USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > A history of the Catholic church in the dioceses of Pittsburg and Allegheny from its establishment to the present time > Part 6
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"The following," he writes, "is a description of the Diocese of Pittsburg at the time of its erection :
"In Allegheny County : In the city of Pittsburg there was St. Paul's Cathedral, congregation estimated at 4000 souls.
* Rt. Rev. T. Mullen, Bishop of Erie. Reminiscences of Rev. Thos. M'Cullagh .. P. 27.
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STATISTICS OF THE DIOCESE.
The Bishop was assisted by Rev. Joseph F. Deane. St. Patrick's Church, brick, Rev. E. F. Garland pastor, congre- gation about 3000. St. Philomena's (German), temporary church, attended by the Redemptorist Fathers, congregation about 4000. Rev. A. P. Gibbs resided in Pittsburg to attend several small congregations outside the city. St. Philip's Church, Chartier's Creek (now Broadhead), brick, congrega- tion 150, attended from Pittsburg. Pine Creek Church, log, congregation 400. Wexford, St. Alphonsus', brick, about 250. M'Keesport, St. Peter's, brick, 300. Making in all seven churches, six priests, and about 12,500 souls.
" Westmoreland County : St. Vincent's, brick, and Mt. Car- mel (near Derry), log, Rev. Jas. A. Stillenger, 1350.
" Indiana County : Blairsville, brick, 1000. Cameron Bot- tom, stone, 300, Rev. J. A. Stillenger.
" Butler County : Butler, St. Peter's, stone. Donegal (now North Oakland), St. Joseph's, 1300. Murrinsville, St. Alphon- sus', stone ; and Clearfield Township (now St. Mary's, Summit), 500, Rev. H. P. Gallagher.
" Armstrong County : St. Patrick's, brick, formerly known as Buffalo Creek Mission, 1000; and St. Mary's, Freeport, brick, 300, Rev. J. Cody.
"Washington County : West Alexander, St. James', log, 107.
"Fayette County : Brownsville, church in course of erection, of stone, 183 souls.
" Greene County: Waynesburg, St. Anne's, brick, 64. Other stations in Washington, Fayette, and Greene counties, 160, Rev. M. Gallagher.
" Beaver County : Beaver, Sts. Peter and Paul, frame, 300.
" Bedford County : Bedford, St. Thomas', brick, 200; and Somerset County : Harman Bottom, St. John's, stone, Rev. Thos. Heyden, 400.
" Huntingdon County : Huntingdon, Holy Trinity, brick, 175. Blair County : Newry, St. Patrick's, stone; Hollidays- burg and Sinking Valley, churches in course of erection, Rev. Jas. Bradly, 1100.
"Cambria County : Loretto, St. Michael's, frame, 1800; Jefferson (now Wilmore), St. Bartholomew's, stone, 550; Johnstown, St. John Gualbert's, brick, 400; Ebensburg, St.
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LABORS OF THE BISHOP.
Patrick's, frame, 250; Hart's Sleeping Place, St. Joseph's, log, 300 ; and Summit, St. Aloysius' Church, in course of erection, frame, 500, Rev. H. Lemcke and Rev. M. Gibson." *
From this it will be seen that the Bishop had in his diocese thirty-three churches, a few of which were un- finished ; fourteen priests, and a Catholic population of a little less than 25,000. There was also an orphan asylum, affording shelter to about twenty orphans. As yet there were but two religious communities in the diocese, the Redemptorist Fathers and the Sisters of Charity.
But it was not long before the influence of the Bishop's presence was everywhere felt. One of his first official acts was the ordination of Mr. Thos. M'Cullagh, one of the students who had accompanied him from Maynooth. It took place February 4th, 1844, and was the first ordination for the Diocese of Pittsburg. St. Paul's schools, already mentioned, were opened April 14th; and at the call of the Bishop the congregation met, June 14th, to take measures toward the . erection of an episcopal residence. The result was a neat and commodious dwelling for the Bishop and the priests attached to the cathedral. On the 16th of the same month the first diocesan synod was held, and statutes were enacted for the government of the Church. Still another good work was inaugurated on the 30th of the same month, the opening of the Chapel of the Nativity, for the use of the colored Catho- lics of the city.
