Machebeuf, Joseph P., Bishop of, Denver, Colorado, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1873 June 11

The three Jesuits have arrived and two are destined for New Mexico, while the other is going to Pueblo, Colorado. He now has 6 of them in the South and is preparing to form another parish in St. Louis Park under their care. He receives numerous requests for admittance from priests, but past experiences taught him to be very careful. Their most urgent need is for a zealous German priest. There are nearly 75 German Catholic families in Denver and not a priest in Colorado who can speak German. He had made arrangements with the Redemptorist Fathers to come and organize a German parish but the Provincial of Baltimore wrote that since they were still being tolerated in Prussia, it was not possible to send any priests. He would rather have a member of a religious order in order to be safe from scandalous secular priests. He asks Purcell for assistance in his search for priests. If there are any in poor health, the Colorado climate will benefit them and would be a blessing to the poor Germans who are in a position to be seduced by the German preachers there. If not possible to get a German priest, he would like some Franciscans. Mr. Maatz of St. Mary's is not yet ready to be ordained. :: II-5-f A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.