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FEBRUARY 1, 1930 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA St. Augustine Parish Organized in 1565 Second Spring for Church in 1768 Bishop of St. Augustine a Immigrants Gave Catholicity New Impetus Shortly After Spanish Withdrew (From Father Clavreul's foreword to liis “Notes on the Catholic Church in Florida’ - ) The Catholic Church in Florida dates from the day on which Menen- dez landed on these shores. Threatened in her existence two hundred years later by the advent of the English, when hardly a trace of Catholicity was left; and later, at the Change of Flag, the Church owed her preservation after God to those Immi grants who, during the English Oc cupation, 1768 landed at New Smyrna. This fact is the object of these lines. The recital of events which occurred during the two hundred years of un interrupted Spanish Occupation is but incidental, it being, besides, a mere repetition of what has been so often and better said by others. This nar rative tells only of the events wliich occurred within the limits of what was originally known as Spanish Florida Orientale, which includes the Diocese of St. Augustine, that is, the State of Florida less the territory west of the Appalachicola River. The writer has eschewed everything he thought foreign to the subject or not sufficiently authentic. The only authentic documents in the possession of the Cathedral of St. Augustine which refer to the two hundred years of uninterrupted Spanish Occupation, 1565-1763, are fourteen volumes of Baptisms. These volumes are the oldest Church Records of the northern con tinent of America. They give a minute account of the Baptisms of adults and children performed in St. Augustine, but make no mention of the far-away Missions. Not having been able to gather from the original sources, such as the archives of the Church, letters of the Missionaries, information bearing on the history of those early days, I give what is found in the general history of Florida, and especially in the valueable book of the late George R. Fairbanks’ History of the Spaniards in Florida. As the period beginning with the Advent of the Colonists at Mosquito, nowTiew Smyrna, 1768, I had, besides what is learned from the history of the time, numerous Church docu ments, among them the Records of Baptism, Marriages and Burials, left by the venerable Priest. Dr. Petrus Camps, who accompanied the Colo nists. They bear the Priest's name, written by himself, and the seal of the Church of San Pedro at Mosquito. Cradle of Catholicity in LJ. S.” Has Stirring History •Its Historic Story Told by Graphic Record Written by Late Father Henry P. Clavreul. Spanish Brought Faith to Florida Four Hundred Years Ago Augustine August 28, 1565. He was the first of those secular priests, who, for two hundred years, exercised the functions of Parochus and Judex Ecclesiasticus of the Church at St. Augustine. Pope Pius V, at the request of Phillip II, King of Spain, had asked the general of the Jesuits, who then was St. Francis Borgia, for two reli gious of the order, to accompany Menendez. They were Peter Marti- CHAPTER ONE From the Landing of Menedez, 1365, to the Indian Revolt 1614 It was by appeal to religion and patriotism that Spain threw off the Moslem yoke. What saved her na tional unity will insure to the land of Ferdinand and Isabella for the two hundred years that follow un heard of prosperity. While religious strife is convulsing the rest of j nez and John Rogel, a lay-brother. Europe, Catholic Spain, at peace j They sail in 1566, followed two years within her borders, extends her do- j later by four other religious of the main through the hitherto unknown ] same society. It is to recall this that regions of the New World, opened ; both St. Pius V. and St. Francis by the genius of Christopher Colum- j Borgia are represented today in the bus. v i Cathedral by the two statues of To tiie desire of conquest was al- i heroic size that we see on the right lied the love of the Church. The I and on the left of the main altar, missionary and the man-at-arms i In 1577 the Franciscans, whran we stand together, the royal exchequer i e mentioned for the first time in supplies both. Material progress i the . history of the Florida missions, should not shut our eyes to those j arriv0L a t St. Augustine. The ear- ideals that go to make man truly ! AU 1 missions date from the time, happy. “Thou hast made us for I The Indians who had hitherto been Rt. Rev. Patrick Barry, D.D. Efforts to Colonize Htilf Century Before Bishop of Santiago Visited Diocese, Including Geor gia, in 1606 to Confirm Catholicity in St. Augustine dates back to 1565; for a half-century pre vious efforts were made to plant the cross on the soil of Florida, but without success until the settlement of the Ancient City by Menendez, St. Augustine was a regularly con stituted parish of the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba in 1565; the Bishop of Santiago, Bishop