DePaul University From the SelectedWorks of John E Rybolt 2011 Joseph Rosati, C.M. Itinerary (1815-1817) John E Rybolt, DePaul University Available at: https://works.bepress.com/john_rybolt/47/ JOSEPH ROSATI, C.M. ITINERARY Translated and edited by John E. Rybolt, C.M. The document that follows is the journal kept by Joseph Rosati during his travels from Italy to the United States during the years 1815 to 1817. He was one of the three original Vincentian priests to be sent to the New World to found a seminary for the Louisiana Purchase. Rosati was a good record-keeper. Internal evidence shows that this document must have been composed some time after the earliest events recorded, while later dates must have been recorded daily. The final period, however, is only sporadically recorded. It stops with Rosati’s first arrival in Missouri. He soon returned to Kentucky and about a year later made another trip, this time by water, down the Ohio River to the Mississippi where he entered Missouri. He and his companions reached the Barrens Settlement in October 1818. The importance of this narrative is its first-hand account of life on the American frontier. Since this version of his “Itinerary” is in French, it appears that he may have rewritten it from his native Italian. Because of the wealth of its details, it supplements the travel narratives written by his superior, Felix De Andreis. 1 He even incorporated some details from Rosati’s notes. While it is clear that De Andreis intended his narrative to be made public, at least within the Congregation, Rosati’s seems to be mainly for his own use. He added notes at the end to help him compose his biography of De Andreis. The major difference between the two is that Rosati’s account is sober and business-like, whereas that of De Andreis is often endowed with lofty spiritual considerations. The original document 2 was transcribed by Charles L. Souvay, C.M. This has formed the basis of this translation. The editor has added headings to facilitate reading, along with names and other information enclosed in square brackets. [Section One: Rome to Toulouse] [1815] 3 Bishop [Louis William Valentine] Dubourg, administrator of the diocese of New Orleans, who had come to Rome to be consecrated a bishop, did not wish to return to America without some help from ministers of the Gospel, since his region did not have any, and he intended to look for some in Rome. 4 He spoke about it first to Father De Andreis, who had always been ready for the foreign missions. Our superiors did not consent to this. Father Dubourg spoke about it to our Holy Father, Pope Pius VII, and he, in turn, wished to speak about it to Father [Carlo Domenico] Sicardi, the vicar general of our Congregation. At last, on 27 September 1815, Cardinal [Ercole] Consalvi, Secretary of State, concluded by order of the pope a definite agreement with Father Sicardi for the departure of Father [Felix] De Andreis, [Joseph] Rosati, [John Baptist] Acquaroni and [Antonio] Cremisini for the mission of Louisiana. The mission also obtained Brother [Pietro] Polenghi. 5 But these two last confreres were frightened by some contradictions that this Mission was then suffering and withdrew. Mr. 1 [Leo] Deys from Bruges, a student at the college of Propaganda, the first to meet Father Dubourg, had been destined to accompany him from the time the Bishop came to stay at Monte Citorio. He also obtained permission from Cardinal [Lorenzo] Litta, Prefect of Propaganda, to join this Mission. During the departure preparations, Father [Louis] Bighi and Father [Joseph] Pereira, priests in Rome, enlarged the company of the Missionaries. Also, there were Antonio Boboni and François Boranvanski, postulant brothers, and Father [Joseph] Spezioli, a priest from Recanati. They agreed to go by sea. On 14 October 1815, Father Dubourg led to Castel Gandolfo, where the pope was spending the month of October, Father De Andreis, Acquaroni, Rosati, Pereira, Deys and Boboni to receive the blessings of the successor of Saint Peter. He received us and entertained us with the greatest kindness for three quarters of an hour. He blessed a large number of packages of rosaries and medals. He granted us, 1) the right to celebrate 27 September every year, the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, in memory of the day when our Mission was agreed on; 6 2) the plenary indulgence for our churches on the feast of Saint Francis Xavier; 7 3) the power for all confessors, already approved to hear confessions, to hear confessions during the entire voyage of everyone in our group; 4) to make the Way of the Cross with a crucifix, and to establish it in the sites of our Mission; 8 5) to celebrate Holy Mass on the boat; 6) different other permissions for individual members. 