Illinois becomes a diocese in 1843

As Illinois celebrates its bicentennial this year, The Observer will present occasional features from Rockford Diocese history books.

The Provincial Council that assembled in Baltimore in May, 1843, finding that from the very great spread of the Catholic Church several additional Bishops were needed, passed a decree recommending the formation of the new Sees of Chicago, Illinois; Little Rock, Arkansas; Hartford, Connecticut; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and the Apostolic Vicariate of Oregon Territory. The recommendation of this Council was immediately acted upon in Rome, and accordingly in the following year the Apostolic letters for the consecration of the three new Bishops arrived in New York. They were consecrated on March 10, 1844 (including) the Rt. Rev. William Quarter, D.D., for the Diocese of Chicago.
When the new Bishop arrived in Chicago, accompanied by his brother, the Rev. Walter J. Quarter, the almost total absence of priests presented a disheartening problem, (says) the author of the Life of the Rt. Rev. William Quarter, D.D. (p. 48) ... .

Exerpts from the bishop’s diary  tell some of the early history of Catholicism in northern Illinois.

First Bishop of Illinois

August 8 (1844). The Bishop set out in company of Rev. Walter J. Quarter for Galena; arrived about 12:30 a. m. Saturday morning. The Rev. Ostlangenberg said an early Mass; after Mass saw the Rev. Petiot; preached on Sunday at 10 o’clock and in the afternoon. On Monday morning at 9 o’clock administered the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Church of Galena to about forty-two persons. It was the first time the Bishop administered this Sacrament; some were converts to the Catholic faith.
August 18. On Sunday morning, the feast of St. Joachim, the Bishop officiating pontifically at 6:30 o’clock Mass, conferred the order of Deacon on the Rev. Thomas O’Donnell and at the same Mass raised to the dignity of the priesthood the Rev. Messrs. John Brady and John Ingoldsby.
August 27. Today the Rev. John Brady set out for Galena, where he is to officiate as assistant pastor to the Rev. Mr. Petiot.
September 8. Rev. Mr. Ingoldsby left in the afternoon on a mission to Aurora.
April 7 (1845). The Rev. John Brady of Galena and the Rev. P. McMahan of Donnelly’s Settlement are here on a visit.
September 27. Died on Saturday morning, the 27th of September, the Rev. John Faughan, pastor of Elgin, in the forty-second year and three months of his age. R. I. P.
Source: 1924 Complete History Book of the Diocese of Rockford