Daily Republican., 1890-05-12
The Colored Catholics.

One OF the most important acts OF the
Third Plenary Council Of the Catholic
Church. which convened in Baltimore
In November. 1884, was the creation OF
what IL known as the "Commission for
the Catholic Missions, among the In-
dians and Colored People," Of which
the present members are Cardinal Glib
bons, Most Rev. p. J. Ryan, Archbishop
Of PHILADELPHIA, and the Right Rev. j.
J. Kain. Of Wheeling. This comm ssion
WAS formed for the purpose OF further
Ing aud assisting the mission work
among these people BY systematizlnx
aud dividing the labors Of the varIou,
orders and communities SO engaged ,as far
as practicable, and afiording them more
regular financial aid. The decree of thu
Planary Council creating the commission
also provided that = collection shall be
taken up once q year Ia every Catholic
Church In the United States, the pro-
ceeds Of which are to be devoted solely
to these missions. Since Its Great on tho
commission has been actively at work
among those for whose benefit II was
formed.
Recent statistics show the total number
Of colored Catholics In the entire country
to be about 10000, with Is churches, yS
parochial schools and 9, O93 school chill
dreD, and that the number ID constantly
being increased. hi. ht years ago there
were but two colored Catholic churches
in the United States. ono Of which was
at 81. Louis, and the other at baltimore.
In New Orleans there are 10000 colored
Catholics out OF . total colored populs-
tion OF I'll ,603, who have 20 schools and
$3.50 pupils. Baltimore has 5000 out
OF 2l0, $50, with 10 schools aud LOO
nnnila hnt Navw nrlaons x~ts 10
colored Catholics, has but one church,
while Baltimore, with less than half that
number, has four churches.
Tie work among the colored people
10 this city is in the hands OF Father
deRuyter, who came here last NOvem.
Der. Siuce then he has been actively
engaged ''in season and out Of season."
and bis arduous lahors are now CON-
msncing 10 bear fruit. lie has made no
attempt to proselyte. but haa confined
his work to those " ho nave not attended
church OF any kind. He has visited this
class In their homes, and succeeded In
securing quite . congregation, with
whom he holds service every Sunday
afternoon at St. Mary's Church, Sixth
and Pine streets. He has convinced these
people that his sole object Is to do them
good and advance their spiritual welfare,
consequently they love and respect him,
aud would be very loath to have him re-
moved from among them.
For some time he has had class OF
colored adults making the necessary pre-.
parstion, and vt 3 o'clock yesterday
morning they received their hrst com.
munlon. Bishop Curtis pre- ched at 4
O'Clock In the afternoon. and adminis-
tered the right OF confirmation to u num-
ber OF colored persons.
Father del.uyter has purchss ed the
| large lot OF ground on the east side OF
French street near Eleventh, on which
school for colored children and build
ing ior the use Of the sisters, who will
have tho school In charge, W II be erected
this summer. A church will also be
built In the near future. 1t will b. see u
that during the six months this outer
pr'sing young clergy mau has been In
this city he bus not been idle. Previous
| to his advent It 10 probable that there
was not score of colored Catholics in
Wi'mineto ton, but now there Ia quite q
large number, which 10 constantly: ncreas.
ing.