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VEROT, Augustine, R. C. bishop,
born in Le Puys, France, in May, 1804; died in St. Augustine, Florida, 10 June,
1876. He received his preparatory education at a classical school in Le Puys and
in 1820 entered the Seminary of St. Sulpice, Paris. He was ordained a priest on
20 September, 1828, and shortly afterward became a member of the Sulpician
order.
He came to the United States in 1830 and
was appointed professor in St. Mary's college, Baltimore. In 1853 he was made
pastor of Ellicott's Mills, where he became noted for his devotion to the
interests of the slaves. He was nominated vicar apostolic of East Florida and
consecrated bishop of Danabe in partibus on 25 April, 1858. He arrived in
St. Augustine on 1 June, and at once proceeded to organize congregations.
Bishop Verot was among the first to make
known the advantages of Florida as a field for emigration, and, by letters,
public addresses, and answers to inquiries, he did much to attract settlers from
other states and from Europe. As there were only three priests under his
jurisdiction, he sought clerical aid from other quarters and soon had priests
enough for his new congregations. He built the Church of St. Louis at Tampa and
restored the cathedral of St. Augustine, the chapel of Nuestra Señora de la
Leche, and the old Spanish cemetery, also enlarging the Church of St. Mary at
Key West, besides founding churches at Mandarin and Orange Spring.
He was translated to the see of Savannah
in July, 1861, retaining at the same time the vicariate of East Florida. He
replaced the Roman Catholic Church at Jacksonville, which had been destroyed by
fire during the occupation of the city by the United States soldiers in the
civil war. He founded many missions, and at St. Augustine organized several
societies among the colored people.
He opened academies for young girls at
St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Fernandina, Mandarin, and Palatka, under the care
of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and introduced the Sisters of the Holy Names, who
established an academy at Key West. In Georgia he made successful efforts to
repair the ravages of the civil war. He built the Church of the Holy Trinity in
Savannah, and also a church at Albany. He opened an Ursuline convent and school
in Macon, a house of the Sisters of Mercy in Columbus, and established an orphan
asylum at Savannah.
Bishop Verot had a high reputation as a
theologian and scholar, and his influence in molding the decrees of the councils
of Baltimore and in the council of the Vatican was far-reaching. A series of
letters that he published during and after the civil war in the "Pacificator"
was effective in promoting peace and reconciliation. He was transferred to the
bishopric of St. Augustine on his return from Rome in 1870. His new diocese had
not recovered from the disasters of the war, and he made several lecture-tours
through the north in order to obtain money for the relief of his people.
Bishop Verot published a catechism which
is accepted as an authority by the Roman Catholics of the United States. His
manuscripts on philosophy, theology, and sacred scripture would, if published,
form several large volumes.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, by John Looby Copyright © 2001
StanKlos.comTM
VEROT, Augustine, R. C. bishop, born in Le Puys, France, in May, 1804; died in St. Augustine, Florida, 10 June, 1876. He received his preparatory education at a classical school in Le Puys and in 1820 entered the Seminary of St. Sulpice, Paris. He was ordained a priest on 20 September, 1828, and shortly afterward became a member of the Sulpitian order. He came to the United States in 1830 and was appointed professor in St. Mary's college, Baltimore. In 1853 he was made pastor of Ellicott's Mills, where he became noted for his devotion to the interests of the slaves. He was nominated vicar apostolic of East Florida and consecrated bishop of Danabe in partibus on 25 April, 1858. He arrived in St. Augustine on 1 June, and at once proceeded to organize congregations. Bishop Verot was among the first to make known the advantages of Florida as a field for emigration, and, by letters, public addresses, and answers to inquiries, he did much to attract settlers from other states and from Europe. As there were only three priests under his jurisdiction, he sought clerical aid from other quarters and soon had priests enough for his new congregations. He built the Church of St. Louis at Tampa and restored the cathedral of St. Augustine, the chapel of Nuestra Sefiora de la Leche, and the old Spanish cemetery, also enlarging the Church of St. Mary at Key West, besides founding churches at Mandarin and Orange Spring. He was translated to the see of Saran-nah in July, 1861, retaining at the same time the vicariate of East Florida. He replaced the Roman .Catholic church at Jacksonville, which had been destroyed by fire during the occupation of the city by the United States soldiers in the civil war. He founded many missions, and at St. Augustine organized several societies among the colored people. He opened academies for young girls at St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Fernandina, Mandarin, and Palatka, under the care of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and introduced the Sisters of the Holy Names, who established an academy at Key West. In Georgia he made successful efforts to repair the ravages of the civil war. He built the Church of the Holy Trinity in Savannah, and also a church at Albany. He opened an Ursuline convent and school in Macon, a house of the Sisters of Mercy in Columbus, and established an orphan asylum at Savannah. Bishop Verot had a high reputation as a theologian and scholar, and his influence in moulding the decrees of the councils of Baltimore and in the council of the Vatican was far-reaching. A series of letters that he published during and after the civil war in the "Pacificator" were effective in promoting peace and reconciliation. He was transferred to the bishopric of St. Augustine on his return from Rome in 1870. His new diocese had not recovered from the disasters of the war, and he made several lecture-tours through the north in order to obtain money for the relief of his people. Bishop Verot published a catechism which is accepted as an authority by the Roman Catholics of the United States. His manuscripts on philosophy, theology, and sacred scripture wouht, if published, form several large volumes.
