USA > Michigan > Marquette County > Marquette > History Of The Diocese Of Sault Ste, Marie And Marquette; Containing A Full And Accurate Account Of The Development Of The Catholic Church In Upper Michigan, With Portraits Of Bishops, Priests And Illustrations Of Churches Old And New, Volume 1 > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
Hosted by Google
334
HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF
this high position. A protégé of Bishop Baraga, he now succeeds to his crozier and will walk in his footsteps. The clergy know the new bishop. He knows them. They have worked shoulder to shoulder these many years. Such a bishop and such a clergy can work miracles !
"But the bishop and priests, no matter how zealous, will fall short in the work they seek to accomplish but for the aid of the laity. I am told that the laity of the Upper Peninsula has always been ready with its help, and I want to say to you that now that a new bishop is at the helm, is the time for your help. Lighten his burden as much as you can, and the diocese, founded so well by Baraga. fos- tered by Mrak and by the late Bishop Vertin, will be brought to a magnificent fruition under Bishop Eis." 1
No bishop could come to a diocese under more favorable conditions than did Bishop Eis. He was no stranger, he knew the sentiments of his clergy and withal had no difficult problems before him. The internal relations of the dio- cese were happily agreeable, and the new Bishop peacefully took up his duties where his predecessor left off. A priest can always find work in his parish no matter how well regulated it may be, and so can a bishop in his diocese. The thor- ough knowledge of his diocese served Bishop Eis exceedingly well. He set out at once visiting smaller missions with a view of sending permanent pastors to them. At first there were opposite opin- ions in the matter but his own opinion prevailed and we saw Atlantic, Perkins, Bark River and Wakefield, etc., erected into new parishes, prospering under the
1 Mining Journal, August 25, 1899.
wise direction of their new pastors. The old adage 'nothing ventured, nothing gained,' had again asserted its correct- ness. The division of the St. Joseph's parish in Escanaba was also successfully effected and the new, prosperous parish of St. Patrick established. At this writ- ing a new church, the nucleus of another parish is being built at Flat Rock. Since 1899 new, modern, and substantial churches were erected; in Calumet three, the French, Slovenian and the Croatian ; St. Ignatius in Houghton. Holy Rosary in Lake Linden, the Italian church in Iron Mountain, St. Francis Xavier's in Spald- ing, St. Patrick's in Escanaba. At least two schools, the St. John's in Menominee and that of St. Cecelia's in Hubbell, opened doors to five hundred children, the first one employing five and the last one nine teachers. A new, in every respect modern hospital, under the direction of the Sisters of St. Joseph was built at Hancock.
In languages the diocese represents possibly the greatest complex likely not equaled by any other diocese in the Un- ion. There are upward of seventeen lan- guages actually used in confessional and pulpit. The younger generation is dis- tinctly American. They speak and write English in preference to their mother tongue. They naturally attend churches which their fathers have built, but that they may not be neglected, Bishop Eis wrote to the pastors: "Preach in the lan- guages your people understand as much as possible. The children of our parishes generally speak the English language best, the language of our country, no mat- ter of what nationality their parents may be. This every pastor must have noticed.
Hosted by Google
.
335
SAULT STE. MARIE AND MARQUETTE
"Now, in order that these children also hear and understand the word of God, we ordain, that in all the parish churches of this diocese, no matter of what nation- ality, a short sermon must be preached in the English language regularly on two Sundays in each month, at low Mass.
"Any pastor not complying with this ordinance leaves himself open to repri- mand, unless excused for reasons by the Bishop." 2
In July 1900, Bishop Eis accompanied by Father Pinten made his first visit to the Apostolic See, and had the honor and pleasure of giving report of his diocese still into the hands of the venerable Pon- tiff, Leo XIII. from whom he had re- ceived his elevation to the episcopate.
In the third week of July 1905 the bi- ennial Retreat took place in the church of the Holy Name at Assinins. After the close, Friday July 2Ist. the Ordinary con- vened the Second Synod of the Diocese.
From among the clergy in the diocese, the following were ordained or received into the diocese by Bishop Eis :
Rev. Peter F. Manderfield, August 24, 1900.
Rev. Adolph F. Schneider, June I, 1901.
Rev. Frederick Richter, June 13, 1901.
Rev. Raymond Jacques, July 7, 1901.
" Circular, October 21, 1900.
Rev. Charles J. Swoboda, June 21, 1902.
Rev. William B. Stahl, August 10, 1902.
Rev. J. Harrington for La Crosse, Sep- tember 1, 1902.
