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FINANCIAL STATEMENT From January 1st, 1892, to January 1st, 1893.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT From January 1st, 1892, to January 1st, 1893.
[1] In this amount is included a legacy of $1,000 from Mrs. Alice Hussey, $500 for the Negro and $500 for the Indian missions. [2] Including a legacy of $100 from Mr. Adam Haefling, Tiffin, O., to be equally divided between the Negro and the Indian missions....
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Mission Work among the Negroes and the Indians.
Mission Work among the Negroes and the Indians.
The communications we publish from Bishops who receive aid from the annual collections for our Negro and Indian missions, show very simply and forcibly the importance and needs of this work. Passages from the letters of Archbishop Janssens, of New Orleans, of Bishop O’Sullivan, of Mobile and of Rev. Father Molony of the diocese of San Antonio, may help to answer a question as to the ultimate outcome of what is being done, that doubtless arises in many minds. The Archbishop says: “In another port
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The Colored and Indian Missions.
The Colored and Indian Missions.
The following is taken from a Pastoral Letter issued last year by Rt. Rev. Bishop McCloskey of Louisville. It sets forth strongly and earnestly the claims of the Negro and Indian mission work to our sympathy and generous aid. “If thousands of these wretched beings of whom we speak, are still as ignorant and destitute of the light of Christianity, as heathen, so to say, as when the first settler landed on our shores, whose fault is it? And if they are now fast falling back into the practice of th
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Baltimore, Md.
Baltimore, Md.
The Catholic Church in the Southern States has long felt the need of priests. The Bishops of these States have made successive appeals for zealous workers, but all to no purpose. St. Joseph’s Seminary and the Epiphany Apostolic College have been founded to supply this want. Although both institutions are new, sixty-five young men have offered themselves for the arduous mission. If Providence favors this Seminary and College a number of missionaries will depart yearly for the South, to work wholl
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Charleston, S. C.
Charleston, S. C.
The diocese of Charleston has a large negro population out of which a thousand are counted as Catholics. This is a goodly number, when we consider the fact, that there are but eight thousand Catholics in the whole diocese. The Ordinary of the diocese, Bishop Northrop, has this to say in reference to the Negro Missions: “This poor diocese has bought and given for the use of the colored people, since the war, the following property: a church valued at $7,000, a residence at $3,500, a school-house
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Chicago, Ill.
Chicago, Ill.
There are 35,000 Negroes in the city of Chicago; of which number about 500 are Catholics. The latter are now permanently organized and form a parish having for its pastor, the colored priest, Rev. A. Tolton. A building site has been procured in a good location and Father Tolton is exerting himself to raise funds for the erection of a church. A colored school is badly needed and could be made the instrument for the accomplishing of much good. Father Tolton is sure of the attendance of at least on
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Covington, Ky.
Covington, Ky.
The diocese of Covington has but few colored Catholics, yet the schools and charitable institutions founded by Bishop Maes, promise in time to bear rich fruitage. St. Peter Claver’s school in Lexington has a membership of 219 pupils; of this number 202 are protestants. The salutary influence of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, as exerted over the children intrusted to their keeping, will necessarily tend to turn the eyes of the parents towards the Church. Besides this school, there is in the
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Galveston, Texas.
Galveston, Texas.
The diocese of Galveston presents a great field for missionary labor. Its Negro population, aggregating a quarter of a million, knows almost nothing of the saving truths of Catholicity. The five hundred colored Catholics within the limits of the diocese are scattered here and there and are thus unable, as a body, to possess or exert any influence over their brethren. A church has been erected for the colored people, two schools have been opened, an orphanage founded, while two priests have volun
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Kansas City, Kansas.
Kansas City, Kansas.
The Rt. Rev. L. M. Fink of Kansas City, submits the following communication touching the mission work in his diocese. It will be found interesting. “The number of colored Catholics has not been notably increased during the past year. About one-half of the adults baptized since the last report obtained that grace in articulo mortis . Prejudice and ignorance will, however, be gradually removed, it is hoped, and then the work will go on more rapidly. Our schools are quite satisfactory, both in poin
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Little Rock, Arkansas.
Little Rock, Arkansas.
Bishop Fitzgerald, of Little Rock, feels sanguine of the future success of Catholic Missionary work in his diocese. “There is at the present time a somewhat better prospect for conversions than existed last year, as the colored people begin to see that we mean them good, not harm. The most flourishing school is at Pine Bluff. Here the usual common-school branches are taught, together with music, vocal and instrumental. The girls are taught sewing, domestic work, etc., and the boys, carpentry. Th
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Louisville, Ky.
Louisville, Ky.
There are 4003 colored Catholics in the diocese of Louisville. Eight special schools for colored children are in good running order, with an enrollment of 680 pupils. These schools are under the direction of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, of Loretto and of lay teachers. The colored Catholics of Louisville have a church of their own, attended by a regular priest of the Josephite order. Two hundred and four baptisms have been reported during the last year....
