Ott-r C atltolic H e1·itage in Texas
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Texas he had planned to go to the Austrian capital to make an appeal to the Leopoldinen Stiftttng. This Austrian society, somewhat similar to the French Society for the Propagation of the Faith, had taken a lively interest for some time in helping preserve the Faith of German immigrants to America. The good Vicar was determined to make a strong appeal to them for aid and to try to secure in Austria the German-speaking priests he needed so desperately. He first went to Bologna, however, and then to Modena, where he visited the Duke. He spent a day in Ferrara, stopped for the night in Padua and by October 17 reached Venice. Here he rested for three days, before he proceeded to Trieste, and thence to Vienna, where he arrived on October 24 for a visit of three weeks. 80 He had sent advance reports on the conditions prevalent in Texas and on the most urgent needs for the Propagation of the Faith both to the Leopoldine Association of the Austrian Empire and to the Most Reverend Prince-Bishop Vincent Edward Milde. In his summary of conditions in the Vicariate, Odin stressed the poverty of the immigrants, whose pitiful situation had been made worse by the ravages of revolu- tion and war. Ever since the renewal of work in Texas in 1840 it had been necessary, he explained, to use such alms as he had been able to collect and the contributions from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in Lyons, other associations, and private donors to alleviate the sufferings of the people, and to build eight small wooden chapels, to repair the ancient church in San Antonio, and to meet the immediate needs of the missionaries. He now made a direct appeal for aid to secure needed paraphernalia and equipment for the celebration of Mass and particularly for the administration of the Sacraments: "The Mission in Texas lacks the most necessary church ornaments and other objects which belong to the public worship," he pleaded. "We have altogether only eight vest- ments, and these are tattered and torn; we lack ciboria, ostensoria, candles, incense, host boxes. In a word," Odin concluded, "we are destitute of all those things so necessary for the worthy celebration of the Holy Mysteries, things which make an impression even on Protestants and have a wholesome influence on the heart of the faith- ful." He also appealed for help in behalf of the thousands of savages still roaming the vast plains of Texas. Work among them could not be undertaken without financial aid to supply the missionaries with
aoodin, Diar,y, entries for September-November, 1845, C. A. T.
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