Cabeza de Altamirano. visited the Southeast in 1606 on a Confirmation tour. In 1674 Bishop Gabriel Diaz Vara Cal deron visited the Southeast and con firmed 13,152 in eight months. Bishop Resino (1709-10), Bishop Tejado (1735-45), Auxiliary Bish ops of Santiago, spent the years in dicated in residence in St. Augus tine. In 1787, Florida became subject to the new See of St. Christopher of Havana; in 1793, the See of Louisi ana and the Floridas placed the state under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of New Orleans, where it remained until 1803 when the annexation of Louisiana placed it and its ecclesias tical territory under the jurisdiction of Baltimore. In 1806 the Bishop of Havana reasserted authority over Florida, exercising it until 1825, when it became part of the Vicariate o’ Alabama and Florida. Twenty-five years later, when tire See of Savannah was created, it in cluded that part of Florida east of the Apalachicola River. In 1857, this territory became a separate vicariate under Bishop Verot, who was Bishop of Savannah from 1861 to 1870, when he became Bishop of the newly- erected Diocese of St. Augustine; ire died June 10, 1876. Bishop John Moore headed the Diocese from May 13, 1877 to his death July 30, 1901; Bishop William John Kenny from May 18, 1902, to his death on Octo ber 13, 1913; and Bishop Michael J. Curley from June 30. 1914, until he became Archbishop of Baltimore in 1921; he was succeeded by Bishop Barry, who was consecrated May 3, 1922. Rt. Rev. Patrick Barry, D. D„ Bishop of St. Augustine, the fifth oc cupant of the See and the succcessor in it of Most Rev. Michael J. Curley, D. D., Archbishop of Baltimore, whose vicar-general he was, is a na tive of Ireland, where he was born in West Clare. He was educated at the famous Mungret Apostolic Col lege. which he entered in 1887, com pleting his collegiate work in the Royal University of Ireland. In 1890 he entered St. Patrick’s College at Carlow, where he studied philosophy and theology, he was ordained June 9, 1895. Immediately after his ordination, the then Father Barry sailed for his chosen field of labor, the Diocese of St. Augustine, and was assigned to Jacksonville. At the outbreak of the war with Spain, he volunteered as a chaplain, and served through the war with General Fitzhugh Lee’s army corps, ministering wtih great devo tion and self-sacrifice not onlv to the spiritual wants of the men' but to their physical needs when typhoid and other prevalent diseases attack ed them. of Baltimore, now the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Raleigh, and Rev. James H. Ryan, D. D., of the Catholic University of America, now the imivA-sitv’* Tit Rev. Rector. Returning to his duties in Jackson ville after the war, the future Bishop went through the terrible days of the Jacksonville fire, meeting the situa tion with his customary spirit of sac rifice for the welfare of others. In 1903 he was appointed pastor at Pal- atka, a mission which included De-* land, Enterprise Junction. Seville, Crescent City and other stations in five counties. During his pastorate there he erected a splendid rectory at Palatka, a fine church at Crescent City, and did remarkable work in or ganizing and extending the influ ence of the missions in his care. In 1913 the late Bishop Kenny es tablished the new parish of the As sumption in South Jacksonville, and appointed Father Barry its first pas tor. In eight months he had erected a fine church, rectory and parish hall; in four years he had them paid for, and in 1917, Bishop Curley called him to St. Augustine as rector of the Cathedral and Vicar-General. When Bishop Curley left St. Augustine to assume his duties as Archbishop of Baltimore, Father Barry was named administrator; he was named Bishop by Pope Pius XI on February 22. 1922, and was the first American Bishop appointed by the new Pope. Bishop Barry observed the silver jubilee of his ordination in June, 1920, and is now completing his thir ty-fourth year in the priesthood and his seventh as bishop. He was con secrated bishop in the Cathedral of St. Augustine May 3, 1922, Archbishop Curley officiating, assisted by Rt. Rev. John J. Monaghan, D. D„ Bishop of Wilmington, and Rt. Rev. William Turner, D. D., Bishop of Buffalo. The sermon was delivered by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Edward A. Pace, Ph. D., of the Catholic University of America. Like Bishop Barry, Archbishop Curley, Bishop Turner and Monsignor Pace were ordained for the Diocese of St. Augustine. Other prelates at the con secration included Bishop Russell of Charleston, Bishop Allen of Mo bile, Bishop Prud-Home of Prince Albert, Canada, Abbot Charles of St. Leo, and others. Among the clergy present were Rev. William J. Hufev During his eight years as ordinary of the Diocese, Bishop Barry has been faced with many problems. The boom was followed by the ruinous slump. Then came the hurricane, and as the priests and people were struggling to re-establish their