LAMY, John Baptist - A Stan Klos Biography
LAMY, John Baptist,
R. C. archbishop, born in Auvergne, France, in 1814; died in Santa Fe, New
Mexico, February 13 1885. He came to the United States after his ordination, and
was stationed in 1839 at Sapp's Settlement (now Danville), Ohio, where he
secured the construction of a fine church. He was engaged in missionary work in
Ohio until about 1848, when he was appointed pastor of St. Mary's, Covington,
Kentucky, then in the diocese of Cincinnati.
When the province of New Mexico was acquired by the United
States, religion had greatly declined there. No bishop had visited the country
for eighty years; the Franciscans, who had ministered for centuries to the
Spaniards and Indians, had been removed, and all schools had been closed. To
remedy these evils the Holy See formed from the territory a vicariate-apostolic,
and Father Lamy was consecrated bishop of Agathonica, 24 November, 1850.
The territory then contained a population of 60,000 whites
and 8,000 Indians, with twenty-five churches and forty chapels. Bishop Lamy
endeavored to obtain exemplary priests to attend to the spiritual wants of his
people, and under his direction the Sisters of Loretto opened an academy in
1853.
On 29 July of the same year the see of Santa Fe was
created, and Dr. Lamy elected its first bishop. He visited Europe to obtain aid,
and returned with four priests, a deacon, and two subdeacons. He also succeeded
in securing the assistance of Brothers of the Christian Doctrine, who ultimately
founded a college. Sisters of Charity also came to him, and in 1867 the Jesuits
opened a college at Las Vegas, and established a journal.
In 1875 the see was made archiepiscopal, with Dr. Lamy as
archbishop. In 1885 he resigned, leaving the diocese with 34 parish churches,
203 regularly-attended chapels, and 56 priests who have charge of 111,000 Roman
Catholics of Spanish origin, 3,000 that speak English, and 12,000 Pueblo
Indians.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM
LAMY, John Baptist, R. C. archbishop, born in Auvergne, France, in 1814. He came to the United States after his ordination, and was stationed in 1839 at Sapp's Settlement (now Danville), Ohio, where he secured the construction of a fine church. He was engaged in missionary work in Ohio until about 1848, when he was appointed pastor of St. Mary's, Covington, Kentucky, then in the diocese of Cincinnati. When the province of New Mexico was acquired by the United States, religion had greatly declined there. No bishop had visited the country for eighty years; the Franciscans, who had ministered for centuries to the Spaniards and Indians, had been removed, and all schools had been closed. To remedy these evils the holy see formed from the territory a vicariate-apostolic, and Father Lamy was consecrated bishop of Agathonica, 24 November, 1850. The territory then contained a population of 60,000 whites and 8,000 Indians, with twenty-five churches and forty chapels. Bishop Lamy endeavored to obtain exemplary priests to attend to the spiritual wants of his people, and under his direction the Sisters of Loreto opened an academy in 1853. On 29 July of the same year the see of Santa Fe was created, and Dr. Lamy elected its first bishop. He visited Europe to obtain aid, and returned with four priests, a deacon, and two subdeacons. He also succeeded in securing the assistance of Brothers of the Christian Doctrine, who ultimately founded a college. Sisters of Charity also came to him, and in 1867 the Jesuits opened a college at Las Vegas, and established a journal. In 1875 the see was made archiepiscopal, with Dr. Lamy as archbishop. In 1885 he resigned, leaving the diocese with 34 parish churches, 203 regularly-attended chapels, and 56 priests who have charge of 111,000 Roman Catholics of Spanish origin, 3,000 that speak English, and 12,000 Pueblo Indians.
