Chronicles of Notre Dame du Lac
Edward Sorin, CSC -- Translated by John M. Toohey, CSC, 1895

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1846

pg 100       returned from Europe the Bishop urged to have the establishment 
             promised for Indianapolis founded; then he complained that there 
             were such long delays; and finally he threatened to rid himself of 
             the whole community if he could not have this project carried out.
                  At this time, Bro. Joseph was sent to Indianapolis on a new 
             mission which His Lordship was desirous of establishing, namely, 
             to sell Catholic books cheap and thus to fill every house of the 
             country with them.  He made hardly any sales; he was more 
             concerned, it seems to me, in buying than in selling or paying.
                  The fact is that, having been told to look around and examine 
             whether there was any property for sale at Indianapolis which 
             might be suitable for a novitiate, he took this as an 
             authorization to purchase a property of twenty-seven acres for 
             22,500fr.  The administration was equally surprised and pained, 
             but to refuse to sanction what was done would compromise the house 
             in the eyes of the public and especially in those of the Bishop.  
             Moreover by his last [letters ?] F. Rector himself seemed to be of 
             opinion that some sacrifices might be made in order to preserve 
             the last remnants of the favorable dispositions of the Bishop.