parishes and their other affairs on something like a solid basis, another devastating hurricane swooped down upon them. Yet despite the handi caps, trials and discouragements of these years, it is probable that rto other American Diocese has made more progress, due allowance being made for difference in numbers, than the Diocese of St. Augustine under Bishop Barry’s leadership. His kind ly character, deep devotion to religion and to his people, rije judgment and unshaken confidence have been a source of inspiration to the Diocese, and now that the clouds are lifting there is every indication that under his guidance the next few years will see even greater achievemnts than even the splendid progress of (he past, with its record of new schools, churches and other Catholic inslitu^, tions, the story of which The Bulletin hoDes to present in installments in future issues. Bishop Barry is a member of a re markable family. There were thir teen children. Three became priests, Bishop Barry, Rev. William Barry, pastor at Miami Beach, and Rev. Joseph Barry, of Bally william, Tip perary, Ireland: and a sister became a nun Sister Mary Gerald Barry of the Dominican Sisters at Adrian, Mich. Tire family had its first re union in twenty-five years at ihe Eu charistic Congress in Chicago, com ing there from Florida, Miohigan, Illinois, Arizona, California as veil as from Ireland for the occasion. WAR LORD’S HOME NQWj RESIDENCE OF BISHOP Berlin Prelate Occupies Es tablishment Where Molke Planned 1870 Battles Thee, O God, and our heart finds no rest- but in Thee,” is the cry of the soul today’as it was when the great St. Augustine uttered the words, because man loathes what perishes, his eyes being forever set upon that Sun which knows no set ting, that Country where peace reigns supreme. Spain’s' lasting honor was that she adapted her pol icy towards the realization of those ideals. Whatever may be said of measures often censured, because ill- understood, no one can question the daring, indomitable energy of the sons of Catholic Spain. * The discoverer of Florida, Juan Ponce de Leon. • 1460-1521, was born in Spain. After gallant service in his country during the wars against the Moors, he joined the navy; and, shortly after, accompanied Columbus on his second voyage to America, 1493. Twenty years later, 1513, he sailed from Porto Rico to our shores, where he landed n Eastertide, a cir- «* of^n among Bioseydio'asked for owes its name. Incidents attending the landing of the bold navigator, his finding of the fountain of youth, belong to legend rather than history. The first attempt at evangelizing Florida was made by Father Luis ! Cancer, a priest of the Order of St. ! Dominic. He with two companions j sailed, in T1549 from Central America j to Florida, landing, on Ascension ! Day, at a point on the Gulf coast, where Tampa stands today. He had scarcely, left the vessel when he was attacked and murdered by the In dians. In honor of this first martyr, who bedewed with his blood Florida soil, the Catholic Church built in Tampa, in 1S60, was named Saint Louis. Pedro Menedez de Aviles, the hostile became more tractable, some of them settling near the fortifica tions newly erected, whilst others moved farther north, on the Cano de la Leche, a mile from town. In 1586 Francis Drake, an English adventurer, made an attack on St. Augustine. Among the buildings de stroyed were the Parish Church and the Franciscan Convent. Among the Franciscans who arriv ed at St. Augustine in 1592, we see the name of Father Pareja, the author of a dictionary and a catechism in the YameSe dialect. The Mission at Tolemato, today the site of the cemetery of that name, southwest of the present city gate, was under the charge of Father Corpa, whilst the Mission of Our Lady of the Milk, Nuestra Serora de la Leche, with its chapel built on a small eminence overlooking the marshes of North River, was attend ed by Father Rodriguez. The number of Catholic Indians went on increasing—Indian chiefs be- baptism—when in 1597 a rebellion broke out which threatened with ut ter ruin what good had been done. The instigator of the revolt was the son of a Cacique, who, chafing under the restraints religion imposed, wished to vent his hatred on the mis sionaries whom he held responsible. With a band of discontented Indians he fell suddenly by night on the mission house of Tolemato, and, after slaying Father Corpa, pushed on to the chapel of Our Lady of the Milk. Father Rodriguez had already put cn his sacerdotal vestments and was preparing to begin Mass. All he could obtain from his assailants was leave to proceed with the celebration of Ihe Divine Mysteries. Scarcely were they ended when he was felled to founder of St. Augustine, was bom ’ the ground—his blood bespattering at Aviles in Spain. 