ABSTRACT
In the early centuries of Christianity the Church was the sole proprietor of its possessions, with the administration of its goods residing in the hands of the diocesan bishop. In America, laymen came to play a more significant role in parish affairs. Actually, such a development was inevitable, for the very nature of American law decreed the rise of trusteeism—lay control over church revenue and property. The first major outbreak of "trusteeism" occurred at St. Peter's Church, in New York City. The situation in New York disturbed John Carroll. He sent a strong protest to the trustees. Carroll published an address to the Catholics of New York City so as to answer the erroneous view of his authority expounded by Father Andrew Nugent. The trustees and priests at Holy Trinity did not receive favorably Neale and Carroll's appeals. The trustee movement was not restricted to the east coast. It spread, with the expanding frontier, to the west as well.