Later in the same year the city council passed an ordinance to grade off the streets a few feet on Grant's Hill, as that part of the city on which the cathedral stands was then called. It was feared that the foundation of St. Paul's would be thereby endangered, and a subscription was started to raise money to build walls to support the ground upon which it stood and prevent it from gradually crumbling away. But when the grading was finished all fears were dispelled, and a motion was set on foot for finishing the tower, which had not been raised above the roof of the church. This was also abandoned.
The Sisters of Mercy opened an academy for young * Diocesan Register.
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ORGANIZATION OF THE DIOCESE.
ladies in September ; while one for boys was opened about the same time, with Rev. T. Mullen, the present Bishop of Erie, as principal. A circulating library came into existence about this time. There were also two temperance societies attached to St. Paul's and St. Patrick's churches, containing in the aggregate 3500 members. The only other temperance society in the city was one composed of Welshmen, and numbering 400 members .* The publication of The Catholic was begun in February of this year. But by far the most important work undertaken by the Bishop, and one which evinces both his zeal and his courage, was the founding of St. Michael's Ecclesiastical Seminary for the education of candi- dates for the sacred ministry. Its beginnings were humble, but it was notwithstanding destined to be productive of incal- culable benefit to the cause of religion. A limited number of students were at first assembled in a small building at the corner of Smithfield Street and Virgin Alley, with Rev. Richard H. Wilson, D.D., as principal professor ; and an effort was made to erect a seminary on a part of the lot occu- pied by the cathedral. For this purpose a meeting was held June 14th, 1844, at which $2000 were subscribed ; but the plan was not carried into execution, and the students appear to have remained in their first building until they were trans- ferred to Birmingham, in 1847. Thus we see that in the brief space of a single year the Bishop had succeeded in thoroughly organizing all the departments of his vast diocese.
But the scarcity of priests and teachers was sorely felt in the diocese, and it must be some years before a competent supply of either could be expected from the diocese itself. In the mean time the Bishop, like many of his colleagues in the episcopacy, must draw upon the Catholic countries of Europe for the necessary supply. Fortunately the American Church has seldom appealed in vain ; and the number of priests and religious of both sexes from Germany and France, and most of all from Ireland, who devoted their energies and lives to the cause of religion in this country will in all future times be held in grateful remembrance. The Bishop set out for Rome
* Harris' Business Directory, 1844.
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VISITATION OF THE DIOCESE.
and other European countries in the interest of his diocese July 23d, 1845, leaving Very Rev. J. A. Stillenger Vicar- General and Administrator. Among the acquisitions which he brought with him on his return were four Presentation Brothers from the city of Cork, who were expected to found a house of their institute and take charge of the boys' schools. He arrived in Pittsburg on his return, December 13th.
Having organized his diocese, the Bishop set out on his first visitation, July, 1846, commencing at Beaver and passing north and east through the present Diocese of Erie. I have before me, in his own handwriting, a brief account of this visitation, with the number of souls in each congregation, the number confirmed, and other matters of interest. This visita- tion was completed the following summer. But by far the most important event of this year was the introduction of a large colony of the venerable and learned Order of St. Bene- dict, which came from Bavaria and settled at St. Vincent's, Westmoreland County, October 24th. Further on an occa- sion will be presented of speaking at great length of this foundation, and the good it has achieved in the cause of religion and religious education. This, too, was the first intro- duction of the Benedictine Order into the United States. Two new churches were also dedicated this year. The Catholic population of the diocese is given in the Catholic Directory for this year at 30,000.
The year 1847 was destined to be more eventful than any of its predecessors. The Mercy Hospital was opened by the Sisters of Mercy in January, in a temporary building, and in August the contract was let for the erection of the present spacious building. June 2d, Rev. Jos. F. Deane withdrew from the cathedral, where he had been since before the first arrival of Dr. O'Connor, to a mission in Clarion County, bearing with him a testimonial from the congregation. He was succeeded by Rev. James Madison Lancaster, late of Kentucky. Prior to this date the Bishop had purchased a large farm on the side and top of the hill south of Birmingham, known at present as Mt. Oliver, for which he paid, I believe, $16,000. It was a profitable investment; for after perhaps $100,000 worth of building lots had been sold, the balance was
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THE CATHEDRAL IN DANGER.
