Father Lawrence Scanlan's Report of Catholicism in Utah, 1880

Father Lawrence Man's Report of Catholicism in Utah, 1880

by Francis J. Weber

A considerable amount of Catholic missionary extension work in the United States was aided by financial grants from the Societe de la Propagation de la Foi, a charitable organization founded at Paris on May 3, 1822. Prelates in underprivileged areas submitted annual reports of their activities along with proposed programs they had outlined for the coming year. Though the Territory of Utah was juridically attached to the Metropolitan Province of San Francisco, the vastness of its size prompted the vicar forane to send separate requests for funds as well as periodic sketches of his work in the Mormon stronghold. That the appeals were favorably received is evident, for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith supplied $16,400 to the jurisdiction between 1872 and 1887.

The report for 1880, like many others, was written by Father Lawrence Scanlan (1843—1915), the Irish-born pastor of Salt Lake City, whose parish comprised the largest geographic unit in the United States.

It will be gratifying to you to learn that God still continues to bless our labors in this distant part of His vineyard. During the past year, we have not engaged in any new missionary enterprises, owing to a lack of funds and other causes; but, nevertheless, we have devoted our feeble energies to, perhaps, a more important matter, namely, the strengthening of those institutions already established; and I am now happy to be able to report all these in a sound financial condition and finely rooted in the soil of Utah.

There are already in the territory six priests and three good substantial churches each having one or more resident priests. Besides, the churches we attend regularly about ten stations — mining camps and Mormon settlements. These stations vary in distances from forty to one hundred miles from the residences of the priests who have to attend them. This renders missionary duty not only laborous, but often very expensive. Frequently, we have to leave the ninety-nine in the valley and climb the snow-clad peaks of the Rocky Mountains—1200 feet high — in search of the "lost one,"— thus, realizing the picture of the Good Shepherd in the gospel. Again, the voice of the dying calling for a priest is flashed over the electric wires to us, sometimes, from a distance of two hundred miles. Besides the suffering and anxiety attending the answering of sick calls — especially in winter, where we have to travel day and night in cold and comfortless stages over roads rough and sometimes almost impassible through snow — there is also a great expense, often amounting to forty dollars, and seldom we get any or but-little compensation. In answering those sick calls, we meet persons who had not confessed for twenty years; others who were married by a Justice of the Peace or a protestant minister and some again, who were living together without any form of marriage having been performed! Of course, we found the children of all unbaptized and in almost total ignorance of prayer and of the teachings of our holy Faith. In some instances, we have baptized whole families of such persons, with the exception of the father and mother who was baptized and raised a Catholic, but became lukewarm and indifferent until pressed by death.

But, notwithstanding all our labors and trials, we are not without consolation and encouragement. On all sides, we see our work bearing rich and abundant fruits not less visible than the sun in the heavens. Ten years ago, there was no permanently residing priest in this territory. Now, there are six such priests! Ten years ago, there was not a church in the whole territory. Now, there are three good substantial ones with a good prospect of adding two more to the number before my next report! Ten years ago, there were in this city only about a half dozen regular attendants at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and still less as regular communicants. Now, there are one hundred in Salt Lake and as many more in Ogden and Silver Reef, besides those in the several missions, while there are over two hundred communicants in the whole territory! Six years ago, there was no Catholic school here, and few Catholic children could be found anywhere and even these were attending Mormon and Protestant schools where they were fast learning the religion of their masters and everything anti-Catholic; now, we have three of the best and most imposing school buildings in the territory, wherein are being educated about one hundred and fifty Catholic and about two hundred and fifty non-Catholic children and not a Catholic child within reasonable distance of these schools is to be found in Mormon or other non-Catholic schools! Six years ago, there was no sister here; now, there are over forty and still they come! Six years ago, there was no hospital here, no place where the sick and dying Catholic could feel at home, •— where he could be kindly and patiently nursed, — where his wounds could be tenderly dressed and where words of mercy and encouragement would fall on his ears in his last moments; now, there are two good comfortable hospitals conducted by the Sisters of the Holy Cross; and it shall be known only on the last day how many poor sinners they have brought to penance and peace here, and heaven hereafter, by their kindness, sympathy and prayers!

