Our Catlzolic Heritage in Texas
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Coahuila and Tejas. The episcopal seat would be nearer all four provinces than either Mexico City, Michoacan, Guadalajara, or Durango. He then went on to suggest the course that should be followed in the erection of the new diocese. Once the matter was decided upon, the king should solicit the Bull for it from His Holiness. The Bull would name the new bis.hopric and would authorize the king to determine its boundaries. The king would then present the candidates for the new dignity to the Pope who would make the appointment. The new bishop could then proceed to his diocese and after a few years would erect a cathedral church with its canons and other dignities and fix the limits of his diocese in accord with the instructions from the king. The revenue that could be expected at first for the maintenance of the new bishopric would necessarily be moderate but in his opinion it would be ample for all needs. 81 Ten years elapsed before the new bishopric was finally erected. On February 14, 1779, the king issued a royal cedula ordering Eusebio Ventura Beleiia to proceed to the delimitation of the Bishopric of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, as provided by Papal Bull. From Guadalajara it took all the pueblos of Nuevo Santander, Nuevo Reyno de Leon, Coahuila, and Texas, including Saltillo. From Michoacan it took the pueblos of Jaumave, Palmillas, Real de los Infantes, and Tula. From the Arch- bishopric of Mexico it took Santa Barbara. All these towns and cities were declared to be subject to the first Bishop Don Fray Antonio de Jesus Salcedon, 0. F. M., whose appointment to the new dignity was made public on September 2, 1779. The seat of the new bishopric was Linares. The first bishop arrived in Monterrey on his way to Linares late in December. He was an old, venerable, and saintly man. The long trip impaired his health, and upon his arrival in Monterrey he asked to be taken to the Convent of San Francisco. After a short illness, he died with the humility befitting his Order on Monday, December 27, 1779, at eight o'clock in the evening. He issued only one pastoral letter, the only official act before his death. He was succeeded by Fray Rafael Jose Verger, who took charge of his office in December, 1783. 82 Thus did the new Bishopric of Linares de Nuevo Leon come into being to supplant the jurisdiction of the ancient Diocese of Guadalajara over Texas after more than a century. llArchbishop of Mexico to the Viceroy, April 23, 1769. .A. G. M., Provincias /nternas, v. 174, pp. 358-362. 12J. E. Gonzalez, Coleccion de Noticias J Documentos ,Para la Historia de Nuevo Leon, 100-105.
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