The Drnvn of a New Era
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Antonio Blanc of that city to beg him to intercede in behalf of all the Catholics in Texas before the Provincial Council about to meet in Baltimore. They asserted that many Catholic families who lived in the western part of the country and on the frontiers, where the enemy had wrought the worst devastation the year before, had been forced to abandon their homes along with the rest of the settlers. But now that the United States had extended recognition to the new Republic, they felt it would be safe to return to their ruined homes. They were returning, however, with one regret-there would be no "Priest who speaks the English language to administer the blessings and instruction of our Holy Religion." They pleaded, therefore, for a missionary to be sent them as soon as possible. They expressed the feelings they would have to endure--pain, humiliation, and indignation-if they were forced to return to see numerous sectarian ministers "roaming about the country," trampling boldly and without regard upon the sacred vestiges of Catholicism, and found themselves without a "zealous pastor to let them know that we have missionaries [engaged] in the work of salvation as well as themselves." They extolled the beauty of the country as "beyond de- scription" with no equal for soil and climate, peopled with settlers from the "Western States," whose hospitality remained proverbial, but who all too frequently were ignorant of the most rudimentary teach- ings of Christianity, and many of whom professed no religion whatever. They gave fair warning that the task of bringing religion to the scattered Catholics and uninstructed settlers would be "fatiguing and arduous," for most of the colonists lived at considerable distance from each other, were poor in the goods of this world, and would continue in this reduced condition for several years. Having stated their case, the petitioners made bold to suggest the appointment of "two able and zealous Priests ... accustomed to the manners of the Western Missions" to keep the scattered flock together and make converts. There was a rich harvest waiting for the reaper. Some of the petitioners had come originally from Louisiana, Mis- souri, or Kentucky, where they had become acquainted with the un- selfish and exemplary missionaries from St. Mary-of-the-Barrens, founded a few years before in Perry County, Missouri. Having known the devotion of these men from the Barrens, as it was generally desig- nated, they were prompted to recommend for consideration some of their former acquaintances, who they knew would be welcome in Texas. They named as likely candidates Fathers J. J. Mullan. of New Orleans;
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