assessed before the panic at $162,000. St. Michael's Church, the Franciscan Convent, and the Passionist Monastery stand on a part of it. The frame house on the property, which had been occupied for a time by the Presentation Brothers, now became St. Michael's Seminary, under the presidency of Rev. Thos. M'Cullagh. In the same year was introduced a colony of Brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis, as school and college teachers, who came from Clifton and Roundstone, in the Archdiocese of Tuam, Ireland, and established themselves at Loretto. But the event of the greatest importance to St. Paul's and to the diocese was the second grading of the streets on Grant's Hill, begun in June of this year, by which the foundations of the cathedral were irreparably injured and the approach rendered extremely difficult. When the grading was completed the cathedral stood perched on a mound some twenty feet or more above the level of the street, and high flights of stairs were necessary to enable the congregation to enter it. The bank was sustained by temporary supports ; but it was evident to all that the venerable edifice could not stand long, owing to the action of the frost and rain on the foundation. A suit was instituted against the city, and a verdict obtained for $4000; but an appeal was made to the Supreme Court, which on the 7th of November, 1851, con- firmed the sentence of the inferior tribunal. But besides the delay and expense in obtaining redress, the award was trifling when compared with the injury inflicted on the building and the expense and inconvenience entailed on the congregation. The episcopal residence, which had been built after the first grading, did not suffer.
Four new churches were dedicated this year.
The following is the registry of baptisms at St. Paul's for the fourteen years from 1834 to 1848. The years date from May to May, because it was in that month the church was dedicated. It will also show the population to have been fluctuating ; but account must be had of the new congrega- tions formed during that time in the city and vicinity. In 1834 there were 222 baptisms; in 1835, 210; in 1836, 252; in 1837, 260; in 1838, 218; in 1839, 312 ; in 1840, 252; in 1841, 144; in 1842, 204; in 1843, 218; in 1844, 212; in 1845, 320;
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A CHURCH IN ALLEGHENY CITY.
in 1846, 234; in 1847, 304-total, 3362. These with the 1214 baptized from 1820 to 1830, and perhaps 600 between 1830 and 1834, and 400 prior to 1820, will give a grand total of 5576. In September of this year Father Lancaster returned to his native State, where he died a few years ago, Vicar-General of the Diocese of Covington. He was succeeded in the pas- torate of St. Paul's by Rev. James O'Meally. The Oblate Fathers of the Blessed Virgin Mary took charge of St. Mi- chael's Seminary November 22d, but remained only a short time.
Five new churches were erected in 1848.
The year 1848 was not so eventful as its predecessor had been. The congregation continued to augment with the in- crease of the population of the city. But, inasmuch as many Catholics had by this time taken up their residence in Alle- gheny City, the necessity of forming a congregation on that side of the river became daily more apparent. A meeting of those interested was therefore called in September, the new congregation was organized, and measures were taken for purchasing a site and erecting a church. What was then humbly commenced has since grown into St. Peter's parish, perhaps the most flourishing English congregation in the western part of the State.
The cemetery attached to St. Patrick's Church, and that on Boyd's Hill near the Mercy Hospital, in which the Eng- lish Catholics were interred, became so full, and so much within the constantly extending limits of the city, that it was necessary to purchase new grounds, and these, if possible, so extensive as to serve for a general burying-ground for all the English congregations of the city for the future. To this end the present St. Mary's Cemetery, consisting originally of about fifty acres, was purchased early in 1849, at a cost of $20,000. It was chartered soon after, and has since been used and will for many years be the general cemetery of the city. In the same year the Franciscan Brothers from Loretto estab- lished a house of their order in the city, and took charge of the boys of St. Paul's school. About the same time the cele- brated Joe Barker, whose name figures so prominently in the Know Nothing movements in the city, began to gain noto-
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BURNING OF THE CATHEDRAL.
riety by his inflammatory street harangues against the Church and the clergy.
There were two churches enlarged and a new one built in 1849.
The condition of the cathedral became daily more precari- ous, on account of the injury done the foundation, and a meet- ing was called January 27th, 1850, to consider what was best to be done, although on this point there could be little difference of opinion. It was unanimously resolved to tear it down, grade off the lot to the level of the street, and erect a new one. It is proper to state that measures of this kind would have been taken perhaps two years before, but for the tardi- ness of the city officials in cutting down the streets and fixing their final grade. The necessary committees were appointed at the meeting, and a subscription for the new cathedral was opened, which the Bishop headed with $1000. Proposals for grading the lot were asked, and plans were ordered for the new edifice. The latter were accepted July 20th ; but the lateness of the season made it advisable to await the coming spring before commencing work.
