USA > Louisiana > Orleans Parish > New Orleans > Standard history of New Orleans, Louisiana, giving a description of the natural advantages, natural history settlement, Indians, Creoles, municipal and military history, mercantile and commercial interests, banking, transportation, etc. > Part 50
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the confiscation that the order here took no care of their missions; that they con- cerned themselves alone with improving their plantation, and that they had usurped the office of the Vicar General. At home the order was accused of attacking the royal authority, of encroaching on the prerogatives of the bishops, and, in fine, of endangering the public safety.
The superior council of Louisiana, on June 9, 1763, condemned the order of Jesuits without a hearing. This was prior, by some ten years, to the sweeping con- demnation of the order by Clement XIV. By the sentence of the council, the goods and chattels of the Jesuits were sold at auction, with the exception of some books and clothes, which they were allowed to keep. The money realized on the sale of their goods in the city was to go to the missions, and that coming from property confiscated and sold in other parts of the State should go to the King. Even their church ornaments and sacred vessels were turned over to the Capuchins by this uncompromising decree, which further ordered the chapel of the Jesuits razed and the fathers sent back to France, forbidding them in the time before their departure to live as formerly in community. So vindictive was the execution of the decree that when the chapel was razed, not even the graveyard near by escaped desecration. The only Jesuit who was allowed to remain in New Orleans at the time of this expulsion was Father Baudoin, seventy-two years old, broken and feeble. He had resided for thirty years in the colony, and having no relatives or friends in France, he was allowed to remain in New Orleans for the rest of his days. It is thus seen that New Orleans enjoys the distinction of being one city on the new continent sufficiently old to have witnessed the days when men were "banished the city," and when religious persecution ran riot. Part of the Jesuits, not alone from New Or- lcans, but through the province, departed in January, 1764, and part the next month. But three of all the number remained-Father de la Meurinie, who was too ill to undertake the voyage to the old country; and the other, Father Meurin, who in some manner obtained consent to return to his mission work among the Indians. Father Baudoin was taken under the care and protection of Etienne de Boré, who in those days owned a home where Horticultural Hall in Audubon Park now stands, overlooking the river. The venerable Jesuit died in 1766.
The Jesuits, being expelled from New Orleans, the Capuchins were then in ecclesiastical charge of the city. Father Dagobert, of whom many a vagrant verse, still preserved, sings, was the superior of the order. It was about this time that Louisiana became a part of the bishopric of Santiago de Cuba, being detached from that of Quebec, to which it had previously belonged. Right Rev. James Joseph de
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Echevaria was at the time the head of this bishoprie, being stationed in the Antilles. The Spanish government, desirous to spread the use of the Spanish tongue in Lou- isiana, sent four young ladies here, who took the veil as Ursuline nuns, with the duty before them of teaching the tongue to the youth of New Orleans. It also sent one Spanish priest at the same time. This was in 1772. In the same year the ecclesiastical affairs of New Orleans were taken in charge by Father Cirilio, a Span- ish Capuchin, who was sent to the city by the Bishop of Cuba. He arrived herc July 19. There was some friction engendercd between the priests of the same order, but of different nationalities. The Spanish Capuchin in charge sent reports to his bishop relative to the French Capuchins not at all to the credit of the latter. The Spanish governor, Unzaga, however, disapproved these reports and succeeded in establishing harmony between the priests of the different nationalities. In 1781 Father Cirilio was made a bishop and auxiliary to the Bishop of Santiago de Cuba. He was thus the first bishop of Louisiana, which, however, still remained a part of the former diocese. He appointed Father Antoine de Sedella rector of St. Louis Parish in New Orleans, and, after twenty years of service, was retired in 1793. Father Sedella had been one of six priests sent here by the Spanish government in 1779, all of the Capuchin order.
At the time of the retirement of Bishop Cirilio there had come to New Orleans a number of Protestants. Four Irish priests had also come to the mission of Lou- isiana from the seminary of Salamanca. They arrived in 1787. The bishopric of Havana was formed in 1790. The bishopric of Santiago de Cuba and the southern part of the island of Cuba became the bishoprie of Santiago de Cuba. The northern portion of the island and the Floridas were merged, with Louisiana, into the bish- oprie of Havana. Three years later, on April 25, 1793, Louisiana and the Floridas were formed into a new bishopric. Its ordinary was Don Louis de Penalver y Cardenas, formerly a Jesuit pupil. St. Louis church was made his cathedral and New Orleans his see. The new bishop arrived July 17, 1795.
