Facts abouts America's First Cardinal and A Strange early Laity Problem

I also like to highlight American Catholic History on here. It seems for some reason that American Catholics are pretty ignorant about some major contributions of their Church. Including me because I am learning things I feel I should have known everyday.

Whispers in the Loggia has a great piece this morning on the first American Prince of the Church. That is the first American Cardinal John McCloskey of New York . He was raised up by the Pope to the Red hat in 1875. American Catholicism truly came on to the world stage with his appointment. It appears he had a very interesting life and the events he was involve in both secular and religious has my interest up. So I might try to read a book on him. Go see his entry The First Prince

There is a interesting part of article that Whispers has that caught my eye. In passing they mention then Father McClosley's interaction with what a somewhat radical Lay problem. I don't completely remember where I acquired this information , but it is in my mind that this too was a problem in vast areas of Louisiana and at one time at St Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. That is this strange thing called "trusteeism" .

After traveling throughout Europe for almost a year, he returned to New York to be named pastor of St. Joseph's parish in Greenwich Village. The assignment was his first real test as a member of the clergy, and he passed it with flying colors.

At the time, "trusteeism" was in full sway throughout the nation. Prominent laity, known as "trustees," controlled the finances of their parishes, paid the clergy if they wanted to, and dismissed any who said or did anything to displease them. Father McCloskey's appointment was made without consultation with the trustees of St. Joseph's, and they accordingly ordered the parishioners to boycott him.Without uttering a word of complaint in public or even showing disappointment, the young priest offered Mass and delivered a long sermon every Sunday to an empty church.

This went on for nine months until the parishioners finally began to file back into their pews and the trustees resigned themselves to allowing the pastor to do his work. None of this was out of character. As one priest put it many years later, "John McCloskey never fought a battle, or lost a war."

I would love to learn more about this and how this "trusteeism" developed into such a nationwide thing. Did a lack of Priest and living in remote areas cause it. That doesn't explain places like New York or New Orleans?