Father O'Meally had withdrawn from the cathedral to Cincinnati early in the spring, and was succeeded in April by Rev. Edward M'Mahon, who had lately arrived from Lex- ington, Ky. This zealous and laborious priest was destined to play a more important part in the history of St. Paul's, and of the diocese, than any other had done since the days of Father O'Reilly.
In 1850 two new churches were built.
The subscription for the new cathedral had reached almost, if not quite, $30,000 by the spring of 1851 ; and when all was in readiness for commencing to tear down the old building, and when even the insurance policies, with the exception of one of $5000, had been permitted to expire in view of that event, this noble monument of the zeal, energy, and taste of Father M'Guire took fire at the roof from sparks from a chimney of the episcopal residence, at 11 o'clock A.M., May 6th, and was entirely destroyed with the exception of such furniture as could be hastily removed. The organ, valued at $3000, was a total loss. The Bishop was absent at the time.
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THE NEW CATHEDRAL.
Nothing remained but to carry the plan of a new building into immediate execution. The remains of Fathers M'Guire, Hoy, M'Caffrey, and Kenny were removed from the vaults of the ruins to the new cemetery, where they still repose ; and work was commenced on the foundation. It was prosecut- ed with such despatch that the foundations were ready for the laying of the corner-stone by the middle of June of the same year. In the mean time, and until the basement was finished, the people accommodated themselves as best they could in the school-rooms. The corner-stone was laid with great solem- nity by the Bishop on the afternoon of Trinity Sunday, June 15th, 1851. Two inscriptions were placed in the stone, one of which referred to the old cathedral and the other to the new one. The completion of the cathedral was now the great work for the Bishop and his people. But it was not to be the work of a day. The Know Nothing excitement, under the charm of Joe Barker's popular eloquence, now began to disturb the quiet of the city and turn the tide of shallow public opinion against the Catholic portion of the population. Adverse cir- cumstances and the breaking out of the cholera forced the Bishop to close the Seminary in June, and send his students to other institutions to complete their course of studies; and it was not reopened for five years.
Five new churches were dedicated in 1851.
Work was progressing on the cathedral when 1852 set in to mark its impress on the diocese and the world. The in- crease of the Catholic population, the extent of the diocese, and the want of facilities for travelling rapidly from place to place induced the Bishop to consider the propriety of having the diocese divided and a new one formed from the northern counties. He laid the matter before the Fathers of the First Plenary Council of Baltimore, which assembled May 9th; and as his reasons for the division were strong, and his voice well-nigh all-powerful, the matter was decided according to his wishes, and the formation of a new diocese, with the see at Erie, was recommended to the Holy See. The Holy Father confirmed the action of the Council by a bull, dated April 29th, 1853, of which we shall take occasion to speak further on.
Father M'Mahon was made Vicar-General of the Diocese
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THE DIOCESE DIVIDED.
of Pittsburg April 26th, 1852. But the scarcity of priests still greatly perplexed the good Bishop. He was, besides, anxious to have religious established in his diocese whose duty it should be to give missions in the churches. With a view of procuring them, as well as of transacting other business of im- portance connected with the administration of the diocese, he set out on a trip to Europe July 23d, leaving Father M'Mahon Administrator during his absence. When in Rome he called on the Father General of the Passionist Order, and obtained the promise of a small colony of the order for his diocese. Three Fathers sailed for America, landing at Philadelphia, whence they proceeded to Pittsburg, where they established the first house of their congregation in the United States, and which is still the mother-house. Thus was Dr. O'Connor the first to introduce another order into the country, and again did the results which followed attest the wisdom of his choice. He arrived in Pittsburg on his return, November 20th.
In the spring of this year St. Bridget's congregation was organized by Father Tuigg, the present Bishop of Pittsburg, principally from St. Patrick's, but in part also from St. Paul's. St. James', Temperanceville, was also formed in autumn, partly from St. Paul's and partly from St. Philip's, Broadhead.
In 1852 there were two new churches built.
In January and February, 1853, the Bishop addressed a number of letters to the Governor of Pennsylvania on the com- mon schools, which he published in The Catholic.
