Our Catlrolic Heritage in Texas
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_ 1 . t.' 1. . Prefecture. The letter of Cardinal Fransoni· "' • . . ... Prefect was the affirmation of an accomplished f t pre-
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sentcu ac that told nothing of the months of uncertamty and impatient waiting. A fo<.,k in retrospect re,·eals how more than once the whole scheme was on the ,-er!!'t! of collapse. Early in April, I 839, Fransoni had notified !he Superi~r General of the Vincentians that after considering the recommendations made by Bishop Blanc that Texas be erected into a prefecture and that Timon be appointed prefect, it had been agreed to accede to the first of the suggestions but not to the second, because Timon ·was being kept in reserve by Rome for another post. 6 Nozo immediately concluded that the other post was that of Coadjutor Bishop to Rosati of St. Louis. The Vincentian General tried tactfully to discour- age Rome from this course of action by asserting that Timon was the only man the Vincentians could spare for Texas. 7 y t e ne.. . In spite of the letter of Nozo, Timon shortly thereafter was duly ap- pointed Bishop of Vera in the Province of Tunisia and Co-adjutor Bishop of St. Louis. The Bulls had reached Timon at the Barrens the first week in September. True to his repeated protestations that he would not accept such appointment except under obedience, he returned the Bulls on September 8, 1839, and informed Nozo of his action.• The suspense created by the unexpected turn of events had been broken early in November, 1839, by a communication from Cardinal Fransoni to Nozo transmitting to him the letters patent of October 24, by which Texas was designated by Pope Gregory XVI as a Prefecture Apostolic, and Nozo was authorized to provide for its administration. The selection of the prefect was thus left to the Superior General. Nozo's incJination was to appoint Timon, but fear£ul of the reaction of Rome to Timon's rejection of the Bulls recently tendered him, he refrained from taking action. The question in his mind was whether Timon would be placed under obedience to accept the appointment as VA.djutor Bi.shop of St. Louis. He communicated his fears and doubts u, Timr;n on !\ovember 21, 1839. The whole situation was cleared, how- t-1,·tt tarlv in December by another· letter from Fransoni, No time was <At 'rww in dfapatching the letters patent of erection and the appoint· rr..ent of Tjmon as Prefect. The first serious hurdle had been cleared.' N atu-re and character uf the Prefecture. The letters patent and ap·
~f:1 1t-.JJ..U1: to Tim9n, April 22, I 839, C. A. T. . &f 25 1839, C. A. T. 1, ·w.o tQ 'fjro9n, ., ay ' e Vang11ard 100-102. •.Ba,~rd, Tiu £gne-,.,tar 'g 39 C A ber J 9, 1 • · • T. ' f ajtclllt w Tiuwn, pecern
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