Memoirs of Rt. REV. Edmund Burke; Bishop of Zion, First Vicar Apostolic of Nova Scotia (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: son of a certain inconsistency of character." (We have already explained this apparent restlessness.) The Acts go on to state that the Bishop did not think the project opportune; that the wandering French and Indians in those parts came to Canada to receive the Sacraments, but unfortunately did not derive much benefit therefrom, abandoning themselves on their return to drunkenness and profligacy amongst the Indians. Moreover the Illinois now belonged to the Bishop of Baltimore, so that below Lake Ontario there were only two Catholic parishes in the proposed district, and these were attended to by two priests of his diocese. If it should be necessary in the future to establish a vicariate apostolic Bishop Hubert, " would be the first to propose Father Burke." Events were slowly working out God's designs, and bringing about the realization of Father Burke's aspirations. From an unexpected quarter the final impulse was given. Some years later writing to the Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda, Father Burke says: ?" In the year 1794 Governor Simcoe wrote to Lord Dorchester, Gover- ner-General, that he much desired that a priest, loyal to the king, and of proved fidelity, might be sent to Raisin River, on the west of Lake Erie, to instruct the people in morality and their duty towards the king. The Bishop of Quebec desirous of meeting the wishes of the Governor, appointed me." t Bishop Hubert in a letter of 2ist Nov., 1794, to Propaganda says: ?" In sending Rev. Edmund Burke in September last to minister to the Canadians living along Raisin River, seven leagues from Detroit, I gave him a commission of Vicar General for the whole of Upper Canada, but gave him no reason to hope for more." The good Bishop's misunderstanding of Father Burke's character still ' From this, as well as...