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 8
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By a Brief of Pius IX. dated Novem- ber 23, 1843, the Northwest was estab- lished into a new diocese with the episco- pal See at Milwaukee and the Rt. Rever- end John Martin Henni, made its first Bishop, La Pointe, Baraga's last mission, was within the precinct of the new dio- cese. Since there was no priest to take
5 Ibid.
6 Ibidem.
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his place he had retained the pastorate, visiting it from time to time. Of the summer 1844 he spent the month of Aug- ust at La Pointe, during which time they had the pleasure of the first visit from the new Bishop, who on this occasion, August 14th, confirmed one hundred twenty two persons.
"When he saw our mission church, he said that it was much nicer than his Cath- edral. This plainly bespeaks the poverty of the new diocese." 7
Baraga returned Monday, September 2nd, to his mission at L'Anse to continue the work on his church, which was dedi- cated on the 29th of September. to the Holy Name of Jesus. In the Baptismal record among others, he recorded the fol- lowing: "The 16th day of June, of the year 1844, which was the third Sunday after Pentecost, holy Sacrifice of the Mass has been celebrated for the first time in this church. As soon, however, as it had been becomingly completed, the undersigned missionary solemnly dedi- cated it, the first Sunday of October of the same year, to Almighty God the Father, under the Name of His beloved Son Jesus, who with the same God, the Father, and the Holy Spirit is God for- ever ; at the same time he prayed, that He may graciously deign to grant that who- soever shall enter this church asking benefices of Him in the Name of Jesus, may receive what he earnestly craves, that he may know how sincerely the Truth has spoken saying: If you shall ask the Father anything in my Name it will be given to you." 8
Not wishing to lose so valuable a mis-
7 Letter August 27, 1844. A. XVIII.
8 Cf. Assinins Mission.
sionary as Father Pierz, Bishop Lefevere had ordered him to return within the jurisdiction of the diocese, since the Northwest was apportioned into the Dio- cese of Milwaukee. In obedience he quit Grand Portage and returned to Arbre Croche. Baraga's heart always beat strongly for the Red-skins and, as long as Bishop Henni, did not have a suitable priest who would take up the care of the missions on the northern shore of his diocese, Baraga was willing, with con- sent of his own Ordinary, to look after the welfare of the missions at La Pointe, Fond du Lac, and the Grand Portage- missions established by himself and there- fore so dear to his heart. During the summer of 1845 he had received a con- siderable sum of money from the Leopol- dine Society, two thousand florins,-nine hundred and sixty four dollars and forty four cents-for his own mission at L'Anse, and, in his unselfishness, he in- tended to utilize this money in the build- ing of mission churches at Grand Portage and at Fond du Lac. But something un- expected happened. Father Otto Skolla, a Franciscan priest and a Slovenian by birth, who had charge of the Mackinac Island and St. Ignace missions, was per- mitted at his own request, to leave the Detroit Diocese in order to take up mis- sionary work at La Pointe. Bishop Lefevere granted him the Exeat at the ur- gent request of Baraga himself. "On the 9th of June (1844) I received a letter from Father Baraga," writes Skolla, "to whom the Rt. Reverend Bishop had com- municated that he no longer entertained any objection to my dismissal from his diocese. I am extremely happy and con- tent that I have, at last, reached the so
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much desired point of my ambition. On ing to Fond du Lac to make arrange- the 4th of October of last year I arrived ments for the building of a new church. But then, I do not expect to go there any more, because I have received help in the person of Father Otto Skolla, who is wintering at La Pointe where I had been for eight years." 10 here in La Pointe." 9 Thus Baraga was relieved of direct pastoral care over the Wisconsin missions though he still re- tained, at the special request of Bishop Henni, jurisdiction over them. It is like- ly that Father Baraga visited those mis- In July ( 1846), Bishop Lefevere made his first canonical visit to L'Anse. The day following being Sunday, July 17th, he confirmed eighty six Indians, and dur- sions in the fall of 1845, before the arri- val of Father Skolla and the stirring ex- perience of the trip, of which Father
Nas infrascripté Solum omnibus facimas et testament manus consecrationis viti fuijose collation Raño. Año. Briderico Baraga, die prima Novem bris anno Domini metlisimo odingentésimo quinquagésimo Cartão, en Ección Metropolitana Cincinnatinisi, a o Altro eb Revine canna Baptista Garcetti, Archiepiscofio Cincinnatinos, accidentitus Reño. Año. Petro Paulo Sefavere Episcopo Zelo, et Coadjulore Eñ et Administratore Diaccois Debrito serais, et Cherño, Iño Joanne Martino Henri Milwaukensi. Adotante diam ine Choro Reño, Dão. Martino Joanna Spalding, Eprisenpo Ludovicopolitano. En quorum fidem autovipvimeo du accunda Novembro anno enhora .. disto. Crucemate
7 Q. B. Archicjus tus. + Petrus Paulus Spus zel. + Joannes Martiny Egyny
FACSIMILE OF ATTEST OF FREDERIC BARAGA'S CONSECRATION AT CINCINNATI, NOV. 1, 1853.