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Mobile, Ala.
Mobile, Ala.
According to the late census there are 706,243 colored people in the diocese of Mobile. About 2,500 of this vast number are Catholics. The total Catholic population, negroes and whites included, is scarcely 17,000 souls. These figures will give us some slight idea of the difficulty to be met with on every side in the work of propagating the faith. Priests, money and moral support are absolutely necessary to achieve any missionary success. Bishop O’Sullivan has five colored schools directed by th
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Nashville, Tenn.
Nashville, Tenn.
There is but forty colored Catholics in this diocese. The colored population numbers 434,320. The contrast is very striking. The diocese has suffered much on account of the Civil War and the terrible yellow fever plagues that ravaged the South in 1867, 1873, ’78 and ’79. These successive plagues carried off twenty priests and many religious, dealing a blow, from the effects of which the diocese has not as yet been able to recover. There is one special school for the colored people. It is located
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Natchez, Mississippi.
Natchez, Mississippi.
In the State of Mississippi the negroes out-number the whites. The Catholic population of the whole State numbers but 15,000, out of which 1838 are colored. There is perhaps one colored Catholic in every seven hundred of the population. Five colored schools are kept open with an average attendance of about two hundred children. These schools are in charge of religious. Bishop Heslin has a wide field for work. One of his priests, a very zealous man, is engaged exclusively in Negro Mission work. T
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Natchitoches, La.
Natchitoches, La.
The colored Catholics of this diocese number 15,000, or about half the total Catholic population. Bishop Durrier is doing his utmost to extend the work of Catholic education. The six schools within his diocese have been founded through aid granted him by the Commission. In a letter forwarded to the Commission the bishop writes: “I ask for the same allocation as that granted me last year, $2000. This year I did not succeed in doing for Catholic education all that I wished. I hope to do better the
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New Orleans, La.
New Orleans, La.
The diocese of New Orleans still continues to lead in the work of Negro education. There are 80,000 colored Catholics in the diocese, 36 schools open to colored children, a large orphan asylum and a home for aged women. The schools are attended by over 2309 pupils. Two or three extra schools are opened each year. Archbishop Janssens feels confident of the future good results to come from his labor, in multiplying these colored schools. His pithy letter is extremely interesting. “This year I noti
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New York, N. Y.
New York, N. Y.
The diocese of New York has 80,000 colored people within its limits. The vast majority of these dwell on the Bermuda Islands which are under Archbishop Corrigan’s jurisdiction. In New York City there are 3000 colored Catholics, with one church devoted to their use. Their spiritual interests are cared for by two priests of the diocese. Two Benedictine Fathers are in charge at Nassau. A flourishing “school and home” has been opened at Rye, N. Y., which is directed by ten Dominican Sisters. The thr
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North Carolina.
North Carolina.
Bishop Haid has many unfavorable conditions to encounter in his large vicariate. The Catholics both white and colored are few and scattered. Every step he would make in the right direction is hampered by the poverty of the diocese. We give his letter to the Negro and Indian Commission: “The Colored Missions in North Carolina, have made some progress, but not such as I could have wished. With the means at our disposal, we should perhaps not expect too much. St. Charles’ Church at Newbern, is fini
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Philadelphia, Pa.
Philadelphia, Pa.
In last year’s report a full account was given of the purchase and opening of a church for colored Catholics in Philadelphia. “From the results attained since then” writes the Rev. Jas. Nolan, “there is every reason to believe that the colored Mission in Philadelphia will eventually prove a success. Nothing could be more encouraging than the large number of young men and women who have, within the last year returned to the practice of their religion. For years they had strayed away; they had but
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Pittsburgh, Pa.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
The spiritual interests of the colored Catholics of Pittsburgh are looked after by the Rev. John Griffin, C. S. Sp., who resides at Holy Ghost College in that city. A church was erected last year, in the basement of which a school has been opened, conducted by two Sisters of Mercy. Its average attendance is about fifty pupils. “We greatly need pecuniary support” writes Father Griffin “in order to pay off the debt still due on our parochial property. There is no pastoral residence near the church
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Richmond, Va.
Richmond, Va.
In this diocese live 700,000 negroes. Out of this number 700 are classed as Catholics. One Catholic in every 1000. This is certainly a good field for zealous missionaries. One priest only is engaged in the colored work. Six schools are in operation with an enrollment of about four hundred pupils. The Sisters of St. Francis and the Sisters of the Holy Cross have charge of them. Rev. P. J. Oud, a Josephite father, writes to the Commission as follows: “During the coming year we hope to open new mis
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San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio, Texas.
A letter from Rev. R. J. Molony about the work being done among the Negroes of this diocese has already been cited....