At the opening of 1800 the Catholic religion was still the only one holding publie religious services in New Orleans. There were two ehapels and the church. The church was in charge of a priest and three assistants. It owned one square of ground. The pew rent and $100 per annum paid by the King was the entire revenue of the church. The chapels were attached, one to the hospital, the other to the con- vent. To the latter institution, what was looked upon as a great misfortune happened on May 29, 1803, when sixteen of the Ursuline nuns, dissatisfied with French rule, left the convent and went to Havana, only eleven nuns remaining.
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Bishop Penalver was made Arehbishop of Guatemala on July 20, 1801, and the management of the religious affairs devolved upon Very Rev. Thomas Hasset and Very Rev. Patrick Walsh, his two eanons. They continued to administer the charge until the appointment of Bishop Penalver's sueeessor, Right Rev. Francis Porro. Bishop Penalver never took charge of his appointment, nor did he come to New Orleans, being transferred to the diocese of Tarrazona because of the negotiations then pending for the transfer of Louisiana from Franee to the United States. Very Rev. Thomas Hasset dying in April, 1804, Very Rev. Patrick Walsh remained in sole charge of the Catholic Church here until August 22, 1806. At this time the Very Rev. Jean Oliver was officiating at the Ursuline eonvent. The Bishop of Bal- timore, Rev. Carroll, appointed him as Vicar General.
It was about this time that one of the most notable eontentions in the history of the church in this seetion of the world occurred relative to the Cathedral. The chapel of the Ursuline convent had been made the parish ehureh by Father Walsh on March 27, 1805. He had done this because of a difficulty he had had with Father de Sedella, who was in possession of the Cathedral. In 1813 Very Rev. William Dubourg, apostolie administrator of the diocese, eame to New Orleans with the one duty before him, to settle the contention between the prelates. The apostolie admin- istrator became involved in the controversy he had eame to solve. Both Viear Generals engaged in the attempt to get the Cathedral from Father Antoine de Se- della. Father Sedella would not be ousted, however. He and his adherents foreed Very Rev. Dubourg to take refuge in Acadia. The Cathedral remained in possession of Father Sedella in spite of all attempts by the Vicar General. His parishioners took the matter in hand, placed themselves in charge of the Cathedral, and appointed a board of wardens, composed of Thomas Poree, Paul Lanusse, Jean Baptiste La- batut, Jean Castanedo and Jean Baptiste Durrel. Subsequently Father Sedella was sustained by a decision of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans.
Right Rev. William Dubourg was appointed regular bishop by the Pope later. Right Rev. Guiseppe Rosati, of the order of Lazarists, Bishop of Tenagre, was transferred to the diocese of St. Louis March 20, 1827, and made the eoadjutor to Bishop Dubourg. Right Rev. Raymond de Nekre, also a Lazarist, sueeeeded as the next Bishop of Louisiana, dying in 1833. For two years, until 1835, the Roman Church of New Orleans was administered by Very Rev. Fathers Blanc and Lada- viere. In that year the former was consecrated bishop in the Cathedral. The see of New Orleans was made an archdiocese in 1852, Bishop Blanc becoming the first archbishop. He died June 22, 1860, and a tablet to his memory is in the Cathedral to-day.
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Long ere this the zealous and obstinate Father Antonio de Sedella had de- parted for Cadiz, under circumstances peculiarly distressing, not however, before he had earned the distinction of being responsible for an attempt to introduce on the new continent the hideous inquisition. In spite of all opposition he had suc- ceeded in making himself a force in New Orleans. He had successfully resisted the officers of his church and remained in possession of the Cathedral. He set his plans for the introduction of the institution, which is one of the foulest blots on the pages of history, with all the care and pains of a zealot convinced that he is doing a great thing for the good of his fellow mortals. Thinking that he had even Governor Miro on his side in his purposes, he notified the governor one day that he might soon find it necessary to require guards at a late hour of the night to assist him. On the night following this notification, the guards responded and the priest was awakened by a thundering at his door, and opening it, confronted the guards and an officer. He thanked them in a little speech, and through them the governor for the prompt response to his call, but added that the time was not ripe for their service, and he dismissed them with the blessing of God. To his amazement, however, the officer refused to be dismissed and informed him that he was under arrest by the order of Governor Miro himself. The priest demanded if they dared place hands on an officer of the inquisition, to which the officer bluntly replied he dared obey orders, and arrested him, and next day he was placed on a vessel and deported to Cadiz. That was in 1827, and it marks an important epoch in the struggle of civil rights against possible religious persecution of the most infamous and extraordinary char- acter. If, with the same zeal and success with which this reverend zcalot had previously.held to the Cathedral despite the protest of authority, he had succeeded in introducing the germ of the inquisition here, there might be another chapter in the history of New Orleans to write-one which, to the credit of Governor Miro, has never demanded a chronicler. The deportation of Sedella took place soon after the arrival of Bishop Rosali. Sedella returned later, and, according to the chroni- cles, succeeded in giving the Catholic brethren no end of trouble. There was too much freedom in the air of the new country, however, too much of the virility of life, the lesson of God was too indelible in nature all around, for even the most de- vout followers of the prelate to tolerate the idea of the European iniquity.
