2.    Capitani to Scalabrini³³

         Cleveland, June 7, 1889

         Confidential

Most Reverend Excellency:

Permit me to tell you that the letter you will receive from Bishop

Gilmour was translated by me into Italian, according to his wishes. I am afraid that its contents regarding the good work you have so courageously initiated in favor of the spiritual well-being of our poor immigrants will not appear very encouraging to Your Excellency. Although I must agree in part with the Bishop, in that your priests will not be accepted by the American bishops (I know the American spirit well enough to doubt that your priests will thus reach their goal), I also realize that the conditions offered by Bishop Gilmour to the Italian priests are too harsh, and therefore even on this account, I don’t think they would be willing to come to America. I see that his letter accomplished nothing other than multiply difficulties. Now, the best thing to do would be for me to come to Italy to confer with Your Excellency and to explain to you the true situation here. I can explain it to you only verbally. At the same time, I can suggest several courses of action.

            I am taking care of all the Italians of the Diocese of Cleveland, which is one-fifth the size of Italy. I have to attend to twenty-five missions and have no prospect of getting any help. Hence the need to come to Italy so that we could arrange a way of providing for the many Italians who for many years have lived here without a church or a priest, and for the many others who have emigrated in recent years and who continually emigrate.

            The Americans hold many prejudices toward the Italians. The series of articles I am writing against them are generally accepted by all and have been reproduced in other newspapers. I fight energetically those who attack me on various points and I reply through Protestant newspapers. It seems impossible to me, Bishop, that in the past no one in America has taken on the defense of the poor Italians.

            The Bishop reads and understands the Italian language sufficiently and favors and defends the Italians.

            In the hope of someday making your acquaintance, please bless me and believe me, to be,

Your Reverend Excellency’s

humble and devoted Servant,

P. Capitani, Pastor