Establislmumt of tlte Dioceses, 1847-1948
1 53
with a check for $58,000 for his Cathedral." For two years prior to the consecration, Father Pinto, S. J ., had been working on St. Patrick's, the new cathedral. Two years later, Bishop Schuler, who took great pride in !-upervising its building, had the pleasure of dedicating it on November 29, 1917, the first monument to his inexhaustible energy. 91 For twenty-seven years the zealous bishop was to work constantly to carry the comforts of religion to the faithful throughout his vast diocese and to spread the faith. A dynamic man, he spent most of his efforts in building. He was primarily a builder. At the time he was installed there were in the new diocese in an area of more than 64.000 square miles, some 54,000 Catholics. 31 priests. 20 parishes, 58 missions, 3 academies, 9 parochial schools. and 3 hospitals. Twenty-seven years later, when he resigned because of the growing infirmities of old age, there were 135,000 Catholics, r 18 priests, 50 parishes. 97 mission, 5 academies. 12 parochial schools, 4 hospitals, 6 orph,mages, and 3 day nurseries, besides a mater- nity clinic and two large Catholic Action centers. In El Paso he had built St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Joseph's school. the Catholic Community Center, the Guardian Angel school. the Sacred Heart and St. Margaret's Orphanag-es. and St. Joseph's Sanitorium. He had sponsored and patronized the erection of Loretto Academy by the Sisters of Loretto and he had been instrumental in founding the Catholic Weekly and the U7 estem American, two newspapers that are still being published. He was influential in persuading the Jesuits of Las Vegas. New Mexico. to move th~ offices of Rc1.,ista Catolica to El Paso, where this press has done much in furnishing Catholic literature in Spanish and English to Catholics even beyond the limits of his extensive diocese.. His fearless zeal for righteousness won him the respect and admiration of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He led a campaign to clean up public dance halls and consistently took :rn active part in all movements for the improvement of conditions in El Paso and his entire diocese. He identified himself with the welfare of the c-ommunitv. When he observed his golden jubilee in 1916 as a memher of the Society of Jesus. the entire city joined in the celebration to acclaim him El Paso's outstanding citizen. Democratic in his dealings, Bishop Schuler extended a helping hand to all who sought it, and was never too busy to listen to the problems of the poor or to offer guidance and counsel. He was one of the founders 91The facts herein summarized are based on information and newspaper clippin~ generously furnished the author by the MMt Rev~rend S. M. Metz.tter. Letter 3nd c-lipping1- arc. now in C. A. T.
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