The Vicariate, 1841-1847
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Before returning to Texas, however, Odin went to Washington and thence to Baltimore to attend the Sixth Provincial Council. Texas was now a state of the Union and, consequently, the Vicariate was in a sense a part of the American Province. The Council opened on May IO. As soon as it closed, Odin hurried to make an inspection of the Vin- centian houses in the United States as requested by Etienne. This took him to St. Louis, the Barrens, Cape Girardeau, and St. Genevieve, where he visited many of his old colleagues and friends. He found his confreres everywhere were making a laudable effort, he reported, for the greater glory of God. 86 When at long last, after an absence of some fifteen months, he finally reached Galveston, he found conditions had improved in spite of the war with Mexico that followed annexation. He had had to wait in New Orleans until June 26 to secure passage. The vessel carried two hundred and fifty soldiers destined to reinforce the troops in Matamoros. Odin had to go to Point Isabel, where the troops were landed, making his arrival in Galveston six days later. The population had continued to increase. Immigrants were still coming from all parts of the United States and Europe; recent events were not detering them any. The theatre of war was a great distance from the settlements in Texas. The American army had occupied the right bank of the Rio Grande. By the middle of the summer Odin estimated the American forces along the Rio Grande at 20,000. It was planned to increase the number to 50,000. He reported that a group of 5,000 men had left St. Louis to attack New Mexico and that an equal force was to march to California. It is interesting to note his statement in regard to the American objectives: "The aim of the Americans is to march to Mexico, isolate a part of [northern] Mexico from the Central Government and form a separate republic, which later ... will become a part of the United States. adding California im- mediately as the prize of the war." Next to money, the greatest need to care for the ever increasing flock was a "solid and spacious church in Galveston." The present chapel could not accommodate one-fourth of the people in the growing city. He was determined to carry out his project at any cost. Fortunately for the Catholics in Texas, the Ursulines were to open a school in Galveston in January of the coming year. His dream would soon be realized. 17 86 Odin to Etienne, June 18, 1846, C. A. T. 17 Odin to Etienne, June 1 8 and July 21, 1846, C. A. T.
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