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Savannah, Ga.
Savannah, Ga.
Nearly one-half of the population of this diocese are colored. There are 1000 colored Catholics out of the total number of 20,000 Catholics to be found in the State. The colored people have five Catholic schools open to them, and one church in Savannah which is regularly attended by a priest. “It seems to me” writes Bishop Becker, “that the colored people need to be taught less in schools, and a great deal more in individual work. They have a notion that the sovereign panacea for all their woes
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St. Augustine, Fla.
St. Augustine, Fla.
The Rt. Rev. Bishop Moore, of St. Augustine, presents his views on the condition of Negro Mission work in his diocese, in an interesting letter which we give in full.— “This month one year ago the convent and school of the Sisters of St. Joseph, in Jacksonville, were burned and have not since been rebuilt. I should like to rebuild a school for the colored children at a cost of about $500. This would suit very well until the Sisters are able to rebuild their convent. In Tampa the Jesuits are desi
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Wilmington, Del.
Wilmington, Del.
The Rev. J. A. de Ruyter, a zealous Josephite Father who has accomplished much good in Wilmington writes: “By advice of the Rt. Rev. A. A. Curtis and very Rev. J. R. Slattery, an asylum for negro orphan boys has just been opened. For this purpose I have given up the priest’s house. Next to it we have a plot of ground on which to build. This is the only exclusive boys’ orphan asylum for Catholic negroes. Orphan boys from all dioceses will be admitted. We need much help to supply this long-felt gr
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Arizona.
Arizona.
The following communication is from the Rt. Rev. Bishop P. Bourgade, of Arizona. “The Indian work here is so limited and so uncertain that the prospects for the future are not very bright. The protestant and government schools are getting control of most of the Indians. The work of propagating the faith would require money, and missionaries to consecrate themselves to the work— I have very little money, and very little time to give to the Indian work. I have besides, no missionaries to spare. Th
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Brownsville.
Brownsville.
Bishop Verdaguer makes this touching appeal. “For two years we have not raised any crops and for the past six months we have experienced the most severe drought ever known here. Two-thirds of our priests cannot support themselves. Oh! please do for us what you can. Remember, that along the Rio Grande there are 20,000 Mexican Indians actually starving— living on dying cattle and boiled prickly pear leaves. Most all the horses and cattle have disappeared. There is no grass, and has been no crop fo
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Duluth, Minn.
Duluth, Minn.
In this diocese there are 4,000 Catholic Indians, three churches and one school for the Indians, and four priests attending the missions. These four priests represent the Jesuit, Benedictine and Franciscan orders....
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Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne.
There is a large Indian Normal School, situated in Rensselaer, in the diocese of Fort Wayne. The school is under the direction of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost and has an attendance of 81 young men. Four of these are being educated for the priesthood. “If you could pay the tuition of the four students,” writes Rev. A. Geitl, the President of the school, “namely, $40 a year for each, we would esteem it a great favor. We will supply everything else in the way of books, board and clothing. I h
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Grand Rapids, Mich.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
There are 2500 Catholic Indians in the State of Michigan. Two Regular priests, who attend seven churches, look after their spiritual needs. The Catholic Indian Schools, three in number, have 243 pupils enrolled. “We need $2000,” writes Bishop Richter “to pay teachers’ salaries at Elbridge, Cross Village and Eagletown, to contribute towards the support of the missionaries, and also to assist in the building of a church at Harbor Springs.” The Indians of this diocese dwell in nine villages the mos
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Green Bay, Wis.
Green Bay, Wis.
Out of 3500 Indians in this diocese 1300 are classed as Catholics. They are all located on the Menominee Reservation. Two Franciscan Fathers are exclusively engaged in missionary work among them. There is a large Industrial School on the Reservation under the direction of five Franciscan lay Brothers and eight Sisters of St. Joseph. “A total amount of $7,500 is needed for carrying on the work of the mission,” writes the Rev. J. A. Selbach. “As reported last year, our school suffered a loss by fi
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Helena, Mont.
Helena, Mont.
There are twelve churches for Indians in this diocese, and sixteen Indian Schools with 930 pupils enrolled. The Ursulines have a mother-house located in the diocese as well as a novitiate. They devote themselves entirely to the education of the Indians of the different missions. “I will be called upon to pay for the debt of the Indian school and novitiate and mother-house of the Ursulines” writes Bishop Brondel. “These nuns were living for seven years in small log cabins and now they have a dece
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Idaho.
Idaho.
Eleven hundred Catholic Indians are to be found in Idaho, four churches and three boarding schools have been erected for them. “Our Indian Missions continue to be prosperous” writes Bishop Glorieux. “Last June I visited the Coeur d’Alénes, at De Smet, the Nez Percés, at Lapnai and the Kootenais, near Bonner’s Ferry, in the northern part. The magnificent reception they gave me as well as their piety, showed that their faith is still lively. All the Coeur d’Alénes and the Kootenais are practical C
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Indian Territory.