Looking at all these fruits around us, and thinking of the many poor dying sinners to whom we have brought peace and hope, of the many on whom we have poured out the regenerating waters of Baptism, of the many strengthened in the Faith and practice of their holy religion and of the many young souls growing up in all the light and strength and knowledge of the Church, and who at no distant day will be its support and glory — reflecting on all these, I say, we cannot but feel encouraged and persuaded that God has been and is still with us in our work.

You, also, who have so materially aided us and to whom, in consequence, much of the glory and reward belongs, must feel encouraged to continue your noble assistance, being fully assured, that all you may be pleased to give us in the future, with God's blessing, will sanctify as abundantly as it did in the past. I do not think that there is any place in the world where your charity is more needed, and where it will be more certain to do good. In fact there is no obstacle to our progress here but lack of means. Taking into consideration the means at our disposal, the material on which we had to work, the irreligious infidelity and open immorality that is everywhere rampant and the small beginning we had; the result, as already specified, must be, indeed, gratifying to every member of the Society — to every one who contributed even a mite of its funds, and I venture to say will compare favorably with any attained under like circumstances anywhere else.

It may not be uninteresting to you to know something about the workings of the Sects in this territory. Almost all the chief protestant sects, such as the Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists are vigorously and earnestly at work here, and I must say, on a far broader scale than we Catholics. Each of those sects has from ten to fifteen ministers, who have as many churches or "meeting houses." Besides these regular ministers, they have many Sunday-school teachers who are paid to teach the Catechism on Sundays, and to conduct a school during the week. All the aforesaid sects have free schools, to the extent that no child who cannot pay is refused admission. In Salt Lake City alone, they give free schooling to more than five hundred! They are enabled to do this by large sums of money given them every year by their respective "Missionary Fund Societies." The Episcopalians, for instance, receive for this territory, every year, for the support of their ministers, churches and schools over 20,000 dollars. This will give you an idea of their earnestness and extent of their work, as also, of the difficulty, on our part, to keep pace with them. What we lack in financial means, we must make up by energy and self-sacrifice. Our schools are the only self-sustaining ones in the territory.

We have now two great works in contemplation — the establishment of a boarding and day school to be conducted by the Christian Brothers, and of a free school to be under the charge of the Sisters who have already acquired a name for themselves, as teachers of the young. I have no doubt but both would be successful, but I fear that it will be some time before I can get sufficient means. I have already the promise of a sufficient number of competent brothers, whenever I am ready to receive them, and the sisters are ready at any time to conduct the free school. I am more in favor of schools here than of churches because the greater my experience, the more I am convinced that, if we would strike at the roots of the great evil prevailing here, we must do it, chiefly, if not entirely, through good schools, wherein the young minds shall be impressed, at least by example, by the truth and beauty of our holy Faith, before they are enslaved by passions and false teachings. Little, comparatively speaking, can be done with the adult portion of the Mormon people. Their training, the persecutions which they fancy they have suffered for the Lord; and their whole ecclesiastical system have made them fanatics and "set in their way"; and hence, there is no reasoning with them. Those who apostatize from the Mormon faith are opposed to every form of religion and generally become spiritualists and down-right infidels. The Mormons, like their protestant progenitors, claim internal illumination by the Spirit; and hence, where pressed to give a reason for their faith, they answer by saying— "the Spirit tells me that I am right. I know that I am right, and whoever is baptized in the Mormon faith shall have the same spirit — the same assurance." Hence, you clearly see, that there is no use in reasoning with them, and that the best way to uproot the system is to begin with the young, and thus anticipate this spirit whatever it may be. Thanking you sincerely for your charity and generosity in the past and hoping that you will deem us deserving of a continuance of them in the future, I have the honor to remain

Your humble and obedient Servant in Christ, Scanlan

Salt Lake City November 8th, 1880

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