Rev. Paul Le Golvan, September 20, 1902.
Rev. Martin C. Sommers, September 20, 1902.
Rev. Adelor Deschamps, March 7, 1903.
Rev. Henry J. Reis, June 11, 1903 by Bishop Moeller in Columbus, Ohio.
Rev. Bernard Eiling. June 11, 1903 by Bishop Moeller in Columbus, Ohio.
Rev. Napoleon J. Raymond, July 26, 1903.
Rev. Theo. Bateski, July 19. 1903.
Rev. Paul Filion. July 19, 1903.
Rev. Joseph Dittman, March 20, 1904
in Toronto by Bishop O'Connor.
Rev. Luke Klopčič, April 4, 1904.
Rev. John Stenglein. December 17, 1904. Propaganda. Rome.
Rev. Owen, J. Bennett, June 17, 1905.
Rev. Jeremiah Moriarty, June 17. 1905.
Rev. Joseph Lamott, June 17, 1905.
Rev. Joseph Duford. Escanaba, June 10. 1906.
Rev. George Laforest. Calumet, June 24, 1906.
Hosted by
Chapter XIV.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli, Rev. Francis Xavier Haetscher, Rev. Simon Saenderl, Rev. Andrew D. J. Piret, Rev. Francis Pierz, Rev. Otton Skolla, O. S. F., Rev. Lawrence Dunne, Rev. Henry L. Thiele, Rev. Edward Jacker, Rev. Martin Fox, Rev. John Cebul, Rev. Honoratus Bourion, Rev. Gerhard Terhorst.
REV. SAMUEL CHARLES MAZZU- CHELLI, O. P.
It would be difficult to estimate the ser- vices which Father Mazzuchelli rendered the Church. His labors extended over many states, although the center of his activity was Wisconsin. He began his missionary career on Mackinac Island. Born in Milan, Italy, on November 4, 1806, he received his early education in his native city. A youth of seventeen he entered the Dominican Order and was given the name of Augustin. He made his solemn profession at the convent of his Order in the city of Faenza, Italy, on the sixth of December 1824, and was sent to Santa Sabina Convent in Rome to con- tinue his studies. In 1827 Bishop Ed- ward Fenwick, who was also a Domini- can. came to Rome and begged the Mast- er General to send some priest with him to America. As none were available Fra Augustino, who was then only subdea- con, offered himself and obtained permis-
sion to go. In May of the following year he left Rome. After visiting his home at Milan, he spent a few months in France to familiarize himself better with the French language. He sailed from Havre on the fifth of October and arrived in the New World on November 14th. In Cin- cinnati Bishop Fenwick received him with great cordiality and interested himself in the welfare of the young man. First, ar- rangement was made for the study of the English language and lessons were kept up daily until Christmas. Then, at the suggestion of the Bishop, Fra Augustino went to Springfield, Kentucky, but re- turned in March, having spent three months profitably among his brethren at St. Rose's Convent. In July he was made deacon and sent to Somerset, Ohio to pre- pare for the priesthood. On September 5, 1830 he was ordained priest in the Cathedral at Cincinnati.
Anxious to go to the missions, he did not hesitate to make known his desires to
Hosted by Google
£
339
SAULT STE. MARIE AND MARQUETTE
Bishop, August 15th, he turned his steps to the Sault where there awaited him abundant labor sweetened by an abundant harvest. During the first six days of his stay he blessed thirty two marriages civilly contracted in the absence of a priest. From the Sault he went to Macki- nac and from there to Green Bay and penetrated down to the Mississippi, reach- ing Prairie du Chien on the 22nd of Sep- tember (1832).
While he was busy at the Mississippi towns, the Redemptorists had arrived at Green Bay. Relieved from the care of this misson Father Mazzuchelli returned to Mackinac where he labored until July of the following year. The last baptism recorded by him is that of James Henry Wendell, July 23, 1833.
By the erection of the Diocese of De- troit the Northwest almost lost the ser- vices of this energetic missionary. Wish- ing to retain him within the diocese of Cincinnati, where he had been ordained, the Vicar-Provincial directed him to re- turn. A timely intervention on the part of Bishop Rese rescinded the order and Father Mazzuchelli was permitted to continue his mission among the Winne- bagoes. But he longed to have a confer- ence with his brethren in Ohio. Accord- ingly he made up his mind to undertake the journey at the first opportunity. This presented itself while he was at Prairie du Chien in April, 1835. A ride of forty miles brought him to Galena, Illinois. In this town he found numerous Catholics without a church or the administration of religion. Moved with pity he inter- rupted his journey to administer the nec- essary sacraments. While thus busily engaged, he learned of the like condition
prevailing at Dubuque, across the Icwan border, and to them, too, he extended his services. The two towns urged the good Father to remain but as he had no au- thority to do so, he pushed on his journey towards St. Louis where, for a brief time, he enjoyed the hospitality of Bishop Rosati.
