Penalver y Cardenas, Luis, Bishop of
New Orleans, Louisiana
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1795 Dec. 21
(Penalver y Cardenas), Luis, Bishop of
New Orleans, Louisiana
63 instructions for pastors of the Diocese of Louisiana. J(ose)ph M(ari)a de Rivas signs as secretary.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Jan. 7
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop of
New Orleans, Louisiana
(Penalver) is to take measures which may cause unrest as expressed to His Majesty in the statement of Nov. 1, 1795. One of these measures is the private exhortation of some important people who are not exemplary in their religion and are even associated with Freemasonry. Another measure will be the urging of preachers to give sermons against irreligion and the holding of a "feria" in the Cathedral during Lent. J(ose)ph M(ari)a de Rivas, as secretary, certifies this.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 5
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
New Orleans, Louisiana
Penalver sent a letter yesterday to the Council to urge them to attend the "feria" for the good example it would give the people.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 4
(Penalver y Cardenas), Bishop Luis
New Orleans, Louisiana
to The City Council
New Orleans, Louisiana
For the spiritual good of this town Penalver has arranged for a "feria" to be held on the Sundays of Lent in the Cathedral. The presence of the magistrates would have a powerful influence on the people. He invites them to be present.
L.S. Copy (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 5
Almonaster y Roxas, Andres and
Fran(cis)co Pascalis de la Barre
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Bishop Luis de Penalver y Cardenas
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Having read in the Cabildo the Bishop's letter of February 4, they took the attached resolution.
L.S. Copy (Spanish)
Enclosure:
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1796 Feb. 5
Pedesclaux, Pedro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
The following persons were present that day in the Cabildo: Manuel Perez, President, Carlos de (Lachaise?) Lachavio, Junior Judge, Andres Almonaster y Roxas, Alderman Ensign, Nicolas Forstall, Alderman, Rudolpho Jose Ducros, Alderman and Gabriel Fonvergue, Attorney-General. Since the Cabildo does not go out in a body except on days determined and since the members are few and much occupied, the above members agreed, if in town, to assist at the "feria" to give good example. Pedesclaux signs as secretary of the Cabildo.
L.S. Copy (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 23
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
A visit is to be made to the chapel of the Royal Hospital. The Intendant and chaplain, Father Patricio Walsh are to be notified.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 24
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Luis
New Orleans, Louisiana
Penalver, with previous communication with the Intendant, went to visit the chapel of the Royal Hospital which Walsh and Rivas ascertained to be at the right of one of the halls. It has the necessities but is not the most adequate for the sick to hear Mass. The comptroller, Antonio Ramis seeks to move it to another place as the Blessed Sacrament cannot be kept there and during the day must be brought from the Ursuline convent next door and at night from the Cathedral. This proceeding closed with the intention of inspecting the new chapel when dedicated and the book of burials today, for which purpose the chaplain is to bring it.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 24
Rivas, J(ose)ph M(ari)a de
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
A note of this visit was made in the book of burials after the one made by Father Teodoro (Tirso Henrique Henriquez) Enriquez on April 11, 1793. The chaplain is to receive the aid of another when ill or legitimately hindered as of the 246 burials only 100 were made by Father Agustin Lamare, (O.F.M.), and 32 not registered were made by the former chaplain Father Francisco Caldes, (O.M.Cap.)
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 27
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
A copy is to be made of the decree by which Father Jose Villaprovedo, (O.M.Cap) is to go from New Orleans up to Valiza on both sides of the Mississippi river attending to the spiritual needs of the faithful along its banks.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 27
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Father Estevan de Valoria, O.M.Cap., assistant at the Cathedral, is to go to serve provisionally at St. Bernard of New Galvez whose pastor, Villaprovedo, in order to fulfill Article 12 of the Instructions of November 25, 1795, is to go from New Orleans on each side of the Mississippi to its mouth at Valiza, giving the faithful spiritual aid. He is to preach, especially at Plaquemine, in Valiza which has the greatest population and in other places where they can assemble. If there are Protestants he is to instruct them in Catholic dogma and receive their abjurations. He is to set up cemeteries in Plaquemine and Valiza and to record the names of those transferred to these cemeteries and to record the marriages and baptisms and those who make their Easter duty. He is to make a census according to the formula of September 3, 1795 and to give Penalver an account of what remedial measures are necessary. Rivas adds that he notified Father Ant(oni)o de Sedella, (O.M.Cap.) pastor of Cathedral, Valorio and Villaprovedo.