Verwyst gives so graphical a description, might have been the one. But Baraga again undertook a journey on snow shoes, in February 1846, to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He writes: "I have a farther journey to make this winter, namely, by the way of La Pointe, to Fond du Lac and back. I shall, so God wills, leave here February 4th and hope to re- turn before the end of March. I am go-
9 Letter July 4th, 1836. A. XX.
ing a week's stay baptized the last of the to be converted Indians.11 On the return trip, Father Baraga went with the Bishop to Detroit. "I am here in Detroit, almost two months. The reason is the follow- ing. Our Indian Mission books, which I had printed in 1837 in Paris, are about disposed of; necessity compels us to get out another edition, for our numerous In-
10 Letter January 24, 1846.
11 Cf. Assinins Mission.
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dian missions cannot be properly attended to without them; because many Indians can read and very much love, and make good use of this devotional book. Mis- sionaries, who work in Indian missions, all declare that the Christian Indians can- not well get along without them, and that they derive great benefit from them. So says especially Father Pierz, who assisted by Father Mrak has charge of the most populous and best Indian mission of our diocese.
"There are two of these Indian books. The one contains all prayers necessary for a Catholic Christian, a large number of hymns, and a catechism, a total of two hundred and fifty six pages; the other an extract from the bible history of the Old Testament, the life of Jesus Christ, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles and Gospels, so that it can be used at the same time as the Gospel book by the mission- aries-two hundred and sixty eight pages in all. I have caused two thousand copies of the Prayer book and one thousand two hundred of the Gospel book to be printed. Besides, I had four hundred extra Cate- chisms printed for the Indian school chil- dren. The Prayerbook I have considera- bly enlarged, and greatly improved for this third edition. The total cost of print- ing is five hundred and sixteen dollars, the binding will be one hundred and sixty four dollars, hence six hundred and eighty dollars all together." 12
Baraga left Detroit on the 19th of Sep- tember. "I long to be again among my good children. Tomorrow is the day of my departure from Detroit. How glad will those good children be to see again
their Father, whom they have not seen for two months."
It was still fresh in the memory of Baraga how Indians were driven from their domains in the Lower Peninsula, allured by the intrigues of Indian agents into signing of contracts. To avoid a possible repetition he bought a tract of land which he divided among his families.
To take this precaution he was prompt- ed by the influx of the white population, attracted thither by the opening of the Copper Mines. Prospecting had begun in Keewenaw as early as 1843. The Fed- eral Government had opened a land office at Copper Harbor, and land was to be had at small figures. The first copper, in quantities of importance, was taken out in 1846. This brought miners from all parts of the country and a permanent set- tlement of Whites.13 Roving Indians brought the news also to Father Baraga who concluded to investigate the matter. Accordingly he undertook a journey to Keewenaw Point. He writes: "On the IIth of January ( 1847) I undertook a trip to the mines, and spent there three weeks. I was dumbfounded at the fast spreading of civilization on these shores of Lake Superior. I found in many places neat houses with nice, carpeted rooms. In one house there was even a piano on which a young American wom- an played very skillfully.
"I have met about 250 Catholic min- ers, though there are many more there. I had taken along the necessary parapher- nalia for the celebration of Mass and for Baptism. I christened a multitude of children, and heard confessions of nearly
1- Letter September 18, 1846. A. XX.
13 Stevens' Copper book.
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I have, with the help of God finished the work.