Father Sedella was succeeded by Father Jean Aloysius Leopold Moni. On Father Moni's death, the bishop appointed Abbe Rousillion, and with this appoint- ment arose a contention between the trustees and the bishop which was only finally settled in the courts. The question was, virtually, had the bishop any appointive
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power in the premises not subject to review and approval by the trustees? The trustees rejected Abbe Rousillion. The bishop yielded and appointed Father Con- stantius Maenhant. The trustees accepted the appointment for awhile, but the peace was of short duration, there being a lack of harmony between the trustees and the abbe. As a result, on November 2, 1842, the bishop withdrew all his priests from the cathedral and the church was without any religious ceremonies whatever. In January the following year (1843) Bishop Blanc tried again to please the trus- tees by appointing Father Bach to the pastorate. Although he had been accepted as satisfactory by the trustees, harmony was not long-lived, and there arose another disagreement between trustees and church authority, the trustees claiming to have the right of naming the prelate or priest of the Cathedral. In spite of the fric- tion, Father Bach continued to exercise the offices of priest in the Cathedral until September of the following year. The following month the bishop announced a new plan. He would fill the vacancy from among the priests, but would not make known the name of the appointee until he became satisfied that his selection would meet with favor. Even this plan failed to receive the acceptance of the trustees, until finally the bishop announced that he would make no appointment to the va- cancy unless they agreed to accept his authority. He accordingly withdrew all the priests, with the solitary exception of Father Ascensio, who performed only the absolutely necessary calls of the office. At this juncture the trustees took a short route to a final settlement of the hard problem, appealing to the courts. Pierre Soulé, Christian Roselius, Mazareau and Canon represented the petitioners, who asked for damages in the sum of $20,000. The church was represented by St. Paul and Seghers. Judge Maurin, who presided, dismissed the petition and his decision was affirmed by the Supreme Court. This result brought about peace at last.
Bishop Blanc was succeeded in 1861 by Right Rev. Jean Marie Odin, who was followed by Bishop Napoleon Joseph Perche, who was bishop of the diocese from 1870 to 1883, and who was in turn succeeded by Most Rev. Francis Xavier Leray, who died in France, September 23, 1889. There was a vacancy of some months after his death, during which the parish was in charge of Very Rev. Father G. A. Rouxel. On August 7, 1888, Most Rev. Francis Janssens was promoted to the archiepiscopal see of New Orleans from the see of Natchez. On September 16, 1888, he took charge of his new duties. He was a broad and splendid man, full of earnestness and purpose and deeply beloved by a vast circle, irrespective of religious faith. He died of heart disease at sca on his way to New York, his ill health being aggravated by overwork. He was succeeded on June 10, 1897, by Archbishop Chapelle.
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The most ancient and interesting house of worship in the eity of New Orleans, or in the State, for the matter of that, is the venerable St. Louis Cathedral. The history of its chief men has been reviewed. It has been associated with the history of the oldest denomination of the State sinee the beginning. It stands, indeed, as it were, the eentral figure in church history of the State, furnishing the very starting point of church history. It would therefore be of interest to tell something of the material structure which has silently witnessed so many changes, church and lay, in the life of the venerable city. The first and original St. Louis Cathedral, at the time it was a mere place of worship for the early settlers, was a storehouse, located, as far as can be ascertained, right where the present imposing edifice now stands, that is, just back of the Place d'Arms (Jackson Square) overlooking the river. This was in 1718. A brick and adobe structure was erected on the same site in 1720, and named the Church of St. Louis, after the King of France. In 1725, five years after, a brick building took the place of this older building, and more than half a century afterward, in 1793, the Cathedral, which still remains at the present day, was built. It was the gift of Don Andres Almonester y Roxas, one of the wealthiest men of the times in America. It required two years for the completion of the edi- fiee, which was begun in 1792, and though used the next year, was not completed until 1794. Don Almonester was buried in the Cathedral. Franeis Philippe de Ma- rigny de Mandeville, Antoine Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville and Pierre Phil- ippe de Marigny de Mandeville were also buried in the Cathedral in these early days.