The bulls dividing the Diocese of Pittsburg and erecting the new See of Erie were dated, as we have said, April 29th, 1853. The dividing line ran east and west along the northern boundaries of Cambria, Indiana, Armstrong, Butler, and Lau- rence counties, giving thirteen counties to the new and fifteen to the old diocese. The area of the Diocese of Pittsburg was reduced from 21,300, to 11,314 square miles, or a fraction more than one fourth that of the State ; but it retained full three fourths of the Catholic population of the original diocese. Dr. O'Connor chose the new bishopric as his portion, and, the Holy See approving his choice, he was transferred thither by a Bull dated July 29th, 1853. A bull was also expedited promoting Rev. Josue M. Young, of the Archdiocese of Cin-
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BISHOP O'CONNOR TRANSFERRED TO ERIE.
cinnati, to the vacant See of Pittsburg. Bishop O'Connor, to the great grief of the Catholics and all the citizens of Pitts- burg, set out for his new field of labor October 14th, bearing with him addresses from both the clergy and laity of his late diocese. Very Rev. E. M'Mahon was appointed administra- tor of Pittsburg until the consecration of the Bishop-elect.
A comparison of the condition of the diocese at the date of its division with what it was at the time of its erection will furnish the most convincing evidence of the zeal, prudence, and energy which characterized the Administration of Bishop O'Connor during the nine years that he filled the See of Pittsburg. At the time of the division there were seventy- eight churches, and four more in course of erection ; sixty- four clergymen ; and a Catholic population of 50,000.
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CHAPTER V.
HISTORY OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL FROM THE ERECTION OF THE SEE OF ERIE TO THE RESIGNATION OF BISHOP O'CONNOR.
Visit of Cardinal Bedini-Know Nothingism-Bishop O'Connor returns to Pitts- burg-He visits Rome-Consecration of the Cathedral-A description of the building-Decline of the Bishop's health-He travels in Europe and the Holy Land-Petitions for a coadjutor-Travels in Mexico-Thinks of resigning- Visits Rome-Resigns-His episcopate-Death-Biographical notice.
ON the 10th of December, 1853, the Papal Nuncio, Cardi- nal Cajetan Bedini, arrived in Pittsburg, and was received in the basement of the new cathedral, which had been opened on the 8th of the preceding September. The Know Nothings were then at the zenith of their power, and during the few days His Eminence stopped in the city he could not be per- mitted to remain without insult. His carriage was surrounded and stopped near St. Patrick's Church, but the crowd was dispersed with little further demonstration than insulting lan- guage. It was at this time and in the following year that Joe Barker, then in the height of his glory, allowed nothing that was Catholic to escape his vituperation. The character of the Bishop and his clergy was attacked with fabricated stories, and in the excitement of the moment, when many were dis- posed to listen with avidity to any abuse of foreigners-which usually means Irish Catholics-they experienced no little anx- iety. So well planned were some of his attacks upon charac- ter that it was with the greatest difficulty that even the Bishop could succeed in repelling them. So high did feeling run for a time that the Bishop found it necessary to require the clergy to lay aside every distinctive mark in dress, etc., the better to escape molestation and insult. Having enjoyed his triumph, the unhappy Barker was destined to feel the hand of God,
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WORK ON THE CATHEDRAL.
whom he had insulted in his Church and its ministers. Re- turning from a political meeting which he had addressed, he was struck by a locomotive while walking on the rail- road, and, being thrown down a steep embankment, was in- stantly killed, August 2d, 1862.
The enmity to the Church which the Know Nothing movement had fanned into a flame added to the difficulty of raising means for the completion of the Cathedral. The base- ment had been finished and opened for divine service, as we have said ; and it was the intention of the Bishop to have built the entire structure of cut stone. But the magnitude of the undertaking, and the difficulty of collecting means, forced him reluctantly to abandon this design after the completion of the basement, and finish the superstructure in brick, roughly, to be afterwards coated with cement in imitation of stone. But this coating has never yet been put on, and most probably never will be.
The number of churches finished and dedicated during the course of 1853 was six.
The clergy and people of Pittsburg felt deeply the loss of their good Bishop, and united in a petition to the Holy See for his return. They felt that he who had ruled the diocese with so much zeal and prudence in the past, and who was intimately acquainted with all that related to its every depart- ment, must continue its government more successfully than any other ; and that he who had planned its great Cathedral was the most fitting person to secure the execution of his plans. The reluctance of Father Young to accept the mitre of Pittsburg seconded their petition, and induced the Holy See to grant their request. A bull was issued, restoring him to his former see, February 20th, 1854. He returned soon after, and Father Young was consecrated Bishop of Erie.
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