Untitled - Digitizing America

of lndian missions before joining Louis Jolliet to
explore the Mississippi River region. One of
Father Marquette's last accomplishments for the
lllinois lndians was the founding of the Mission of
the lmmaculate Conception, where he celebrated
Mass on Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday, 1675.
Soon after this, only a month before his thirtyeighth
birthday, Father Marquette died, a priestly
servant who had truly given his all.
The Spanish Southeast discovered that civilizing
the natives still did not provide the peace and
safety they cherished. Spanish and Catholic lndian
settlements in Georgia and Florida suffered
from fierce raids by the bitterly anti-Catholic
French Huguenots. Their haired was fanned by
memories bt treir persecution in Europe and their
barbarities outdid even those of the Mohawks.
Later, it was the English who came down from
Carolina to do battle, killing many and taking hundreds
of lndians as captive slaves.
The English Colonies
lack slaves were already laborirp
on Mrginia farms, the Pilgrims had colonized
the coast of Massachusetts and were moving into
Connecticut, Nerv Amsterdam was the name chosen
for Peter Minuifs incrediUe real estate purchase,
when Cecilius Calvert, the second Lord
Baltimore, established a Catholic-ruled colony in
Maryland.
In the Spring of 1634, The Ark and The Dove
brought these pioneers to their new home, St.
Mary's, between the peaceful waters of the
Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. A
church building was erected almost
immediately-this was the first religious toleration
in the States-and within five years, at least four
other parish centers were established, all spiritually
cared for by Jesuits and some lay brothers.
Many lndians-Patuxents and Piscatawayswere
converted and some gave large land-grants
to the Jesuits.
Father Andrew White, "The Apostle to Maryland,"
had been a victim of religious persecution in his
native England, where his proscribed spiritual
ministrations had been discovered and led to his
banishment. He helped Lord Baltimore in his efforts
to colonize Maryland, where he was pastor of
St. Mary's Parish until 1638. Cecilius Calvert insisted
on religious tolerance and accepted all, including
people of the Hebrew religion, into his
Christian community. Protestants, whowere in the
majority, held their own services. No "state religion"
was imposed on anyone.
St. Mary's was but ten years old when Richard
lngle, "Champion of the Protestant Cause," invaded
the colony, seized Father White and the
other Jesuits and deported them to England in
chains for trial as criminals.
Leonard Calvert recaptured the settlement, but
upon his death in 1648, a Protestant, William
Stone, became Governor. Maryland's Toleration
Act was signed in 1649. Designed to protect
Catholics and others from rising Puritan hostilities,
it was actually less comprehensive than the
unwritten religious policy enjoyed under Lord
Baltimore.
Then, a few years later, the Puritans captured
Governor Stone, outlawed Roman Catholicism,