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Show 340 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN CATHOLIC HISTORY The vicario, Father Machebeuf, was chosen by Bishop Lamy to publish the sentence of excommunication. There were living in Taos at this time three of the most prominent citizens of New Mexico, Colonel Christopher Carson, Judge Carlos Beaubien, and Colonel Céran St. Vrain, all of whom were Catholics, friendly to Bishop Lamy and to his representative, the vicario. These men, together with a large number of other prominent members of the church, both American and Mexican, sent word to those of the Martinez faction that no repetition of the events of January 19, 1847, would be permitted; that if any indignities were offered to Father Machebeuf, serious trouble would ensue.?* Three successive Sundays the warnings from ecclesiastical headquarters were pronounced; calls were made for the submission and repentance of the recalcitrant priests, but no response came. On the appointed Sunday the big church at Taos was crowded with people; the friends of Father Martinez were well represented. Mass was sung by the vicario, and in his sermon he explained the nature and effects of excommunication. The dreadful sentence was then pro- nounced amidst the most intense silence ; the people dispersed and no hostile movement was made by the friends of the misguided priest. The followers of the rebellious priest kept up the opposition and the opposition church until after the death of Martinez, who died and was buried by Lucero in schism. A mission given by the Jesuits, in 1869, brought back the Martinez family, and the return of the others was easily accomplished. In 1859, Arizona, the lower part of which had become a part of the United States in 1854, by virtue of the Gadsden Treaty, was annexed, by decree of the Holy See, to the diocese of Santa Fé. To ascertain the whether or not missions could be established there *66 Howlett, Rev. W. J., Life of Bishop Machebeuf, pp. 231, 232: ‘‘ Beaubien had lost a son in the massacre of 1847, and he had no love for Martinez, who he said ‘has always been treacherous, and is now Let him look out!’ ‘*Let it be said here that Carson, Beaubien and prepared and had their men of the enemy, vigorously met. and any ‘We afflicted St. Vrain advantageously posted to watch attempt at creating shall not let them a disturbance do as they with the were pighead. thoroughly every movement would did in 1847,’ have yore said Ki Carson, ‘when they murdered and pillaged. I am a man of peace, and my motto is: Good will to all; I hate disturbances among the people, but ler fighta my little yet, and I know of no better cause to fight for than my family, Church and my friend Sefior Vicario,’ ”’ CHURCH IN NEW MEXICO 341 Very Rev. Machebeuf ?* was sent to visit that locality, from which, after meritorious labor, he was recalled by Bishop Lamy, reaching Santa F'é in November, 1859. He was later sent to Colorado, which had now been annexed to the Santa Fé diocese. In 1868 he was appointed vicar apostolic of the vicariate apostolic of Colorado and Utah, and, in the month of August of the same year, in St. Peter’s cathedral, Cincinnati, Ohio, was consecrated bishop of Denver by Archbishop Purcell. In 1863, Bishop Lamy, in company with one of his priests, Rev. J. M. Coudert, visited the principal settlements of Arizona. Leaving Alburquerque, he proceeded by way of Cebolleta, the pueblo of Zuni, and other important points in western New Mexico, reaching Prescott in the month of December. Thence, by way of Mohave, he went to Los Angeles, returning to New Mexico, in company with a body of U. S. troops under command of Captain Johnson, in April, 1864.25 Two years later Most Rev. J. B. Salpointe, at the time oficiating as priest of the parish at Mora, in company with three priests, left New Mexico for Arizona. The party, at the request of Bishop Lamy, was furnished with an escort of U. 8. troops by order of General J. H. Carleton, at that time commanding the departoe In 1868, the territory of Arizona was made a vicariate nt ont Rev. Joseph P. Machebeuf, years lates ee tance, August 11, 1812. first Catholic bishop of Denver, He was ordained in 1836. was ‘Three einnat; cal € came to America, offered his services to Bishop Purcell, of Cinto New ic _ performed misionary work in Ohio until 1850. In 1851 he came In New ala with Bishop Lamy and was created vicar-general of the diocese. ne once and Arizona he aided the bishop in his great. work of rejuvencasion of ae the ‘‘alter ego’’ of his superior. It is said that upon the ocbeen too oe first appearance at Santa Fé in his clerical capacity, not having at the pa. introduced by the Rev. Lujan, at that time one of the priests native ath al, having sung mass and made a short address to the people in his hearers ngue, not a word of which was understood by the great majority of his « gt onarer arose as to what religion the stranger might belongy Christians do ™ Jew or a Protestant,’’ said some, ““because he does not speak as ike a prj . Quien sabe?’’ replied others. ‘‘Still he said mass in Latin, devout wor who knows how, and in truth he sings better than our priests.‘‘ A Y excla; — a, the parish, hearing the conversation stopped the controversy Sign of crag He is a good Catholic! Did you notice how he made the wal cA ohne before giving his sermon?’’ August 10 lawebeut built the first Catholic church in Colorado. He died 268 De F 89, leaving his works for his monument. DeFour 1 CivCurl, ‘ Rev. J. H., Catholic Church in New Mexico, pp. 80-101. Father 7a : ° . ‘ on horseback a very graphic account of this journey of three thousand miles 269 Q, CK, ; Salpointe, Rev. J. B., Soldiers of the Cross, pp. 242, 249. |