simon P. Lalumiere, a native of Vincennes and the first priest ordained specially for the diocese. Then there were Rev. Vincent Bacquelin, who was killed by a fall from his horse near Shelbyville, where he was on the mission, in 1846; and Very Rev. Aug. M. A. Martin, vicar-general for the diocese, who went to the diocese of Louisiana in 1845. Also, Revs. Julian Delaune, who became president of St. Mary's college, Kentucky, in 1846, and Pierre Ducondray, who was a near relative of Bishop Hailandiere. The following ten names make up the twenty-five who were present: Revs. Michael Clarke, Michael O'Rourke, C. Opperman, A. Parret, C. Schnieder- jans, T. Mullen, T. Courgault, William Englen, A. Munchina, Joseph Rudolf.
The eleven priests who were absent were not so from choice or disinclination to attend; a retreat for the clergy having preceded the synod, it was necessary that some priests remain on duty attending to the wants of the people. Those thus employed were the following: Revs. E. Sorin, 'R. Weinzoepfel, J. Benoit, M. de St. Palais, F. Cointet, H. Dupontavice, F. Fisher, J. Gueguen, J. Kundeck, T. Meinkmann and T. Marivault.
The priests who attended were struck with the bishop's love of order and his desire that a record of everything be kept. They could see this on every hand, even in the improvements made in temporal affairs in the city of Vincennes, which at that time had a population of over 3,000. To their eyes, accustomed to look only upon the forest and the struggling little village of two or three log shanties, Vincennes appeared to them a very worthy episcopal
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city, and some of them expressed surprise that the bishop had it in mind to look for another city in which to fix his see.
He had, indeed, already resolved upon the removal of his see, the necessity for which, and the argument, lay in the fact that prospects were not bright for bettering communication by travel between Vincennes and the other portions of the diocese, and also on account of the still more formidable fact that the future, as he saw it, held nothing of promise in store for the city of Vincennes itself. His foresight has been signally verified and his wish carried out, too, as Indianapolis, with its 200,000 population, has been not only made the episcopal city but also the city whose name the diocese is to bear from this year of 1898 on.
In 1844 Chicago was separated from the diocese of Vincennes and Bishop Hailandiere withdrew from that field, also Father de St. Palais, who was to be a future bishop of Vincennes, and Fathers Dupontavice and Gueguen. 、
Among the affairs which had distressed Bishop Hailandiere was a difficulty in the then town of Chicago which smacked of the nature of a schism. After others had failed to remove the trouble the good bishop himself happily succeeded in the work.
He next had to face the infamous charge of rape preferred by an evil and designing female, named Schmoll, against one of his priests, Father Weinzoepfel, at the town of Evansville. At that time the spirit of bigotry, imported from the east, was being fanned into a consuming flame in Kentucky and Indiana. In consequence the accused was cast into prison. Later he was brought to what was miscalled a trial, at which he was convicted and sentenced to prison for five years by a judge who lived long enough himself to know that even the common people knew of his wickedness. "Divorce this case from the Catholic church," said Judge Pitcher, who was one of the attorneys for the defense, "and such a prosecution would not be listened to or tolerated by an honorable court."
Father Weinzoepfel was pardoned by the governor in Febru- ary, 1845, after he had been in prison from the 12th day of March of the previous year. Not only the governor of the state but the entire community were convinced of the innocence of the priest.
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For a time the effect of the affair was bad, but later even the wicked woman herself and her husband confessed that she had been bribed to so charge the priest with guilt, but that he was innocent, and that she was a perjurer.
Bishop Hailandiere believed in the innocence of Father Wein- zoepfel and would not during his life permit the priest to retire to a monastry, which he had wished to do. So universal was the sympathy for the outraged priest that on the 4th of September, 1881, in the city of Evansville, where his life was in danger forty years before, and where he was accused by the female, Schmoll, he laid the corner stone of the church of St. Boniface in the presence of a vast assemblage of the people, who were present as much to give testimony of their faith in the good priest as to assist at the sacred ceremonies.
