Leray, Francis Xavier, Bishop, Rome, Italy, to Cardinal John Simeoni, Rome, Italy, 1880 July 18?

Enjoying as he does the confidence of Pope Leo XIII and that of Simeoni, he presents to the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide the results of his efforts as coadjutor and administrator apostolic of the temporal affairs of the diocese of New Orleans . As he has already told Simeoni in his letter of Feb. 28, 1880 even before his arrival at New Orleans, the corporation had, by a printed circular spread throughout the diocese without his approval, prepared an unfortunate opposition between himself and them which endured until May 1880. Since then a perfect understanding has existed. On the part of the clergy he has found some sympathy and some good will but also a very pronounced opposition, coming in part from priests who are more or less unworthy and in part from priests who are worthy in other respects but who are worried about their material interest as creditors of the diocese. Added to these difficulties, there is a lack of confidence in the diocesan authority on the part of the priests who say they have been deceived in the past. To complete the tableau he could tell him of the invectives against Archbishop Napoleon Joseph Perché which every day reach his ears, the tears and lamentations of unfortunates who confided to Perché their savings, etc., but he prefers to keep these scenes between himself and God. He convoked the clergy for an ecclesiastical retreat given by Bishop William Henry Elder . Before they assembled he occupied himself putting an end to the increase of the debt, in diminishing as much as possible the expenses of administration, and in employing the diocesan receipts to the amortization of the debt. He succeeded in paying off a debt of 161,117 francs with the sum of 39,799 francs by a transaction with a priest on the eve of his departure. Between December 5, 1879 and June 8, 1880 he has reduced the debt by 221,117 francs. He hopes he has justified the confidence with which he has been honored. :: VI-3-b A. Draft French 4pp. 12mo.