In Cincinnati he paid his respects to Bishop Purcell and then traveled an ad- ditional hundred and fifty miles to Som- erset, the center of the Dominicans in Ohio. Taking council of his brethren, it was decided that he should return to his labors in the Northwest. This meant an- other journey of one thousand three hun- dred miles to the Upper Mississippi, where he arrived on the 4th of July, 1835.
While Father Mazzuchelli was making this trip the citizens of Galena and Du- buque addressed themselves directly to the Master General of the Dominicans in Rome, who graciously granted their request by sending Father Mazzuchelli to them. Knowing that there were other priests to fill his place, the good priest so much more readily went to his new field of labor. As a result of his stirring ac- tivity churches were successively built in Dubuque, Galena, Davenport, Burling- ton, Iowa City, Bloomington, Bellevue, Shullsburg and many others.
How much his services were appre- ciated by the people would be impossible to commit to paper. In what esteem he was held, two honors which came to him may convey some idea. In 1836 the Territory of Wisconsin, embracing the present territory of the State of Iowa, was organized at Mineral Point, and the first Legislature convened at Belmont, Lafayette County, October 25th, in the
Hosted by Google
344
HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF
only for God and God alone knows what are his merits."+
REV. ANDREW D. J. PIRET.
He was one of the only two priests laboring within the territory of Upper Michigan when it was made a Vicariate Apostolic, and Baraga became its first Bishop. A native of Belgium he came as a secular priest to the Diocese of Detroit in 1846, and received his first appoint- ment to the historic Island of Mackinac. His first baptismal entry at that place is on the 30th of August, 1846. Many long years of service followed. Despite the many ups and downs in the early mis- sionary life, he continued in the pasto- rate of the dual parish, St. Ignace- Mackinac, with but short intervals, for over twenty years. So attached he be- came to the romantic region that he was determined to live out his days there. With his small savings he acquired a farm on Les Cheneaux Islands and man- aged to build up a home, widely known by the name "La Ferme." This home very much resembled a European castle but was nothing more than a modest house with an adjoining chapel. A fire destroyed the buildings, and in 1868, when Father Piret retired from active work, he moved to Cheboygan, Michi- gan, where he died August 22, 1875, aged seventy-three years.
REV. FRANCIS XAVIER PIERZ.
Among the foremost of the Indian missionaries of North America may de- servedly be counted Father Pierz be- cause his merits for the conversion and civilization of the red races are exceed-
ingly great, his labors extending over thirty years, and we are unable to find a peer to him in the annals of the Indian missionaries, if we consider the fact that at the age of fifty years, when most men are looking forward either to a peaceful spending of the remainder of their days, or willing to live out their day amidst the environment which they have created in their youth, Pierz was just commenc- ing, so to speak, a new life,-at least the more eventful second half of his life. It seems as though this great priest had to live, two lives, that of an average parish priest in the old country, and that of an Indian missionary at an age when most men would have sought quiet and rest.
It is the aim of this book to record the labors of all those who have spent their energies within the border of this diocese. Hence Father Pierz rightfully belongs to us although he carried his work in other fields. Would to God, that we could do him justice in our at- tempt to portray his personality, char- acter, zeal, and his merits.
Rev. Francis Pierz (Slovenian Pirec) was born in the village of Godič belong- ing to the parish of Mekine, near Kam- nik, Carniolia, Austria, on the 20th day of November. 1785. His early school- ing was commenced in Kamnik and he received his classical education in Lai- bach. After the usual course of theol- ogy in the diocesan seminary, at the age of twenty-eight, he was ordained by Bishop Kautschitz in the year 1813 and assigned to Kranjska Gora as assistant priest, where he remained seven years, becoming at the end of that period, par- ish priest at Peč, in the neighborhood of his native place. The country was still
4 For notes and data of Fathers Haetscher and Saenderl we are deeply indebted to the Rev. Joseph Wuest, C. SS. R., Ilchester College, Il- chester, Md. The author.