9 On 21 October, Saturday, Father Acquaroni, Rosati, Spezioli, the priests; Mr. Deys, the cleric; and Antonio Boboni and François Boranvanski, the postulant brothers, embarked at Ripa Grande in Rome on the Tiber, after sunset. Bishop Dubourg came to give us his blessing on the boat, where we spent the night. 10 The ship was a [illegible] and the captain was Francesco Carbone from Recco, on the Genoa Riviera. It was quite crowded since it was small, and we could only remain standing. The boat waited for Father Pereira, who did not join us, but who nevertheless was on the captain's passenger list. He let us know that he would rejoin us at Civitavecchia. The captain said that he could not leave until Father Pereira was on board. François [Boranvanski] and [Antonio] Boboni were sent to look for him at 9:00 p.m. They found him with a dying man. He said that he would come immediately. At midnight the captain asked if he had arrived, and grew angry when he heard that he had not yet come, and sent back the two brothers to call him. But a half-hour after they had left, the captain weighed anchor and left Rome. The brothers were obliged to come by land in a carriage as far as Fiumicino. Sunday, 22 October. We had been promised that we would arrive in time to say mass. But the bad weather and the low water level in the Tiber at that season delayed us. The boat had also been loaded more than it should have been. Several times it scraped the bottom of the river with danger of tipping over, especially one time when it hit the sand and was turned to its side against the current. It took three or four hours to unload it and save it. Finally we arrived in the evening at Fiumicino where the two brothers were waiting for us. They came on board where we all spent the night. Monday, 23 October. We were forced to stay at Fiumicino because the vessel had to be loaded. We three priests said mass. Tuesday, 24 October. Since the weather was favorable, we left for Civitavecchia very early in the morning. We arrived there at 5:00 p.m. The anchor was dropped in the port. We had scarcely arrived when we found Father Pereira, who was waiting for us. He then joined us. Wednesday, 25 October. All of us priests said mass. The captain had come to Civitavecchia to complete the loading of his boat. But the merchant was not present. For this 2 reason, we lost the first three days, during which the weather was wonderful. As soon as the boat was loaded, bad weather and contrary winds kept us in the town. To avoid an ever greater expense, we slept and took our meals on board, since we were always disturbed and very much interrupted. Tuesday, 31 October. Monsignor [Giovanni Antonio] Benvenuti, delegate for Civitavecchia, summoned us, had a breakfast prepared for us, and gave us letters of recommendation for Bordeaux. We sang first Vespers for All Saints in the collegiate church of Saint Francis. Wednesday, 1 November. Father N.N., prior of the Dominican house in Civitavecchia, asked us to attend the Solemn Mass sung by Monsignor Benvenuti, a canon of Saint Mary Major and delegate for Civitavecchia. Father Rosati was deacon, and Father Spezioli the subdeacon, and Mr. Deys the thurifer. He [the prior] had us stay for dinner at the house. Thursday, 2 November. We said mass in the oratory of a confraternity. The weather was still bad, and it was very difficult for us. As a result, we went to sleep in an inn, except for Father Acquaroni and the two brothers. Father Pereira was on the point of leaving us. He had already taken his trunk off the boat, but he returned. Monday, 6 November. Before sunrise we left the port of Civitavecchia, and we arrived toward evening at a place in Tuscany called the Cannelle. There is only a fort there. Because there was no wind, we stopped there and spent the night. Meanwhile, our provisions were running out. A very polite officer in the fort gave us his provision of bread, which we paid for. We went for walks on the mountain. Tuesday, 7 November. Toward evening we weighed anchor and spent all the night traveling along the coast. Wednesday, 8 November. We also spent all day along the cost. In the evening, we entered the port of Livorno where we dropped anchor while waiting for a more favorable wind. We did not go ashore since the captain did not want to waste his money uselessly for the expense which we would have to pay for landing rights.