"I am also compiling & dictionary of the language, Otchipwe-French and French-Otchipwe. I have already col- lected several thousand words, shall, how- ever, continue on the work the whole summer and fall, and a part of next win- ter, in order to make it complete. Next spring I expect to have both works printed in Detroit, and thus render a last- ing service to our Indian missions which are spread over three dioceses. With the aid of a complete and systematic gram- mar, containing rules, illustrated by prac- tical examples, our missionaries, who are little, or not at all, acquainted with this language, or even future missionaries, will in a short time acquire this peculiar yet beautiful language. It is of vital dif- ference whether the Missionary is able to speak personally with the Indian, or whether he must make use of an inter- preter." 15
In October Baraga undertook another journey to Fond du Lac, Minnesota. He went by the way of Copper Harbour and in a letter written at the latter place, la- ments the scarcity of missionaries. "How sad it is, that there are so few mission- aries on this Lake Superior where so many could find so salutary an occupation, working for the honor of God and the salvation of souls. In European coun- tries priests abound and some could be spared without inconveniencing the faith- ful. Whereas, in this country, a mission- ary must travel hundreds of miles, over stormy seas, and snow and ice fields to bring religious consolation to only a few. When will the time come when heralds of
faith will find their way also to these regions! God knows how ardently I de- sire it, and how incessantly I beg of Him, in the sweet Name of Jesus, that he may in his mercy, soon send laborers, accord- ing to His heart, into this vast vine- yard." 16
"During my stay in Fond du Lac many received the grace of holy Baptism. Es- pecially joyful to me was the event of re- ceiving an entire pagan family into the fold. Also the Baptism of a very old, likely ninety years, pagan woman, was consoling to me. Upon my arrival at Fond du Lac I heard of her being feeble and sick; I went to the hovel in which she lay all alone. Her relatives, who had de- parted for the winter into the far-off woods, had forsaken her and she was without any means, until a Christian fam- ily cared for her, keeping fire day and night in her hut and bringing her food. Among these blinded heathens such in- stances happen not infrequently. When their parents or grandparents become so enfeebled by age, that they are no longer able to roam in the forest, they are simply abandoned. If it happens in the village, some one is always found, usually a Christian family, who takes care of them till their demise. However this often happens amidst lone wilderness, where they neccessarily perish of hunger and cold. O baneful heathenism! Thus was also the old woman forsaken, but immedi- ately succored by a Christian family. They told me that she had been sick for a long time, yet not unto death. Accom- panied by a Christian squaw, I crept into the miserable hovel greeting her; my
16 Letter October 18, 1847. A. XXI.
15 Letter June 19, 1847.
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companion at once explained that the pauperum salvas facict. He shall spare missionary had come to visit her. She the poor and needy, and He shall save the souls of the poor. ( Ps. 71, 13.) could not see me as she was totally blind, but stretched out her worn hands toward "I had still another spiritual joy. Dur- ing my stay at Fond du Lac, I gave first holy Communion to thirteen persons with as much solemnity as place and circum- stances would allow. me crying out: Nosse, nosse, jaweni- michim! Father, Father, have mercy on me! Having expressed my compassion on account of her sad condition, I assured her that because she had endured so much "Having thus consoled, instructed and confirmed the poor Indians of Fond du Lac in the faith, I started on my return trip to L'Anse, in order not to be absent too long from my own mission. The re- turn trip was full of hardships, especially between Fond du Lac and La Pointe. I have undertaken many a mission trip, but this one was the most difficult of all. Two years ago I made this same distance in four days, this time it took seven. The reason was, my companion and guide be- came suddenly dangerously sick in a lonesome and desolate wilderness. The illness overtook him in the evening, and he could not close his eyes that night ; he told me that he could not walk another mile. It was a sad night indeed! We were far from any human habitation, and could not remain in the place any length of time, as our stock of provisions was low, and we were in the midst of primeval forests without a trail. The snow was very deep and the temperature bitterly cold. I though many a time, that night, as I watched, that it would be the end of my earthly career, if my guide should happen to die. Still, it was not to be the will of the Good Shepherd who in his infinite mercy, should further make use of this weak instrument to bring erring sheep into his fold! The condition of my guide became so much better by the fol- lowing morning, that he could, with ex- misery in this world, she would be so much the happier in the next, if she only would receive the word of the Great Spirit. in whose name I came to announce it to her, if she would believe and be bap- tized. I spoke and explained to her the most necessary truths of our holy