D.S. Copy (Spanish)
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1796 Feb. 29
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
The notary is to inform Ambrosio de Lievana, Bentura and Tomas Villaro that they are to return to their native land to live with their wives, leaving out Jose Padron who has already left and Jose Boniquet who has proved his wife's death. Antonio Argote is to be notified when he returns from a commission.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Mar. 1
Zaldivar
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Zaldivar as notary notified Bentura and Tomas Villaro.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Mar. 31
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
A census of the parish is to be written below.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Sep. 29
Quintero, Father Isidro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
In this city, Barataria, Balisa up to the Turn, St. John of the Bayou, and the coast of Chapit(o)ula(s), all belonging to this parish of the Cathedral, there are 2290 white men, 420 colored free men and 5876 slaves, a total of 8586 men; 1837 white women, 773 colored free women, 4813 slaves, a total of 7423 women, a grand total of 16, 009. These figures were taken from a general census given to the Secretary by the government.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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(1796) (Sep. 29)
(Penalver Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
The secretary is to certify the number of those who have failed to make their Easter duty, the military being listed separately.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Sep. 29
Quintero, Father Isidro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
In the lists of the confessors only the names of those who have made their Easter duty in the Cathedral parish are listed. Hence it can be inferred that most have not. Among the military 118 out of 1017 have made their Easter duty besides the whole Company of the Dragoons of Mexico.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Oct. 4
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Luis
New Orleans, Louisiana
From the proceedings of his visit to the Cathedral, priests and town, begun on July 29 of last year, Penalver sees the scant fruit obtained from his reforms. He begs his clergy not to diminish their efforts. He reserves the right to establish a parish in the neighborhood of Fort Plaquemine, as discussed with the Vice Royal Patron and to take other measures for the spiritual benefit of the faithful. Quintero adds that he notified Sedella of the above.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1796 Oct. 5
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
A copy is to be made of the Royal Order of November 19, 1795, (Penalver)'s report of September 28, 1796, and the statement of accounts of the Fabrique of the Cathedral up to December 21, 1795.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1795 Nov. 19
Llaguno (y Amirola), Eugenio de
San Lorenzo, (Spain)
to Bishop (Luis Penalver y Cardenas)
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
By information from (Penalver) on July 27, 1795, the king learned with satisfaction of his arrival in the province on the 17th and that he found it peaceful and free from the disturbances attempted by the negroes of Punta Cortada and averted by Baron (Francisco Luis Hector) de Carondelet. The king hopes (Penalver) will omit no measures for the spiritual welfare and that he will soon make the diocesan visit he spoke of. A very serious problem in the province is the scarcity of priests. It is divided into 39 districts, not counting the Indian tribes; there is need of 36 priests but there are only 26 so that 12 districts have no priest to say Mass nor to instruct Protestants, according to a report given by Carondelet on January 22(?), 1794. To meet this need some Irish priests were sent since they are better suited to the needs of the English, Dutch and Germans. Others will be sent although the Irish and Scotch colleges of Spain have too few because they have to provide for England and Ireland, since the clergy in France are missing. The Capuchins, who have been in charge of the Province, provide for it slowly and scarcely and do not understand the language of the old and the new inhabitants. His Majesty thinks the best means is to establish a Tridentine seminary in New Orleans. This seminary would provide for the parishes and incline the natives to the Catholic religion and Spanish discipline. There is the difficulty of means in a diocese with so few annuities because there are no tithes at all and for the time being it is not possible to establish them. The king hopes (Penalver)'s zeal will suggest some means to carry out the project. He is to report on whatever he considers proper and if the king approves, he will take corresponding measures.
