Tlie Prefecture, r840-r84r
37
the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith had had many proofs of the "extraordinary kindness and benevolence" shown towards Christ's worthy ministers by "Your Excellency and Your Illus- trious Council" during their visits to bring the comforts of religion to the faithful, it now extended to him "great and mete thanks." The missive continued: "As you also know, the same Sacred Con- gregation has appointed a worthy ecclesiastic, John Timon, as Prefect Apostolic or Pastor of that Catholic Church to provide for the spiritual wants of those Catholics, and has associated with him other priests as colaborers in the holy ministry. I, therefore, earnestly entreat Your Ex- cellency, with the goodness and powers so eminent in you, to aid and protect the above named Prefect and those associated with him, and to cause whatever property may belong to the Church to be handed over to him as to the lawful Pastor. And although I feel quite confident that on account of his worth and virtues he will become highly acceptable to you, and that his holy ministry will be very useful to the Republic over which you preside with so much glory, nevertheless, I so commend him to you that whatever benefit you may confer upon him, my eminent colleagues and I will consider as conferred upon us. "I, further, profess myself as most devoted to you, and I most earnestly beseech God that He may long preserve and bless Your Ex- cellency, and enrich you with his heavenly gift."' This was the first communication from the Vatican to the Govern- ment of the new Republic. It was also the official and public confirma- tion of the erection of the Prefecture Apostolic of Texas. Lamar was pleased and flattered. It meant formal recognition of the independent status of Texas. Lamar had been granted leave by Congress on De- cember 12 to go to New Orleans for treatment, and was then on the point of departing. Bidding Godspeed to his distinguished visitors, he asked the Prefect Apostolic to deliver the letter to Acting Presi- dent David G. Burnet and his Cabinet in Austin, and assured him that they would leave nothing undone to satisfy the wishes of the Cardinals. 5 'Fransoni to the President of the Texian Republic, Rome, July 18, 1840. A translation of this semi-state paper in Latin was first published in the Austin, Texas Sentinel, January 9 1 1841. The original has been either lost or misfiled in the Texas State Archives. George P. Garrison, in his Dipl<miatic Co"es'}ondence of tlu Republic of Texas, Ca/,endar notes (Vol. II, Part II, p. so), refers to the text published in Arthur Ikin, Texas: /ts History, Topograpn,y, Agdcu/ture, Commerce, and General Statistics, 78. 5 Diar,y of John Mar,y Odin, entry for December 12, 1840. All references to this diary are to the copy secured from the Notre Dame Archives for the Catholic Archives of Texas, Amarillo.
Powered by FlippingBook