In 1845 Bishop Hailandiere again visited Rome, this time to lay his troubles' before the then reigning Pope, Gregory XVI, and beg to be permitted to resign his office. He was driven to this. because of the lagging of affairs in his diocese-a standing-still which was accounted for because of the hard times and lack of means to make improvements, and in part also because the good bishop was himself wanting in executive ability. The Pope, how- ever, would not accept the bishop's resignation, but sent him back to his diocese loaded with presents and blessings both for himself and his flock.
Bishop Hailandiere, on his return, brought more priests and students for his missions, renewed his efforts for the good of religion, and to a degree had resigned himself to the obedience of dwelling in the midst of discontent. His labors were ineffectual, and the situation became so sufficiently pronounced the following year that, in 1847, at his most urgent request and for the good of the diocese which he loved, he was relieved of his great burden and his successor, Father John Steven Bazin, of Mobile, Ala., was appointed in his stead.
Bishop Hailandiere remained to assist at the consecration of Bishop Bazin. After this event he visited for his health for a few months in the south and was at Philadelphia on his way back to- France when he learned of the death of Bishop Bazin, after just
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six months of administering the diocese. He continued his jour- ney to New York, where he met Bishop Hughes, and from which point he wrote letters to some of the Vincennes priests prophesy- ing that one of their number would most likely be chosen bishop .*
Arriving in France a "Bishop without a see," he retired on his family estate, which afforded him a living until his death. This estate was situated at Triandin, near Combourg. By economy he always saved some money, which, from time to time, he sent to aid his old diocese of Vincennes. The last remittance was the year before his death, 1881, when $750 was the amount he had saved up for his beloved diocese. He died May 1, 1882, in his eighty-fourth year, and, at his own request, his body was trans- ferred to the city of Vincennes, where it was interred November 22, 1882, with all the solemn rites of the church. Archbishop Purcell, of Cincinnati, celebrated the mass on the occasion, and Bishop Chatard, who had succeeded to the see of Vincennes, preached the sermon.
A memorial service was held in St. John's church, Indianapo- lis, June 7, 1882, at which a panegyric was delivered on Bishop Halandiere by his nephew, Rev. E. Audran, of Jeffersonville.
BISHOP CELESTINE GUYNEMER DE LA HAILANDIERE.
The second bishop of Vincennes was eighty-four years old lacking one day when he died. In 1836 he left Combourg, France, the place of his birth, and accompanied Bishop Brute to Indiana. In 1839 he was consecrated as the successor of Bishop Brute for the see of Vincennes. Having been born May 2, 1798, he was in his day the youngest bishop in the United States. In physical appearance he was a large man, imposing and fine-looking. His heart was in keeping with his make-up, for he was generous and -devoted to his trust. This was evidenced by his substantial love for the diocese of Vincennes during the thirty-five years of his
*Although Rt. Rev. Bishop De La Hailandiere had resigned of his own .accord, when the time came to leave the diocese for which he had worked so hard, and which he loved so much, his courage failed, and he was very anxious to remain at Highland, and form there a house of missionary priests, to give missions in the diocese and elsewhere. But Bishop Bazin, fearing some misunderstanding in the future, refused to accede to that request, and Bishop De La Hailandiere's feelings were severely hurt by that refusal .- Rt. Rev. Aug. Bessonies.
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life after he resigned as its bishop. He was a man of wonderful energy and force of character, while his intellect was far beyond the average.
Bishop Hailandiere's resignation of his office in the face of difficulties has been regarded by some priests as an evidence of weakness. On the surface it would appear so, but in reality he was not a weak man. The fact is, he was strong. He knew the nature and source of the troubles which impeded his progress; he knew how to remedy them, too; but there is such a thing as not being able to carry out one's ideas. To have a theory-the right theory-and to reduce that theory to practice, are very different things. Some men, otherwise weak men, are equal to doing such a thing, while other men, acknowledged to be strong men, are unequal to the work. It was so with Bishop Hailandiere. He was unequal to marshaling the forces within his control to accomplish a task of which he had the clearest insight.
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