Indian Territory.
The Indian Territory is a great Indian centre, there being no less than 96,640 Indians within its borders. Of this great number but 3000 are Catholics. These Catholic Indians have six churches which are regularly attended by six Benedictine Fathers, of the Sacred Heart, and one secular priest. There are five Catholic Indian boarding schools in the Territory with an enrolment of 262 pupils. “A school should be built in the Gwokow nation” writes Bishop Meerschaert, “for that nation and other small
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La Crosse, Wis.
La Crosse, Wis.
There are 1800 Catholic Indians in this diocese out of an Indian population of 3500. These Catholic Indians have nine churches visited regularly by three priests of the Order of St. Francis. Four large schools, attended by 316 Indian children are in good running order, under the direction of Franciscan Sisters. These schools were materially assisted by last years allocation....
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Marquette.
Marquette.
About 2700 Catholic Indians dwell in this diocese, over half of the resident Indian population. They have five churches and one school. The churches are visited by two Jesuit Fathers and the school is conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The Missions and the priests attending them were helped by the Negro and Indian Commission at the last yearly distribution....
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Natchez, Miss.
Natchez, Miss.
Bishop Heslin, of Natchez, has four hundred Catholic Indians in his diocese. They have one church and one school. “The number of Catholic Indians in Neshoba Co., has now increased to 335, a considerable gain over last year. Rev. B. J. Bekkers, with money lately collected from friends in Holland, has made a further purchase of some 600 acres to be portioned out among the Indians according to necessity. He reports the Indians are very much distressed in consequence of the low prices obtained for t
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Nesqually.
Nesqually.
This diocese has quite a large Indian population, there being no less than 18,000 within its limits. About 6,000 of these are Catholics. Seven Jesuit Fathers are here engaged in Indian missionary work while three diocesan priests visit the missions when opportunity affords. There are seventeen churches exclusively for the Indians, while four schools conducted by the Sisters of Providence look to the instruction of the Indian children. “We could have a great many more children at school,” writes
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Oregon City.
Oregon City.
Two thousand, five hundred Indians dwell in this diocese. Eighteen hundred of them are Catholics. Two priests attend the two churches erected for the Catholic Indians. The two Indian schools, one of which is taught by the Benedictine Sisters, report an enrollment of 191 pupils. “Besides the current expenses,” writes Archbishop Gross, “I should like about two or three hundred dollars to erect a modest chapel on the site selected by me recently at the Silety reservation. I should also like some ad
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St. Cloud.
St. Cloud.
We present an interesting letter from the Mother Superior of the Sacred Heart Industrial School, at Morris, Minn. “I would have replied long since in answer to your kind letter, but I met with a very severe accident, a dislocation of my right shoulder, and I am not well yet. I can use only my thumb and first finger. God grant that I may get the use of the others, for it is a great loss to the poor children that I cannot work. I am anxiously looking forward to September, and I trust what our good
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Santa Fé.
Santa Fé.
Archbishop Salpointe has 8,000 Catholic Indians in his diocese. The total Indian population aggregates 25,000. There are 18 churches and 11 schools in the diocese exclusively for Indians. These schools have an enrollment of 433 pupils. Three priests devote nearly their whole time to Indian missionary work. “We intend to carry out our school work on a better plan,” writes the Most Rev. Archbishop. “The agents of Commissioner Morgan are doing all in their power to ruin our schools and to pervert o
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San Francisco, Cal.
San Francisco, Cal.
This diocese contains 1500 Indians, 800 of whom are Catholics. There are two Churches and four schools for these Catholic Indians. Both schools and churches are in charge of the Franciscans....
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Sioux Falls, S. D.
Sioux Falls, S. D.
There is a large Indian population in the two Dakotas. In the diocese of Sioux Falls there are over 25,000. Of these, 5,400 are members of the church. Ten churches are open to them. These are under the charge of seven Benedictine and six Jesuit Fathers. The schools, twelve in number, with an enrollment of 938 pupils, are directed by the above mentioned fathers. “The year has been a most prosperous one,” writes Bishop Marty, “both in conversions and in the formation of new Catholic centres among
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Vancouver Island, Alaska Missions.
Vancouver Island, Alaska Missions.
There are about 35,000 Indians on Vancouver Island and in Alaska. Only 4000 of these are Catholics. These Indians have thirteen churches and seven schools open to them. Some idea may be had of the extent of the territory within which the Indian Missions are comprised, when we reflect on the vast area, (593,000 square miles) which is included within its limits. Fourteen zealous priests are here engaged in missionary work. According to Bishop Lemmens the prospects for the future are bright. “We ha
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