Hosted by Google
350
HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF
my spirits became bouyant again. The enty Indian sermons on the gospels for father of the Christian widow brought Sunday and Holydays of the year, where they will be printed I do not know. his other four children into my tent, there kneeling before a crucifix they recited all the prayers they knew. I kept up the in- struction for two days more and christ- ened all those who knew the prayers; a couple of these catechumens I promised to baptize on my way back .- This place was called Kaochabaminanikak."9
In the Sault Father Pierz did not find a successor ; he only stayed long enough for the people to comply with their Eas- ter duty and moved on to Kitchimiti- gong, and from there to La Croix with the intention of returning to his Grand Portage mission before the close of navi- gation. But this was not to be; before he was ready to return he received word from Father Baraga to remain in Arbre Croche.
In the spring of 1842 he went to his northern Lake Superior missions but was again ordered, very much against his own will, to return in the fall to Arbre Croche. The following extract from his letter of October 2, 1843, gives us an idea of his activity. "My usually firm health keeps me always active but in spite of it, the work to be done is in excess of my strength. In summer I spend most of my time in going from station to sta- tion and in winter I teach school in the home mission. In my spare time I write because we have in this beautiful lan- guage only two books by Father Baraga and I have contributed to this poor In- dian literature the 'Life of Jesus Christ' and a small 'Catechism'; now I have in preparation a large Catechism and sev-
"I am also wont to give some atten- tion to gardening and agriculture, be- cause I not only have to teach my Indians religion but also a sensible way of living, in order to promote their temporal as well as their spiritual welfare. Often I must personally show them how to use a sickle, scythe, plow or a flail, civilizing them more and more. In this I have been so successful that I have undertaken to ask the government for their emancipation."
Amidst of his missionary occupations Pierz did not forget his old country friends. Although not being able to in- vestigate the American method of farm- ing, he learned many things from agri- cultural papers worthy of imitation. This he did not hesitate to describe and recommend to his European farmers. For the kindly interest shown the Agri- cultural Society, of which he was a mem- ber in the old country, showed its appre- ciation by sending him a silver medal. (1842.)
During his stay in Pigeon River, near Grand Portage, Father Pierz accomplish- ed much good. As soon as he arrived there he commenced to build the longed- for church. But as he was anxious to ad- vance his beloved Indians in temporals, he had another surprise in store for them. "I bought them a large fishing net which they cast every evening twice, at the outlet of the river and caught enough fish so they could eat as much as they would. Then I prepared them for a lit- tle farming; we stopped building our church for one month. The islands in the river contained good soil and we
º Currant-Point. Letter, Sault Ste. Marie, July 2, 1839. L. Ber. XIII.
Hosted by Google
1
352
HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF
katchiving, Grand Traverse and inter- estimated, by the subject of this sketch, mediate points on the shore down to Machgigong, on the whole some one thousand two hundred and forty-two souls, mostly excellent Catholics, La- croix, Middletown, Castor Island and Manestie, six hundred souls in all, he ex- tended to Father Ignatius Mrak."11
In 1846 small-pox broke out in four villages. Father Pierz immediately sent for the physician on Mackinac Island, who on account of illness could not un- dertake the long journey, but sent the necessary virus to the priest with the in- struction to vaccinate the inhabitants of the infected place. Father Pierz although sixty years old delivered himself credit- ably of his task by going from village to village and house to house vaccinating more than nine hundred persons. In his letter to the Beopoldine Society, under date of December 28, 1846, he expresses his conviction of the necessity of vaccina- tion and re-vaccination.
In the Seventh Provincial Council of Baltimore, in session from the 5th to the 13th of May, 1849, in its fourth private session, the Bishops requested the Apos- tolic See to erect the Territory of Minne- sota into a diocese with the Episcopal See at St. Paul. The Holy Father, Pius IX., acceding to their wishes, by the brief of June 28, 1850, established the diocese. Its first bishop, Rt. Rev. Joseph Cretin, was consecrated Jan. 26, 1851. In his extensive diocese he found only seven churches and ten priests and a Catholic population of less than two thousand five hundred. Indians, Sioux and Otchip- pewas, were numerous, the latter were
at seven thousand. There is no doubt in our mind that from the knowledge Father Pierz had, of the numerosity of pagan Indians existing in different lo- calities of north-eastern Minnesota, from his missionary visit to Fort Williams, Pigeon River, Fond du Lac and Grand Portage, a desire for their conversion arose in his heart. In Arbre Croche there were no pagans any longer but well es- tablished parishes and so long as those missions which he loved so well were now cut off by the erection of a new diocese, his heart burned with zeal to continue the work, begun so many years before.
