Establislement of tlee Dioceses, 1847-1948
Dona Ana, Otero, Eddy and part of Sierra County. To this territory he added the Texas counties of El Paso and Culbertson from the Diocese of Dallas, and thirteen counties from the Diocese of San Antonio: Presidio, Jeff Davis, Reeves, Brewster, Terrell, Pecos, Crane, Ward, Loving, Winkler, Ector (sic.), Andrews, and Gaines. "The most Holy Father," declared the Bull, "establishes the episcopal see of the Diocese of El Paso with its limits as herein defined in the city commonly known as El Paso, located in the county of the same name and thereby raises it forever to the dignity of an episcopal city." The church of the Immaculate Con- ception was made suffragan to the metropolitan province of Santa Fe. All letters and records in the chanceries of Tucson, Dallas and San Antonio pertaining to the area included within the limits of the new diocese were ordered moved to the chancery at El Paso. The Most Rev- erend John Bonzano, Titular Archbishop of Melitene and Apostolic Delegate to the United States, was authorized to erect the new diocese and granted the right to delegate his duties to any person of ecclesiastical dignity. 89 The new diocese remained vacant for almost eighteen months. The Reverend John J. Brown; S. J., who was preconized bishop of El Paso on January 2 , 1915, humbly begged to be excused and his resignation was accepted by Pope Benedict XV on June 16, 1915. 90 It fell to Pope Benedict XV to appoint a new bishop for the Diocese of El Paso. The day after the acceptance of Father Brown's resignation, on June 17, 1915. the Reverend Anthony J. Schuler, S. J ., was named bishop of the new diocese. Althoug-h born in St. Mary's. Elk County. Pennsylvania, on Septem- ber 20, 1869, of German parentage. the new bishop can truly be called a product of the West. While the future bishop was very young. his family moved to Colorado. where his father worked in the mines. A missionary priest, Father Nicholas C. Matz. who later became bishop of Denver. met the young boy in Colorado and took a deep interest in him. In his spare 89 Bull of Erection, Rome. March 3, 1 C) 14. Copy in C. A. T. The translation userl was kindly furnished to the author hv the Most Reverend Bishop S. M. MetzR"er who said "this to my knowledi:l'e is the first translation made." The copy has been filed in C. A. T. 911 Tt seems that Father Brown was completelv lackinl?' in confidence and too modest to accept the appointment. He retired from Texas shortly aftenvards and went to K:mc:as where he lived for many ~•ears at St. Mary's. He died on February 21, 1947, at the :tl!'e of 81. The letter of Archbishop Bonzano. Apo.'1tolic Dele,l?'ate, reportin.l?' the al".ceptanre of the resi.e:n:ition of Father Brown is in the niflrn111t Arrl,;11,s flf El Pasfl.
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