The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-23
The Mission Of the Fathers Of tho Foreign Mis-
aionary society Of St. Joseph of the Sacred
Heart Among the Blacks of the United States
Iondon Tablet \


The following letter, just received from
| Very Rev. Father BenOit, Rector of Sc.
! Joseph's Foreign Missionary College at
Mill Hill, now in America, while it will ana
doubtedly interest the generous patrons OF
the work, and greatly please the many
TRENDS OF the reverend writer, ought like
wise to touch the hearts of many who have
hitherto stood aloof, or have ever opposed
the undertaking. Our Divine Redeemer
said, Give, and you shall receive" And
again, " A cup of cold water given in My
name shall not go without It's reward"
And, whatsoever you "did to one of these
My least brethren, you did it to Me-" Shall
then this appeal in favor Of Ave millions of
poor negroes grOping in the darkness of
error, and walking in the shadows of death,
DO made in vain to English Catholicsf More
especially when they bear in mind the great
debt their country owes to the colored race.
May God in His goodness move the heart of
every one who may read the follouing let
ter to come forward generously in support
of this truly Catholic work:
My Dear Father Braun-Although am as vet
imperfectly acquainted with the condition of
the colored people of the United States. have
eeen enough to convince me that St. Joseph'e
Society of the Sacred Heart in nndsrtakip9 to
evangelize the negroes of the United States is
doing work that is urgently called fora
work that is sure to be fruitful with Gods
help-but a work which requires the zeal of q
true Apostle.
1t will be long time before the colored
people recover from their sudden launch into
liberty, and before they learn to rule and be
ruled as free men. fear, moreover, that they
will never stand on the same social level with
the whites. Even in our Catholic churches a |
complete mixture of races seems IMPOSSIBLE |
Separate churches are consequently needed |
however much it may be repugnant to our Euro
pean, or rather our Catholic notions. In response
to very pathetic appeal which the American |
BishOps made at their Second Plenary Council |
efforts have been made here and there by zeal
Gus priests to labor for the colored people ex-
But in most cases these efforts have
died ont with the death or removal of the
orignators. A Society must do the work. and
God has raised our Society for that purpose
The work promises to be q most fruitful one.
Out of the four or five millions of negroes of
the U tied States number were baptized Ca
tholics, but have been scattered and neglected
TO great extent since their emancipation.
Many of those who attend Baptist and MethO~
dist chapels feel that something more is want
ng than shouting and 'ho11eriDg' in order to
become good Christians; and they are under a
vague Impression that this 10 to be found in
rope that large number will be brought into
he Is One Fold" when our Missionary Fathers
ire once fairly at work.
But to bring about such q result the zeal of
! true apostle is needed, and the negrO race is ,
lew enduring q kind of ostrRcism in spite of
heir freedom and the Civil Rights Bill. Our
Fathers must expect to share in the humilia-
ions of this social baDishment, If they are to c
'e, according to their vow, the Fathers and ,
ervants of the negro" In order also to bring
i'm from his present extravagaut worship into
he qniet practice of the Catholic faith much j
stience will be needed. Some time ago one Z
these strong-built sons of Africa attended o
and when brought to q boiling r
itch of ferVOr, he darted off with his head c
emit down at his fullest speed withersosver q
be spirit should take him. He came in con-
act with q mule that was standing quietly on G
he roadside and knocked it clean over. In 8
1shinR EDWARDS he dashed against a hickory q
ZEE which, however, stood it's around better
lan the mule. So he rebounded backwards. @
lis skull was not broken, for he was blest o
18th thick one. But the stubborn tree n
rought his errsEio deVotions to an end. Now =,
is into such heeds that our missionary Fa- III
hers will have to convey the gentle precepts ci
T the Gospel. An angelic patience will be O.
eeded both to- teach him and still more to -
,adioate from hS4 heart some very vicious
opeDsities which have hitherto grown up Il
18th him unchecked. You are aware that IL