Page 158 - March On! God will Provide by Brother Aubert
P. 158

BISHOP SPALDING IN BRUGES         I37
        appeal was directed to volunteers who burned with a
        feverish desire to spread the kingdom  of Christ. A dedi
        cated man, he sought dedicated men, worthy  and able
         to walk in the steps of apostles like Flaget, Nerinckx,
        and Badin.
          In calling on Mr. Ryken, the Bishop hoped for a
        group of Brothers  who would take charge of his Ca-
        thedral parish school. This had been in operation  $ince
        September, 1846. The first teachers,  three Franciscan
        Brothers from Tuam, Ireland, had remained only a
        year. In 1847, he and the late Bishop  Flaget had pre-
        vailed on the  Jesuits  to take over. To provide support
        for the free-school, the    had opened a pay-school,
                             Jesuits
        St. Aloysius College. This venture did nor gain the
        approval of their higher Superiors, especially the Su-
        periorGeneral, who felt that the Missouri vice-province
        was spreading  itself too thin.
          In  June,  1852, the  Jesuits  announced  rhat St. Aloysius
        would not reopen that September. The Cathedral free-
        school was not afiected:  two of the Fathers assisted  by a
        scholastic  or two carried on as usual. It  was Bishop
        Spalding's  surmise that this arrangement  would not
        continue for long. If  and when the  Jesuits  did with-
        draw, it would be advantageous to have these Brothers
        from Bruges ready to step in.
   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163