religion and, from time to time, asked her if she understood and believed. The sincere tone of her answers convinced me of her disposition, and I decided to baptize her at once. Still I thought it might be bet- ter, if I came in again the next day to in- struct her still more before giving her Baptism, for she may not die yet. How- ever, without knowing why, I determined upon my first intention and I baptized her before I left the hut. It was late by the time I returned to my lodge, but I felt a peaceful satisfaction in having baptized the poor old woman. Early next morn- ing the head of the Christian family, who had taken care of her, announced to me that she had peacefully fallen asleep in the Lord. Only a Christian heart can com- prehend the happiness which filled my soul! How thankful I am to God that I did not defer that Baptism until the next day! It was a providential disposition of the eternal Love, whose weak instrument I am, that this so poor, forsaken soul should immediately enter the joys of the Lord. "Parcet pauperi ct inopi et animas
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his children, for which I thank God in the Name of Jesus." 17
Baraga's indefatigable zeal would not permit of a long recuperation after the arduous journey he had just made. Priests were scarce, the territory large, and the people anxious to attend divine services (at least from time to time). During five months the Whites of Kee- wenaw had not seen a priest. Father Baraga hastened to them in January ( 1848) and spent three weeks amongst them. "I am wont to visit them at least twice a year, in order to give them op- portunity to receive the holy sacraments and to hear the word of God. The fore- men at the mines are mostly Americans and belong to no particular religion, but . the great majority of the miners are Catholics and exceedingly happy to see the priest once in a while. They desire to have a stationary pastor, whom they would willingly support. They have also requested me to ask the Bishop to send them a priest. I have done so, but the Bishop could not meet their wishes, at the best of his will, because there is a great scarcity of priests in the diocese." 18
The New York Observer, a non-Catho- lic publication, commenting upon the ac- tivity of Baraga and his seemingly ub- iquitous presence, has the following : "To the most common observer it is not diffi- cult to assign the reasons why Catholics have such good success (in Indian Mis- sions). The number of Catholic Whites married to Indian women is greater than that of Protestants. Through this kind of influence the confidence of the Indians is more easily gained than through any
other. The children of such marriages are a sure gain. The way to gain a ready hearing on the part of the relatives is thus also facilitated.
"Another reason is, that it is more apparent in a Catholic missionary that he devotes himself wholly and entirely to the cause which he promotes, since he labors continually for others, fearlessly exposes his health to danger in the service of the sick and dying, and is more will- ing than the Protestant preacher to suffer privations at all times.
"An example of this kind is told of Father Baraga, at Keewenaw Point, a man almost sixty 19 years old, who de- votes the whole of his income 20 as well as his personal services to the cause, he has taken upon himself and receives no compensation for the same. Last winter he walked on snow shoes from L'Anse to Copper Harbor, a distance of fifty- seven miles,21 through uninhabited re- gions, solely to baptize one child, of whom he had heard that it might probably die. Such proofs of selfsacrifice are not with- out influence upon the observant mind of the Indian.
"The Catholic missionary, no matter where he may be, is everywhere at home. If he is overtaken by the night in an In-
1º Baraga makes these annotations: I am now fifty, but almost eighteen years of my mis- sionary service and especially my difficult winter trips have used me up considerably, so that many people, who saw me for the first time, took me for a man of sixty. O. A. M. D. G .- all for the greater honor of God.
20 The kind donations which the Leopoldine Society sends me from time to time.
21 I also had other missionary duties to per- form. It is, however, certain that, I, and every other Catholic missionary would willingly travel, not only fifty-seven, but five hundred and sev- enty miles, solely to procure eternal happiness, through holy Baptism, for one single immortal soul, so infinitely precious. Leop. Birichte, XXII., p. 85.
17 Letter January 12, 1848. A. XXII.
18 Letter, March 16, 1848. A. XXII.
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dian hut, and does not come home, neither his wife nor children are distressed on account of it. He gratefully partakes of their own meals and looks for nothing better. He lies down on a mat for a rest and thanks his Savior that he is so well provided for. He does not waste a good half of his precious time in enjoying the pleasure of life, nor in the fulfillment of home obligations, or the care of an ever increasing family, but through his simple and self-sacrificing mode of life he gains access to-the hearts of the sav- ages, and then their obedience to the re- quirements of the Roman Catholic Church is easily gained. Doctrines taught by visible signs are easier understood by simple people than moral expressions, no matter in what form the words may be clothed.
