14. Corrigan to Scalabrini³⁸

         New York, August 10, 1888

Most Reverend Bishop:

As a Bishop with a paternal heart you can understand better than anyone else my happiness and gratitude at the arrival of the two new Missionaries for the Italian immigrants. Last Sunday they celebrated Mass for the first time in an improvised Church, so to speak. As they must have written to Your Excellency, they have temporarily rented a warehouse and built an altar there. They celebrate four Masses. Now they are making a novena for the feast of the Assumption. Sunday the collection amounted to three hundred lire, and another fifteen to twenty lire are collected each evening. Therefore, my dear Bishop, though the place is small and very humble, people begin to frequent it and so it would seem that already at its beginning, the Mission is succeeding well. I am certain that this news will give you as much joy and consolation as it has brought me. Thus, little by little we will win over our dear immigrants and bring them all to

the Lord. In fact, why should we not open several modest chapels so that the faithful may at least attend the celebration of Mass and hear the Word of God? There is plenty of room for many more Italian churches. Your Excellency would, therefore, do me a great favor if you would send me another priest when convenient.

            On October 15th, five Pallottine Sisters should leave Rome to staff the Church of Mt. Carmel in this City. This church is about five miles away from the priests of Piacenza. The Rector told me, a few days ago, that if he had the necessary assistants he would start another church.

            I thank you very much for your letter of July 12, and I commend myself to your benevolence and to your prayers. Meanwhile, I am as ever,

Your Very Devoted and Affectionate Servant,

Michael Augustine, Archbishop of New York