17. Scalabrini to Rampolla²⁸

I am answering your letter of the 23rd of this month at once. Unfortunately, we had to close not the Italian Church but the beginnings of a church.

            You must understand that in New York, at the very beginning of the year, they (the missionaries) bought a Protestant church and converted it into a Catholic church, dedicating it to St. Joachim in honor of the Holy Father. Right at the port they opened a second one, which is barely surviving. They decided to build a third one in the Baxter Street area,

where 20,000 or 30,000 Italians live. I was against the idea, but the then superior, Fr. Morelli – in agreement with the Archbishop and on the basis of optimistic promises that were not kept – bought a piece of land and began the work, arriving as far as the sotterraneo, which they call a basement over there. Then came the crisis, and they could not go any further. Fr. Morelli wrote to Propaganda, which was not able to help him. Our emigrants there are rich in good will but poor in means. The owner of the piece of land wanted to be paid. The Archbishop did not want to or was unable to assume those debts and, together with his council, decided that the basement should be sold.²⁹ More than once I had written to the Archbishop, asking him to look over and examine the financial administration of Baxter Street. When he came here, I spoke out strongly regarding this matter. But he was fooled and took pride in Fr. Morelli’s work. Finally, on August 29, 1893, the decision was taken. . .. Two years ago I took the office of superior away from Fr. Morelli and substituted him with Fr. Vicentini, of whom the Archbishop himself wrote me: Fr. Vicentini was . . . .

            However, in this matter it is evident that unless they are helped they will not succeed.

            I have stripped myself of everything.

            The accusations of liberalism hurt me deeply, Your Eminence, above every abominable thing I abhor every idea that deviates from genuinely Roman doctrines. During my twenty years as bishop, I never spoke, never wrote, never did anything that was not strictly Catholic, or papal. Among my teachers I never tolerated anyone who thought differently. Even recently I received into the Institute a certain Politeo, strongly recommended to me by Can. Vitri and armed with a letter of recommendation from the Vicar General. But the first time he expressed a less than wholesome idea in philosophy, I expelled him from the Institute at once. It is three years I have been begging for one or two Jesuits. About two years ago, the Holy Father approved of my idea and told me to inform the General that he desired that they be released to me. A word to the General from you would surely achieve its objective.

            In all other things, the Missionaries depend on the bishops. I enclose copy of a letter I sent the North American bishops and a printed letter I sent the Missionaries.³⁰ From these letters you will notice that it is up to the bishops to direct them, counsel them, and guide them like the other priests.

            The needs are urgent. The Protestants are working. In New York they have three Protestant, etc., chapels, which are generously subsidized. No one is worried about our people. But I hope the collection requested in a petition to the Holy Father by six cardinals, and about fifty archbishops and bishops will be mandated. But I myself can no longer go on. I have a seminary here. . . . With all due respect, I submit to your well-known wisdom a few observations:

1.         They depend on the bishops of the dioceses where they exercise their sacred ministry. I am enclosing copy of a letter I wrote the Ordinaries where the Missionaries reside and a printed letter to the Missionaries themselves.

2.         The accusations brought to the Holy See convince me that there is animosity.³¹ I report only one. When you write to me that the Holy See was convinced that the Missionaries were infected with liberalism and were spreading the ideas of Bishop Bonomelli’s booklet, I was deeply wounded.

3.         Are our needs urgent? If I had had a little more help, the basement of Baxter Street would not have been sold. Nor the moral needs. . .

4.         It’s years. . .

With this I don’t mean to complain. I know that the works of God are born at the foot of the Cross and grow and are tried in the fire of tribulations. When the Holy Father charged me with looking after this need, I vividly foresaw the crosses that would befall me, and I was so anguished by this thought that I had a fever for two continuous days. But no longer:

I place everything in the hands of God and in the most loving hands of the Holy Father. I will work, I will do my best so that everything will redound to the glory of God and the good of souls, in expectation of the mercy of God.