1519. He had just | the steps of the altar at which he been appointed by Philip II, captain j ministered. The author of the his- . general of the king’s Indian fleet, tory, “The Spaniards * in Florida,” ! when he received orders to sail to j who gives at length the account of Florida. He left Cadiz June 23, 1565, j the fearful drama, feelinglv adds with thirty-four vessels. Entering j “Three hundred years have passed the harbor of St Augustine, on the ! since the-blood of those marytrs was 28th day of August, the feast day i shed, yet we canont repress a tqar of the illustrious Doctor of the j of sympathy and a feeling of admira- Church, St. Augustine, and on this tion for those heroes of the Cross.” account called the place where he | Another victim of the rebellion hod landed Saint Augustine. ! was Father Michael Anon, in the Soon after Menendez had landed i province of Guale, Amelia Island. He, his force, a north-easter began to with a companion, Brother Anthonv. blow, increasing every moment in ; fell under the axe of Indians on the violence, and forcing ihe French | very spot where he had just said fleet, which had just made its ap- j Mass. It is to honor the memory of pearance, out to the open sea. This j the. holy martyr that the Church in was the opportunity for the ex- | Fernandina was named St. Michael’s, perienced and bold mariner. Taking ; In addition to those calamities the with him five hundred picked men, I Convent of St. Augustine was, two he marched them, in spite of the ; years later. 1599. destroyed by fire, storm and continuous rains that These calamities seemed but to in- flooded the whole country, through i crease the zeal of the missionaries, the marshes along the coast ta Fort 1 As early as 1606 they entered a sec- Carolina, forty miles north of St. j ond time the province of Guale. Augustine, and. early in the morning ; when it is said more than a thousand By Rev. Dr. Wilhelm Baron von Capitainc COLOGNE — The house where Moltke planned the wars of 186« 1866 and 1870—the oldest military es tablishment of Greater Berlin—now has a more peaceful role. It will be the episcopal residence of the Rt. Rev. Christian Schreiber, Bishop of Berlin. The Catholics of Beilin were fac ing a serious problem in finding a residence for the head of the new ly established See that would be large enough and at the snif time close to St. Hedwig’s Cathedral Tlirough the benevolence of the Prussian Government, the difficulty has been eliminated. This building in the Behrenstrasse is at present occupied by the Reich- swehr Gruppenhommando I but will be vacated by January 1, and made ready for the Bishop of Berlin and his household. of the fourth day, fell unexpectedly upon the French. An indiscriminate massacre followed. Those who did not escape by flight were put to the sword—an act of barbarism which leaves an indelible stain on the name of the soldier whose daring we other wise admire. I would fain pass over the deed of cruelty, by which two hundred ship wrecked Frenchmen were put to death, after a promise, it is said, was made that their lives should be spared, and can but regret that St. Augustine witnessed this scene of blood—a sad prelude to a work osten sibly undertaken for God and the Church. St. Augustine, depending entirely for subsistence on the mother coun try, was more than once brought to the verge of starvation; sickness, on the other hand, carried off the few priests laboring in Florida. In the meanwhile Menendez sailed back to Spain. Whilst there he received a rescript from the Sovereign Pontiff, signed by Pius V, and dated Rome, August 18, 1569. in which His Holi ness lauds Menendez for his zeal in the interest of religion, but re minds him at the same time of his duty to prevent scandal being given to the Indians, and that, by good ex ample, they may be brought to the knowledge of truth. Father Mendoza is mentioned among the priests who landed at St. Indians received baptism. In 1616 Father de Ore, deputed by the Bishop of Santiago de Cuba, visited St. Augustine. In his report of the condition of the missions he stated that the Church of St. Augus tine was provided with everything pertaining to the Divine worship; and, referring, as it was the cus tom at every official visit, to the Church Records, stated that they were carefully kept. Tire hundred years that followed marked an era of peace. The Fran ciscan Convent of St. Augustine was ' the center of the missions. There the missionaries who were sick or disabled found a refuge. Besides the missions near St. Augustine, we find, forty miles north, at the mouth of the St. Johns River, San Juan del Puerte; farther north, San Catalina de Guale, San Pedro on Cumberland Island, San Felipe, and Santa Helena. Missions were also established to the south among the Carlo Indians. In 1646 we hear of fifty Franciscans laboring through the missions; all full of zeal and held in veneration by the Spaniards and Indians alike. Around St. Augustine the piety of the Indian - converts was being stimualted by the ceremonies of the Church, con- fratc: .fities and processions. Tire In dians, more and more peaceful had learned habits of industry, relied less (Continued on Page Nine)