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Tl,e Dawn of a New Era
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Bishop Rosati of St. Louis was to write in a letter to Cardinal Fransoni de Propaganda Fide that the zealous young missionary had won back more Catholics to their religion and had made more converts in eight or ten years than all the other priests laboring in the Diocese of St. Louis. Three Bishops, Joseph Rosati of St. Louis, Simon Brute of Vincennes, and John Dubois of New York, each requested Timon as his own coadjutor, that is, a bishop assistant with the right of succession. Truly, John Timon was marked for great things. When the Missouri and Louisiana Vincentians were permitted to organize the independent Province of the United States of America in 1837 at the representation of Father John Odin, who was then visiting in Europe, Timon was named Provincial Superior, or Visitor of the new province. His vigor and energy infused new life into the Mission of the Barrens. The fresh impetus emphasized the great need of workers in the rapidly expanding activities of the Vincentians. Timon made his first trip to Europe in 1837 to recruit priests for America. When Timon received Bishop Blanc's urgent appeal in 1838 to make a reconnaissance of Texas, he was engaged in a program of expansion into Illinois, southern Missouri, and Louisiana. He had just established the core of a dozen missions on the upper Illinois Riv~r, had taken over the parish of St. Vincent at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and had accepted three new foundations from Bishop Blanc in New Orleans. Small wonder that he showed some reluctance. in hurriedly answering the new call to Cl)mmit the Vincentians to labor in distant Texas." Preparations for tlte survey. Timon, undaunted by the magnitude of the undertaking because he had implicit faith in the Providence of the Lord, replied within a few days. He accepted the invitation and promised to set out as soon as his multiple obligations permitted. Nine months were to elapse before he started on his epoch-making trip to the new Republic. It was not his pressing duties, however, that delayed him. There were other serious considerations that soon crowded the mind of the enthusiastic and zealous missionary, causing him to restrain his impatience. Bishop Blanc had written that the work of the restoration of religion in Texas was a mission best suited to a religious order or congregation, "your own in particular." This hint meant that accepting the invitation would probably be committing the ne,vly organized Prov- ince of the Barrens to carry out whatever recommendations he made for the revival of the Faith in Texas. For this reason he considered it highly 23 Bayard, op. &it., 3-1 3.
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