Untitled - Digitizing America

sent to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1752. Traveling
constantly, he formed new congregations and
ministered to existing ones.
ln 1758, Father Farmer's permanent headquarters
became old St. Joseph's Church in Philadelphia
from which he continued his suneptitious visits
to places as far afield as Delaware, New Jersey,
and New York City. Several times he celebrated
Mass in the home of a devout Catholic who lived
on Wall Street, and after the Revolution this New
York City congregation became an important nucleus
for Catholic immigrants flocking to the city.
His priestly concern extended to enemies as well.
During the Revolution, he ministered to Hessians
occupying Philadelphia. He gained such popularity
among these men of his native tongue that he
was offered a chaplaincy by the British forces. His
belief in the American cause dictated his refusal.
The brave Father Farmer, who at times actually
risked death to serve his people, has been termed
"the Father of the Church in New York and New
Jersey."
The Colonies Expand
n March 3, 1699, the exploratory
party of Pierre le Moyne d'lberville, commissioned
by King Louis XIV to found a colony in Louisiana,
erected a cross at a site later to be named New
Orleans.
The French were anxious to colonize their new
possessions. When Antoine Crozal failed in New
Orleans, a real "pro" stepped in. The charter
granted to John Law and his Company of the
lndies included these provisions:
As in the settlement of the counties granted to the
said Company by these Presents, we regard especially
the glory of God by procuring ihe salvation of
the inhabitants, lndians, savages, and Negroes,
whom we desire to be instructed in the true religion,
the said Company shall be obliged to build at its
expense churches at the places where it forms settlements;
as also to maintain there the necessary
number of approved ecclesiastics; either with the
rank of parish priests or such others as shall be
suitable in order to preach the Holy Gospel there,
perform divine service and administer the Sacraments;
all under the authority of the Bishop of
Quebec, the said colony remaining in his diocese, as
heretofore, and the parish priests and other
ecclesiastics which the said Company shall maintain
there, shall be at its nomination and patronage.
John Law began his promotion in 1718-the year
of New Orleans' official founding. He had promised
to populate the new colony with six thousand
settlers and three thousand Negro slaves. To the
German farmers he was proselytizing he promised
free land, fertile soil for four crops a year, fish
and game of all kinds, mines of gold, silver, copper,
and lead+ven "friendly" savages.
When Bishop Maurice Schexnayder of Lafayette
spoke at the 250th anniversary celebration of the
Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Destrehan,
Louisiana, on June 3, 1973, he told of the tribulations
that plagued the emigrants:
Only a few of ten thousand Germans reached the
shores of Louisiana. Miserable fare and lack of drinking
water on the ships took a heavy toll. lt is said that
only f orty of two hundred Germans in one ship landed
in Louisiana and two hundred out of twelve hundred.
At the time of the settllng of the German pioneers in
1721 , there were no levees and only too often when
the spring floods came, caused by the simultaneous