VIII  March 30, 1886

Excerpt of a Letter of Msgr. Michael Corrigan, Archbishop of New York, to His Excellency Msgr. Domenico Jacobini, Archbishop of Tyre,        Secretary of the S.C. of Propaganda.

Most Distinguished and Reverend Sir,

And after this, there is nothing left for the moment, except to remind you of the very urgent need of two or three Italian priests, but good, ones, for the Italian population in the lower part of the city.

            After much research I am convinced of the impossibility of building an Italian national parish, in the section indicated, or in any quarter, without the aid of the so-called Irish. For example, the Pallottine Father Kirner, who is a true apostle, does not receive from the Italians more than seven dollars a week. Now, just the interest on the debts amounts to twenty dollars each week, not to speak of the other expenses and of the three schools set up just for the Italian children. Therefore, we can act only in this way. Let an Italian priest work as an assistant in some already established church. We will give him the basement free of any expense. It will be possible to celebrate Holy Mass and administer the holy sacraments. The income of the church will provide his annual salary and thus the poor people can practice the holy faith. Several pastors are already disposed to make such arrangements. But the Italian priests should content themselves only with the evangelization of their countrymen and not seek money from the Irish. Your Eminence will forgive me if I speak with apostolic freedom, since I am moved only by the love of souls. And without the preceding information if would not be possible to grasp well the exact situation. Believe me, Msgr., always

            The most humble and devoted servant of Your E.

Michael Augustine

Archbishop