Chapter LVII
BISHOP O’REGAN SELLS THE PARSONAGE OF THE FRENCH CANADIANS OF CHICAGO, POCKETS THE MONEY, AND TURNS THEM OUT WHEN THEY COME TO COMPLAIN—HE DETERMINES TO TURN ME OUT OF MY COLONY AND SEND ME TO KAHOKIA—HE FORGETS IT THE NEXT DAY, AND PUBLISHES THAT HE HAS INTERDICTED ME—MY PEOPLE SEND A DEPUTATION TO THE BISHOP—HIS ANSWERS—THE SHAM EXCOMMUNICATION BY THREE DRUNKEN PRIESTS.
The Holy Scriptures say that an abyss calls for another abyss (abyssus abyssum invocat). That axiom had its accomplishment in the conduct of Bishop O’Regan. When once on the declivity of iniquity, he descended to its lowest depths, with more rapidity than a stone thrown into the sea. Not satisfied with the shameful theft of the rich vestments of the French Canadian Church of Chicago, he planned iniquity, which was to bring upon him, more than ever, the execration of the Roman Catholics of Illinois. It was nothing less than the complete destruction of the thriving congregations of my French Canadian countrymen of Chicago and St. Anne. The removal of the French-speaking priest of Chicago from his people, as well as my removal from my colony, were determined.
Our churches were, at first, to be closed, and after some time sold to the Irish people, or to the highest bidder, for their own use. It was in Chicago that this great iniquity was to begin.
Not long after Easter, 1856, the Rev. Mons. Lemaire was turned out, interdicted and ignominiously driven from the diocese of Chicago without even giving the shadow of a reason, and the French Canadians suddenly found themselves without a pastor.
A few days after, the parsonage they had built for their priest in Clark street, was sold for $1,200 to an American. The beautiful little church which they had built on the lot next to the parsonage, at the cost of so many sacrifices, was removed five or six blocks southwest, and rented by the bishop to the Irish Catholics for about $2,000 per annum, and the whole money was pocketed, without even a word of notice to my countrymen.
Though accustomed to his acts of perfidy, I could not believe at first the rumors which reached me of those transactions. They seemed to be beyond the limits of infamy, and to be impossible. I went to Chicago, hoping to find that the public rumor had exaggerated the evil. But alas! nothing had been exaggerated!
The wolf had dispersed the sheep and destroyed the flock. The once thriving French congregation of Chicago was no more! Wherever I went, I saw tears of distress among my dear countrymen, and heard cries of indignation against the destroyer. Young and old, rich and poor among them, with one voice, denounced and cursed the heartless mitred brigand who had dared to commit publicly such a series of iniquities, to satisfy his thirst for gold and his hatred of the French Canadians.
They asked me what they should do; but what could I answer? They requested me to go again to him and remonstrate. But I showed them that after my complete failure, when I had tried to get back the sacerdotal vestments, there was no hope that he would disgorge the house and the church. The only thing I could advise them was to select five or six of the most influential members of their congregation to go and respectfully ask him by what right he had taken away, not only their priest, but the parsonage and the church they had built and transferred them to another people. They followed my advice. Messrs. Franchere and Roffinot (who are still living) and six other respectable French Canadians were sent by the whole people to put those questions to their bishop. He answered them:
“French Canadians: You do not know your religion! Were you a little better acquainted with it, you would know that I have the right to sell your churches and church properties, pocket the money, and go eat and drink it where I please.”