In August, 1849, Baraga went to De- troit to superintend the fourth edition of his Indian prayerbook, of which, this time three thousand five hundred copies were printed. The six hundred dollars re- quired for this purpose he had received from the Leopoldine Society. Return- ing home to his mission he almost met with a catastrophe. "On the 25th of September I left Detroit to return to my mission. We were scarcely two days on Lake Huron when a severe storm arose and almost swamped our boat. The crew assured us that they had never seen such a storm on this lake. Almost half of the cargo was thrown over board to save us. Twenty barrels of pork were reserved and used for fuel in order to make the steamer go faster towards the nearest landing. In the harbor they found that the boiler had sustained a large hole.
"No thought of proceeding any further
in that condition could be entertained. I went aboard a passing steamer and re- turned to Detroit. In a couple of days I expect to leave here again, and, with the help of God, reach my mission in safety. 22
How often the good missionary was in deathly peril, only God knows. Baraga recorded little ; he has left us a description in a letter of August 25, 1849, of two of them. He writes: "Last February undertook a missionary trip during which, though I found opportunity to do much good, administering several bap- tisms, I almost lost my life. Because I knew the way, I went alone carrying the
SIGNATURE OF MOST REV. MARTIN HENNI, ARCH- BISHOP OF MILWAUKEE.
pack of my Mass-paraphernalia on my back. At first all went well. The way was trailed and my snow shoes light. I visited several small localities, where I preached and baptized. One day, how- ever. when I had to walk only ten miles to reach another locality, the snow, which the night before had fallen heavily, had covered the trail and made it, in many places, invisible. It was evident that I would have difficulties, but I would not return, because I was anxious to reach the next settlement, situated high on the mountain. I found the snow to be deeper and deeper and because fresh it was so soft that at every step I sank into it, and it cost me great effort to move along, for nothing is more fatiguing than wading through a deep, freshly fallen snow. I
22 Letter September 30, 1849. A. XXII.
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had thus tugged along for three hours, when my strength commenced to fail me. But the courage and the confidence in the Good Shepherd after whose lost sheep I was going, did not leave me. I rested a while and then walked again a while. However, I became so weak that I could not carry my pack any longer, so I hung it on a tree and walked on, though slower and slower, for I could hardly lift my feet through the snow, especially walking up hill. Time and again I thought that, through weakness, I would collapse and not be able to rise again. In that case I could not have lived long, it being bitterly cold. I was too weak to gather wood and would surely have frozen to death. With the last efforts I dragged myself along resting every now and then. Arrived, at last, at the place from where it should have taken me three quarters of an hour, I used three hours to make that short distance. When I started in the morning I expected to reach the place at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, instead. I arrived there at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. The good people pitied me with amazement when they saw how tired out I was. The following morning they sent a young man after my baggage, which I had left be- hind. Truly, only with difficulty I came to the village, but thanks be to God, I was richly repaid for it, by the good use the people made of my visit.
"The second time I was in great peril returning home from this same journey. I was all alone, and had to walk thirty miles to reach the first house. Rather than spend the night in the snow beneath the bare heavens, I wanted to make the dis- tance in one day. This trip proved ex- tremely difficult. I started out early in
the morning by moon light. At first all went well as I walked through the woods where the wind was well checked. But when I came out of the woods my way leading over frozen lakes, the wind which blew straight into my face, developed into a perfect storm. It blew so hard that it almost threw me to the ground and froze the blood in my veins. I could walk but slowly, and such a distance before me! To add to my discomfort I lost my way, as the trail was entirely covered up with snow. I walked straight ahead. Even this was difficult, I could not see ten paces ahead of me. The storm drove the snow into my eyes, and thick fog was on all sides. Through this storm I fought my way seventeen miles. I kept snow shoes on my feet six hours uninterruptedly. Had a weakness befallen me, so that I had to remain quietly in one place only for a half hour, I would have frozen to death in consequence of the piercing cold wind. The same day, some Canadians, who went out, had their noses and ears frozen. Except that the skin of my face, later, pealed off, nothing worse, thanks to God, happened to me." 23
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