For the Love of Immigrants: text

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Silvano Tomasi – Gianfausto Rosoli
For the Love of Immigrants
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Part 2 Correspondence
- 6 Bishop Scalabrini and Other American Bishops (1888 – 1905)
  - II Archdiocese of New Orleans
    - 2. Janssens’ letter in the New Orleans Catholic Newspaper November 27, 1890

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2. Janssens’ letter in the New Orleans

Catholic Newspaper¹⁶

November 27, 1890

We are anxious to erect another Church for the large Italian population in our city. The Church is to be and is to remain for the exclusive use and benefit of the Italian colony. The highly esteemed and learned Bishop

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of Piacenza, Monseigneur Scalabrini, has sent us one of his priests, who during a year’s stay at the Archbishop’s house has proved himself a most worthy and zealous priest. He has been charged by us with the erection of the new Church.¹⁷ Though oppressed by Diocesan debts¹⁸ we wish to show our good will and gladly subscribe $200 (two hundred), and appeal at the same time to Italians in general and to all those who feel an interest in them to add their contribution.

With our blessing on all those who will assist this good work,

F. Janssens, Archbishop

16 AGS,663/1.

17 On December 21, 1891, Father Zaboglio will report to Bishop Scalabrini: “Now, about New Orleans. As I have written to Your Excellency before, I believe that this colony, consisting of fifteen or twenty thousand Italians, is the most difficult in all the United States and that a mission here will have a hard time. Father Gambera has managed to collect subscriptions for two thousand dollars, including two hundred dollars pledged by the Archbishop. Recently he bought a piece of land in a good location that is central for the Italians, valued at three thousand nine hundred dollars with the proviso that one thousand dollars be paid within a month and that interest be paid on the balance until it is paid in full. Yesterday, he began to go around to collect the money pledged and I believe that within a month he will have more than the one thousand dollars to pay in cash. I think that this Archbishop is the third American Bishop to have spent something for us. On the land in question, there are buildings which must be demolished before the church can be built. In the meantime they produce a certain amount of rent. The ceremonies are still performed; the Missionary and his confreres live in rooms put at their disposal by the Bishop. Father Gambera is very active and is doing his utmost in this difficult field. He is well liked by the Archbishop and by the Italians. The extravagances and errors committed by Father Chiariglione have done much harm to this Mission. He had done well everywhere except here....” (AGS).

18 A major task of Archbishop Janssens was in fact the reduction of, at that time, enormous diocesan debt he found on his arrival in New Orleans of $324,759. Cf. The Catholic Encyclopedia (1913). Vol. 11, p. 15.

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