In 1850 the principal tower of the Cathedral fell in, and when this was re- paired the building was enlarged to its present proportions. In 1892 the building was seriously damaged by a thunderbolt. Rev. Father Mignot, in charge of the Cathedral, inaugurated a movement for the repair of the damages and enough money was realized to have additionally done some of the interior mural decorations which excite considerable interest to-day. Erasme Humbrecht was the author of the work, and among the paintings are "St. Louis Announeing the Crusade," and "St. Louis Receiving the Shepherd's Staff From Our Lord," while other paintings are wrought upon the vault.
Although the seventeen hundreds saw Catholicism in this section of the new world clustered about the Cathedral as a eenter, and the Cathedral and the chapels mentioned were the only places of worship of the young colony, the next eentury witnessed pronounced activity among the Catholies in church building. Among the more important churches which demand consideration in a review of the local
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history of the church are St. Alphonisus of the Redemptorist congregation, St. Mary's Assumption church, St. Patrick's, St. Joseph's, Notre Dame de Bon Se- cours, Annunciation Catholic Church, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Theresa, Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Church of the Holy Name of Mary, Holy Trinity, Mater Dolorosa, St. Stephens, Ursuline Chapel, St. Cecelia's, St. Augustin's, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Anthony, Our Lady of Good Council, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, St. Ann's, St. Boniface, St. Francis de Sale's, St. Henry's, St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph's Chapel, St. Joseph (Gretna), St. Mary's Church, St. Maurice, St. Mi- chael, St. Peter and St. Paul's, St. Rose de Lima, Church of the Immaculate Conception, St. Roche's Chapel, St. Francis of Assissi, Greek Church of the Holy Trinity.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, or the Jesuits, is one of the most famous of the Catholic churches of to-day in the city. It adjoins the Jesuit College on Baronne, corner of Common streets. It was established in 1848. It was not until 1847 that the Jesuits were invited to return to New Orleans. The money with which the real estate was bought was borrowed from Father Maisonabc, S. J., who loaned it without interest. Rev. Father John Cambaiso, whose parents were Genoese, built the church, which was erected in 1853. The architecture is Mo- resque. It was completed in 1859. One of the most notable features of this church is the stained glass windows. Its statuary is also rich, a notable bit of it being a marble figure of the Virgin standing in a niche over the high altar. This was made for Marie Amelie, Queen of Louis Philippe, by Foystier, for her private chapel. When the King was dethroned in the revolution of 1848, the sculptor sold the statuc for $6,000. The statue was sent to New York and there purchased by the Jesuits who raised a subscription for that purpose. Father Hubert, S. J., was responsible for the enterprise. There is a gilt bronze altar in the chapel which cost $15,000, purchased in 1870.
In 1732 the Redemptorist congregation was founded by St. Alphonsius Li- guori, and over a century later the order was represented in New Orleans. On October 24, 1847, Rev. Peter Czackert arrived in New Orleans with a band of priests of the order. A mission was established by them on Constance street, between Jo- sephine and St. Andrew. The following year Father Czackert died and his work was prosecuted by Father Petesch. He organized St. Theresa's Society October 15, 1849. The convent of Notre Dame was erected in 1854 on Laurel and Jackson streets, devoted to the care of orphans, and in 1858 St. Alphonsus Church was erected on Constance street, between Jackson and St. Andrew, at a cost of $100,-
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000. Subsequent improvement and additions to this has raised the amount many thousands of dollars. The mission house of the Redemptorist fathers, a three-story brick building, was erected opposite this church in 1882. The same order erected the St. Alphonsius Hall and boys' school in 1869, St. Alphonsius girl school, the Con- vent of Mercy and St. Catherine's College, which are under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy. The same order erected St. Mary's Assumption Church and school for the Germans, the Church of Notre Dame being erected for the benefit of the French by them. St. Mary's school was erected as far back as 1868.
