CHAPTER V. DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE. ERECTION OF THE SEES OF BOSTON, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, AND BARDSTOWN.-MOST REV. JOHN CARROLL, ARCHBISHOP OF BALTIMORE.-HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF BALTIMORE, 1808-1815. On the 8th of April, 1808, Pope Pius VII., by his Bulls "Pontificii Muneris" and "Ex debito Pastoralis Officii," divided the diocese of Baltimore, and erected the sees of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Bardstown. The Bulls recited that the Sovereign Pontiff had heard with great joy that the Catholic religion was increasing daily in the United States in vitality and growth; that the number of the faithful who bowed their necks to its sweet yoke was by God's blessing greater and more copious. As therefore the one bishop who is established in the see of Baltimore cannot properly direct a flock increasing at points so far removed from each other, his Holiness, knowing that the young lambs of Christ's flock had greater need of pastoral care and protection, hastened to give an increase of new pastors, to obviate the difficulty of distance, and multiply spiritual succor. After deliberating on the matter with his venerable brethren, the Cardinals of the Congregation de Propaganda Fide, he proceeds: "By the advice of the said Brethren, We by the apostolical authority, by the tenor of these presents, erect and constitute four new episcopal sees in the said States, for four respective bishops, now and hereafter whenever a vacancy occurs in any of said sees, to be elected and constituted by us and the apostolic see, namely, 1st, New York, which is to have as a diocese the whole State of that name, and the eastern part of the State of New Jersey, contiguous thereto; 2d, Philadelphia, the diocese whereof includes the entire two States of Pennsylvania and Delaware, and the western and southern part of the said State of New Jersey; 3d, Boston, with a diocese in which we include these States, namely, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Vermont; 4th, Bardstown, that is, in the town or city of Bardstown, and thereto we assign as a diocese the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, and until otherwise provided by this Apostolic See, the territories lying northwest of the Ohio, and extending to the great lakes and which lie between them and the diocese of Canada, and extending along them to the boundary of Pennsylvania. . . . . Finally, We give and assign the beforementioned churches and each one of them as provincials and suffragans of the Church of Baltimore, which we have this day, by the counsel and authority aforesaid, erected into an archiepiscopal and metropolitan church." 1 This Brief with the Bulls appointing Father Richard Luke Concanen to the see of New York; Father Michael Egan to the see of Philadelphia; Rev. John Cheverus to the see of Boston, and Rev. Benedict Joseph Flaget to the see of Bardstown, as well as the Brief erecting Baltimore into an Archiepiscopal See, and the Pallium for Archbishop Carroll, were confided to the Bishop-elect of New York. That learned Dominican was just recovering from a long and dangerous illness, and was still confined to his bed, when 1 Briefs "Pontificii Muneris" and "Ex debito Pastoralis Officii," April 8, 1808. "Bullarium Romanum," xiii., pp. 280, 282. They are incorrectly printed, and I have followed a contemporaneous manuscript copy. BISHOP CONCANEN. 623 Cardinal di Pietro came to his bedside to tell him, in the name of the Pope, that he must accept the great charge, and that such was the will of God. He accordingly acquiesced, and was consecrated with great pomp in the Church of the Nuns of St. Catharine at Rome, on the 24th of April, 1808, by Cardinal di Pietro, with two archbishops as assistants. He seems to have obtained considerable donations in money, vestments, plate, etc., for his diocese, filling cases, which greatly impeded his travelling at a time when every moment was precious. Although scarcely recovered from his illness, he left Rome on the 3d of June for Leghorn, where he hoped to find a vessel for some port in the United States, but the American vessels were sequestered by the French then in possession of the place, because they were visited by the English cruisers. After remaining in vain for months at Leghorn and Locanda, and expending large sums of money, Bishop Concanen left his cases, with the pallium, bulls, and other official papers, in charge of Messrs. Filicchi, with directions to forward them to Archbishop Carroll when a safe opportunity presented itself. He himself returned to Rome, where the Holy Father assigned him a pension, his promotion to the episcopate having left him with no claim on the houses of his order. He remained at Tivoli and in Rome till the spring of 1810, discharging a great deal of business for the Irish prelates, and performing episcopal acts in Rome, then greatly in need of the services of Bishops, as the Pope, with many Cardinals and Bishops, had been carried off. In April Dr. Concanen wrote that he was about to start for his diocese.' 1 Bishop Concanen to Archbishop Troy, March 25, May 21, 1808. Same to Archbishop Carroll, July 23, 1808; to Archbishop Troy, October 8, November 19, 1808, March 22, May 20, 1809, January 3, 1810; to Archbishop Carroll, August 9, 1809; to Bishop Milner, August 25, He was greatly depressed by the long delay, and even proposed to resign the see of New York. "After the series of trials and disappointments that I experienced ever since my unfortunate appointment to the see of New York," to quote his words to Archbishop Carroll, "the greatest consolation I felt was that of receiving your Grace's inestimable letter of 20 Jan. last. The pleasure and approbation you so kindly express at my promotion; the satisfaction shown on that occasion by our beloved Catholics of New York; and the pleasing account you give of the present state of that Church, are to me objects of the highest estimation. I have ever had a sensible predilection for the Americans, and a desire (which obedience only rendered ineffectual) of serving in that mission; but never indeed had I the ambition of appearing there in quality of a bishop, especially in my advanced age and weakened by my late infirmities. Now that I am bound to undertake the arduous charge, you may imagine what concern and affliction it gives me to be sequestered here so long, spectator of tragic scenes, which cannot be unknown to you; and wasting that remnant of life which ought to be employed in the service of my beloved flock." ' Rev. Mr. Flaget had gone to France to escape, if possible, the episcopate imposed on him, but finding that the Sovereign Pontiff ordered him to submit, sought priests and aid for his new diocese. While he was in France, an appeal was made to Cardinal Fesch in favor of Bishop Concanen, and a passport actually obtained, permitting him to come to France and embark. But he was afraid to undertake the journey, though he might have joined Dr. Flaget and accompanied him." 1 Bishop Concanen to Archbishop Carroll, August 9, 1809. |