Certified copy (Spanish)
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1796 Sep. 28
(Penalver y Cardenas), Luis, Bishop
New Orleans, Louisiana
to Eugenio Llaguno y Amirola
(San Lorenzo, Spain)
In the Royal Order of November 19, 1795, the king deems it best to establish a Tridentine College. At the beginning of the same month and year, Penalver stated the necessity of that foundation. He has talked about it to the governor as can be seen from the attached documents Nos. 1 and 2. He has talked to the acting Intendant who has lived in this town a long time and also with others. All find the difficulties Penalver is going to state. There are no family(?) chaplaincies or benefices. Besides the parishes, there is nothing to attract the young men to the study of dogma. The parishes have been served by regular clergy since France had sovereignty; only a few by secular priests. (The ms. is badly stained and blurred in the next two paragraphs). The native sons can hardly obtain them (?) an as those curacies have been removable so far, they would be of no use for the titles of their ecclesiastical orders(?) and the young could not settle with stability in those curacies. The parents of the pupils in the Spanish schools take them out as soon as they have learned to read, write, and count and do not want them to study Latin. It is the same with the Cathedral acolytes when they reach the age of 10, in spite of their salaries with some fees. All those not employed after this age, do not like studies but like hunting and fishing as they have seen their fathers do. Therefore Penalver considers the founding of a college now as useless. There are only the parishes and two canonships. It would be advisable for the parishes to be conferred by contest and in property, agreeable to the laws of the Royal Patron, on Spanish secular priests. Those appointed would work with more zeal for a flock from which they could not be separated. They would attract their parents, brothers and nephews to their parishes as in Havana and elsewhere. The example would produce respect for the doctrines and even induce some to follow his career. These would be seminarians for the college. Others would be incited by emulation. From these would come pastors and sacristans whose places have been filled by men who do not understand Spanish or who drink, a very common vice in the Colony. As Penalver told Llagunio on January 20, some of the priests leaving Santo Domingo could be helpful if those who know French were assigned 20 pesos as are the Dutch and if those beyond the age of service were considered as candidates for the benefices of the West Indies. It would be good also if the two canonships were assigned as the parishes are. Penalver does not mean that all regulars should be taken from office; some fulfill them very well as the pastor of the Cathedral, reinstated by royal patent of October 22, 1795 but that the regulars should be replaced successively by Spanish priests in property if they are too old or not useful or belong to the French emigrants. Nor is it Penalver's intention that education should be abandoned. (The ms. is blurred but seems to speak of the subjects to be taught and a salary of 800 pesos mentioning the royal order of November 19). The income hardly provides maintenance for the parish priests so it is necessary to ask Rome for the income for the teacher and for the college when suitable. The government, in the letter No. 2, proposes to use the income from powder in the Royal Treasury, deducting the principal cost of the New Spain factory but without a monopoly of that branch. It is worth 3 reales a pound but sells here at 6 today because of the war in Europe. Since it is not stable it would be better to use the income from royal lands in the city or to tax imported rum. Having considered the matter during his 14 months in the diocese and having visited half the parishes, although he said in his letter of November 1 that he considered a college necessary, these difficulties exist. For the time being it would be suitable to try the group of students he spoke of and later to organize them into a college. Quintero adds in a note that this is a copy of the answer to the royal order by another secretary and given to Quintero on October 6, 1796.
D.S. Copy (Spanish)
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1796 Mar. 30
Carondelet, (Luis) Fran(cis)co (Hector) Baron de
New Orleans, Louisiana
to Bishop (Luis Penalver y Cardenas)
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
(The ms. is faded but it seems to be the approval of the accounts of the Cathedral by Carondelet). A balance of 476 pesos 5 reales (remains) in favor of the majordomo. If the receipt given Father (Joaquin) Portillo (O.M.Cap.) is for more than 583 pesos he is to credit the surplus to the Fabrique as the Fabrique will do for him if the amount is less. Father (Luis) Quintanilla (O.M.Cap.) is to attend to this. (The rest of the ms. is very faint but seems to be a notation by Quintero that the above is a copy of the letter in the office of the secretary).
L.S. Copy (Spanish)
IV-5-1 D.S., L.S., A.D.S., L.S. and copies (Spanish) 29pp. 4to.
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