Bishop Cretin, in great need of priests and in particular of such who would labor among the Indian tribes, extended a hearty welcome to the venerable, pio- neer missionary. Thus the well-merited Father Pierz left Michigan in the sum- mer of 1852, and took up work in the diocese of St. Paul establishing himself at Crow Wing.
The new charges he found in a more deplorable state than any other savages he had heretofore seen. They lived, in wigwams of bark and branches; their clothing was as scanty as even the savage code of morals would allow, and for a living they entirely depended on fishing and hunting which giving out not seldom caused famine and death amongst them. The beneficent effect of Christianity ac- companied by industrial reforms which Father Pierz had introduced among the Indians on Pigeon River, have found their way to these unfortunates; any black robe would have been most wel- come, but more so Pierz himself whose
11 Letter Fr. Pierz to Leop. Soc. dated Arbre Croche, July 15, 1847. Annals XXI.
Hosted by Google
354
HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF
er Pierz when this young priest, a model of sacerdotal life and missionary self- sacrifice, associated himself to him! The happiness of both was doubly increased -but ended abruptly. On the 3rd of December 1858 Father Lautizar froze to death on the Red Lake while returning from a missionary expedition. An ac- count of this sad accident is given below in Father Lautizar's biographical sketch.
In 1862 Father Pierz wrote to Canon John Novak the following letter, which throws light on his own labors during those turbulent days. "During the la- mented year of 1862 I have visited my six missions only once, offering the peo- ple an opportunity for their annual duties, baptizing their children and giv- ing relief to many of the sick by means of my homeopathic drugs. New conver- sions were out of question because the up-rising of some Indian tribes against the whites gave me enough to do, keep- ing it from spreading among my own. The newspapers have exaggerated and twisted the truth about this Indian revolt so much the world over, that I feel im- pelled to straighten your own views by giving you a few true facts about this In- dian ranting.
"Greedy traders have for many years unmercifully cheated our Otchippwe Indians, liquor sellers have carried on their corruption, and dishonest officials have fleeced them unscrupulously, so that the inevitable poverty has reduced our poor Indians to the extreme ends. Some four hundred Protestant Indians, from the neighborhood of Gerl and Leech Lake under their chief Haleda, armed them- selves and took from the whites clothing and food, driving away some hundred
head of cattle at the same time. As far as I know, they have committed no mur- ders but spread terror among the white settlers. For this reason the military forces and the settlers rose in arms to in- flict annihilation upon these savage re- volters, or to drive them out of the State of Minnesota.
"Our good hearted president has sent a commissioner from Washington to ex- tend to these deluded people peace and amnesty, but the savages refused to listen to any overtures for peace but plundered in the following night a house in the vicinity of Crow Wing, planning destruc- tion to the whole town. A friendly In- dian revealed to me their intention, and I set out at once, armed with a good quan- tity of tobacco, in search of their camp in the darkest forest about a mile on the other side of the Minnesota River. Two war-painted horsemen passed me half way; soon I came to the first patrol and they asked me 'Where are you going, Father?' 'I must speak to your chief,' I answered. 'This is not possible,' was the reply, 'because no white man is allowed to see him.' They showed me a line drawn across the wagon road which no white should cross under penalty of death. 'I am not afraid to die,' I said smilingly and set my foot to cross the line when at the same instant four stalwart fellows lifted me bodily and carried me some ten paces ahead. 'Now you did not walk across the forbidden line, we carried you,' they said laughingly, 'you may live.'
A short distance ahead I was shown by the second patrol another mark which they assured me I must not cross at the cost of my life. 'If this is the case,' I said, 'then let the chiefs come to me.'
Hosted by Google
356
HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF
Government)15 but without the least ef- fect. From the same causes and about the same time as before mentioned, they went on their rampage. They waged a war of annihilation on all the whites, in my places they pillaged and killed, but made their savagery felt in particular in the city of New Ulm on the Minnesota River, where they killed almost all the in- habitants and burned the city.
"This was evidently a chastisement of God, for the most of them were apostates who refused to hear anything of religion or priest. 'The object of the German Land Company is to procure a home for every German laborer, popish priests and lawyers excepted, in some healthful and productive district, located on some navi- gable river.' 16 They built their houses on Sunday in spite of the precept of the church and last year, on Corpus Christi day, these shameless atheists conducted an ox ornamented with garlands, around their city, honoring him by music and dance at four different places. At last they roasted him as if in sacrifice. No wonder then, that the savage Sioux with their unheard of cruelties have served as a chastisement upon New Ulm as at one time pagan Rome chastised and destroy- ed Jerusalem. May this example incline the heart of the faithless with a fear of a just Judge.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.