In 1833 St. Patrick's church was built. The first church edifice was erected on April 23, 1833, Rev. Father Adam Kindclon being the first pastor. But the present imposing brick structure on Camp, near Girod, completed in 1837, was begun in 1835 by Rev. Father James Ignacius Mullen. Father Mullen, who died in 1866 at the age of seventy-four, was buried beneath the floor of the church.
St. Mary's Assumption Church was founded in 1845 and is on Josephine strect, Laurel and Constance. The architecture is of the Renaissance style and it is said to have one of the finest altars in the country, which cost $10,000.
St. Joseph's Church, on Tulane, between St. Adeline and Derbigny, was erected in 1841. The first building was a frame structure, standing where the present col- ored school is. On December 8, 1871, Archbishop N. J. Perche laid the corner stone of the present structure. It was consecrated by Archbishop Janssens, December 18, 1892. It has a seating capacity of 1,600 people.
Notre Dame de Bon Secours, on Jackson, between Laurel and Constance, was founded in 1858. Annunciation Church was established in 1846, and is at the corner of Mandeville and Marais. St. Vincent de Paul, on Dauphine, between Montegut and Clouet, was founded as far back as March 20, 1839. The Sisters of Charity built St. Theresa's Catholic Church at the corner of Camp and Erato in 1850. The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus was established in 1892 on St. Charles avenue, between Calhoun and Exposition boulevard. The Church of the Holy Name of Mary was erected in 1859 at the corner of Alix and Verret. The Holy Trinity Church, which is German, is situated on St. Ferdinand street, bc- tween Royal and Dauphine streets, and was established in 1870. Mater Dolorosa was built in 1874. It stands at the corner of Cambronne and Seventh streets. It was consolidated with the Church of the Nativity in 1899. The Church of the Nativity is situated on the opposite side of the street, and was erceted in 1874, bc- ing known as St. Mary's Church until 1894. The Vincentian Fathers, under Rev. Angelo Hippolyte Gandolfo, S. M., organized St. Stephen's Parish in 1849. The
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church of the parish is at the corner of Berlin and Chestnut streets. The first church of the parish, which served also as the parochial residence, was located on Camp street, ncar Napoleon avenue. On June 8, 1851, a larger church was erected at the corner of Camp and Napoleon avenue. Subsequently the house of worship was removed to the corner of Camp and Berlin streets. The property of the parish is to-day said to be worth about $30,000.
The first chapel of the Ursuline Sisters was erected away back in 1734 on Ursu- lines strect, between Chartres and Decatur. The present chapel was erected in 1829. It has no congregation, but is a place of public worship. Its antiquity and historical associations make it a point of great interest to the visitor. St. Cecelia is at the corner of Lesseps and Rampart. It was formerly at the corner of St. Claude and Poland. It was established in 1896. St. Augustine's Church, at the corner of St. Claude and Hospital, was established in 1841. The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was erccted June 14, 1874. It is situated on Canal, between South Lopez and South Rendon. The Church of St. Anthony is Italian. It is at the corner of North Rampart and Conti. This is a very old church, being founded in 1822. It was erected as a mortuary chapel on objection raised to holding burial services at the Cathedral. It is dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. Our Lady of Good Council Church is situated at the corner of Louisiana avenue and Chestnut streets. It was established July 3, 1887. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church is situated at the corner of North Claiborne and Annette streets, having been erected in 1871. St. Ann's was built in 1852, and is at the corner of North Roman and North Prieur. St. Boniface, corner of North Galvez and La Harpe, was built in 1869; St. Francis de Sale, corner of Second and South Franklin, in 1873; St. Henry's, which is German, on Berlin, between Constance and Magazine streets, in 1856; St. John the Baptist, on Dryades, between Calliope and Clio, in 1851, the present edifice being erected in 1869; St. Joseph Chapel, corner Ursuline and North Johnson, in 1888; St. Joseph's (Gretna) in 1870. St. Mary's Church was the archbishop's residence until 1899. It was erected in 1835. St. Maurice's, corner of Hancock and Royal, was erected in 1844; St. Michael's, on Chippewa, between Race and Orange, in 1872 ; St. Peter and St. Paul's, on Burgundy, between Marigny and Mandeville, in 1849, the present church having been erected in 1861; St. Rose de Lima, on Bayou road, between North Dorgenois and North Broad, in 1859. St. Roch's chapel is one of quaint interest. It is situated in St. Roch's Cemetery, on the avenue of that name, corner of North Roman. The side walls of the chapel are the vaults of the dead of the societies of St. Ann and St. Joseph. Above the altar
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