Jamey, Father Victor, Convent, Louisiana, to Archbishop John Mary Odin, C.M., New Orleans, Louisiana, 1861 June 17

Jamey does not doubt that Odin's council has been led into error by Father Eleazar Vignonet any more than he doubts the existence of the letter which he has just received. About 4 or 5 or more persons attend Sunday Mass in the convent of the Religious of the Sacred Heart with more than half coming less to Mass than to confess and receive communion in the quiet of their small chapel. With the exception of Mrs. Porter, wife of the convent doctor, the same ones do not come every Sunday, and 3 or 3 regularly go to the parish mass afterwards. How can this be called an abuse affecting the rights of the pastor. In 1830 he was asked by 7 or 8 people from New Orleans to hear their confessions at Paris. He refused but then consulted the elder Father Jean-Joseph? Gaume who told him he should not have refused and sent him to his confessional in the convent of St. Thomas. In 1846 he had 3 long conversations with Msgr. Fornari, papal nuncio at Paris, who told him that he had had long and serious difficulties with Archbishop Denis Auguste Affre who, on the demand of several Paris pastors, wished to close the Jesuit chapel. Fornari told Affre that if he did so he would have it reopened by the Pope. To let a few go to their chapel might degenerate into an abuse. There are only two comfortable pews for strangers, the mass is longer and it is at 6:30 so that it could only attract the pious whome one should not fear to augment. He is told that the day students at the convent are to attend the parish's Sunday catechism classes. Vignonet has never held such classes except in May. A few days after having spoken to Odin about the day students he told Vignonet about the arrangements decided upon and he replied that he was satisfied. A few days later Vignonet went to New Orleans to spread he knows not what calumnies against Jamey. The blindest charity could not esteem such a neighbor. Jamey is only at the convent temporarily and is far from interested in this affair but he does have some interest in seeing that he is not suspected of falsifying the word of an archbishop. Vignonet came to see him yesterday and announced that he expected Father Napoleon Joseph Perché, Father Gabriel Chalon, etc. but he did not mention the letter. He asks for a copy of the grievances which Vignonet submitted to the council. Fignonet speaks of abuses. Jamey wonders if anyone would believe that Catholic children had frequented for several years a school conduct6ed by nuns without having received a single explanation of the catechism. He reproached Father Auguste S. Paris, but he repleid that he had been hindered by fear of Vignonet's bad tongue. When he added that Paris could have gotten a command from the archbishop, Paris replied that Vignonet had so completely secured the confidence of Archbishop Anthony Blanc that Blanc would not listen to him. There are several 12 year old day students who have never confessed. Vignonet refused without reasons and without right to allow them to confess to Paris. When asked to come to confess them at the convent he did not wish to. When they were sent to the parish he either could not be found or was busy. Here are abuses which are not imaginary and which attest that Vignonet is far from having a feeling for his duties in the same degree as for his rights. He greatly regrets dealing with so sad a subject in his first letter to Odin. Although he copied it only today, he wrote it on June 17., the feast of St. Gregory VII who was not very indulgent with priests who had great zeal for their pretended rights and so much unconcern and contempt for their most important and real duties. :: VI-2-d A.L.S. French 9pp. 4to.