Mission of St. Peter’s Church, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., October 4 – 14, 1885. Missionaries: Fathers W. Elliot, M. Smith, H.H. Wyman.

This is not so much Washington as a little church of Maryland, the bulk of the population of the city being northwest and our church northeast. These people are old residents and smacked every way of the original inhabitants and of antebellum times: a soft spoken gentle mannered attractive class. The site of the church was given by Daniel Carroll brother of the signer [of the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll, the only Catholic signer of this document. Daniel Carroll is remembered for being one of two Catholic singers of the Constitution.]: his [Daniel’s] two old maiden daughters occupy the first pew. The congregation contains many families of the old Maryland Catholic stock: and of a newer one, Mr. Robert Blaine brother of President Cleveland’s competition, he is an excellent Catholic and so are all his family.

Though tolerably busy we enjoyed the mission much. The church is but a few squares from the Capitol, and it and the other public buildings and places gave us much enjoyment. The novelty of a large city (Washington has 20,000 people) so quiet, without the big shops or mammoth factories, without shrieking whistles of clanging mill bells was highly enjoyable. The city itself is fast becoming the most charming one in the country, both in the number of fine public parks beautifully laid out, as well as from the broad shaded streets lined with fine residences. A special enjoyment for us was that there are over 1,000 colored Catholics in this parish who from first to last young and old a source of great consolation to us. Their spiritual interests have been cared for by the parish clergy. Perhaps it is a drawback that they are confined to the colored gallery; from which, and from aisles and from all other vacant spaces their faces looked with intense eagerness as they listened to the word of God. From here we go to Baltimore gathedral and may God have mercy on us! Amen!

Confession 2235

Converts 4