Luers, John H., Bishop of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1869 March 25

He sends the letter of Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans . The Bishop of Louisville William McCloskey thinks that the matter should be decided in a meeting of the Bishops of the Province next week if possible. On Monday, Luers must go to the Orphan Asylum. If his presence is required Luers asks that Purcell telegraph him. It is useless to place Father Patrick J. Ryan on the list, for he must go to St. Louis as Coadjutor, at the request of Archbishop of St. Louis Peter R. Kenrick . Father F Garesche, S.J . is a fine speaker but knows little of pastoral duties, having been in a college all of his life. Also, it is a well known fact that the Jesuits have little success as Bishops. Of all the Bishops none is as well acquainted with Detroit as is Luers. It can be made into a very fine diocese after years of hard and rough work. Not until the past few years has the diocese received its large number of immigrants, so that it is still relatively young. The Germans of the diocese are farmers and well scattered. These small communities must be frequently visited by the Bishop and they must be encouraged to build churches. Pastors must be provided for them without delay. It does not do for the Bishop to say that he has no priests. The young must early receive their Catholic teachings. Railroads are few and wagon trails are of difficult passage. Quite a few of the two congregations must be divided, as was necessary at La Porte, Indiana . When Luers came to this diocese according to Father Edmund B. Kilroy, there were said to be about 20 or 25 German families, all or most of which attended Church. Talking with Mr. Rumely, Luers discovered that in reality there were 60 or 80, few of which attended church. The Germans were helped to start their own congregation and a priest supplied them. Now they have their own church, schools for the children and is now a wealthy congregation. It is necessary that priests be secured who can speak their own language, something which is very necessary. These people must be taken as they are and not as they will be if the Church hopes to do her duty towards them and save them. Luers will cheerfully abide by whatever may be agreed upon in the meeting. Fathers F Boff and E Hannin of Toledo, Luers considers capable for either Detroit or Ft. Wayne, as well as Father J.H. Bekkers of Lexington, Kentucky. Father Julian Benoit has made from $12,000 to $15,000 in speculation in lots which the diocese would get if he were appointed, but he is rather old and has scarcely the required energy. No enclosure: :: II-5-d A.L.S. 4pp. 8vo. 13