The evening times., 1898-12-20
FOR THE EDUCATION
OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS
Cardinal Gibbons Leyies an.
Assessment.
NEW PLAN TO RAISE FUNDS
1t Is Intended to Obtain $12. 500 in
the Archdiocese of BaItim ore.
The Cathedral Called on for sso0-st. Pat.
rick's of This City Asked to Con-
tribute $500

A circular has been issued by Cardinal
Gibbons, through the chancellor of the
archdiocese Rev. Joseph T. OBrien to
the pastors of the Catholic churches in
the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which en-
braces the District of Columbia, the city
of Baltimore, and the counties on the
western shore of Maryland, notifying
them that henceforth they will be re-
quired TO pay a stipulated assessment to-
ward the education OF priests for this
archdiocese. The circular states that the
assessments will be payable in two in
stallments, one-half Immediately after
Christmas and the other half after Easter
Sunday. on both of which occasions col
lections are taken up in Catholic churches
for the education of young men for the
priesthood who are unable to defray the
expenses of their tuition.
Heretofore it has been the custom to
send TO the different pastors an urgent
appeal to impress upon their various con-
gregations the necessity OF making gen.
erous contributions for this purpose, but
Notwithstanding these appeals the amount
raised has steadily decreased until II be-
came absolutely necessary TO adopt some
plan for raising u larger amount Of money
In future there will be 10 appeals sent TO
the pastors but instead there will be for
warded to them q notification that their
assessments are due. The circular states
that if the collections taken up at Christ-
mas and Easter do not aggregate the
amount of the assessment the dehcIt must
be made up from the revenues OF the
church. In event of a greater sum than
the amount of the assessment being raised
the circular informs the pastors that they
NAV retain the sum in excess for church
purposes. j.
The collections for the education Of
Catholic priests have it is said. been rall-
ing off the past five years with the re-
suit that the arcp'lircesc i@ i'll dept 10
ST. Charles Collesa and ST. Nary Semi
nary. the institutions Il "hica the young
men of this archdiocese are prepared lot
the priesthood. f2er!iLjre that this debt
has fast been reaching figure az Which
If NAV become bJrderSome 10 the aTch-
diocese the cardinal determined TO make.
an effort TO pay il of. \ part OF the
amount which it is expected to raise pE
means of the assessments levied upon
the different parishes will be devoted TO
defraying Il portion of the deot WHICH
has accumulated during the years When
the contributions for this purpose nave
FALLEN behind. while the remainder Will
mon Of this archdiocese who may wish TO
study for the priesthood but who find
themselves unable To pay the necessary
expenses of tuition and clothing, besides
proyiding themselves with necessary
pocket money.
II is estimated that tuition, cost OF
clothing and incidental expenses OF stu
dent either at the college or seminary
will aggregate $500. and If he wishes TO
keep within these figures he cannot be
eytrayacant in any particular As rule,
however an archdiocese or diocese Is not
obligated by those in authority TO pay
for more than a students tuition, he be-
ing expected to provide his clothing and
incidental expenses. The tuition charged
th. archdiocese for the education of
student either at the College or seminary
is about $50, which is somewhat less
than the amount required for tuition
from students whose parents are ab.e 10
nav. In a majority of cases, however,
young men begin their studies for the
priesthood upon leaving schools where
they have received their elimentary train
ing. and therefore. have not had time
nor opportunity to acquire money which
might be used by them to pay for their
classical and theological education
There are at present forty students at
St Marys Seminary, the cost OF whose
etluca ton has to be defrayeu. tOntrlDQ-
tions for the education of these young
men have not during the past few years
exceeded s., coo, which amount was found
TO be inadequate ii is hoped by the plan
of leyfng assessments upon the one hun
dred and thirty-two parishes making up
the archdiocese to increase the amount to
$l2, 500. After the present indebtedness
for the education of young men for the
priesthood contracted by this archdiocese
has been paid, and ii is expected that ii
will take two years TO accomplish this,
without incurring additional debt, the to-
tai amount of the assessment Will be
found ample for the purposes for which
Ii is intended.
The assessments have been levied on
the various parishes according to their
membership and ability to pay them.
Considerable difficulty and much labor
was involved in the preparation of the
plan of assessment. which was done by
the chancellor. Some of the assessments
are as follows: Cathedral, $500; St. Pat
rick's. Washington, $3.50; St. Patricks,
st. Martins, St. Ignatius' and lmmac-
ulate Conception Churches, Baltimore,
S400 each; ST AIMS, St. Peters and St
Mary Star of the Sea, Baltimore, $500
each: St. Patrick s, Cumberland, $3.50, and
St. Marks, Catonsville, $3.50. The as
sessments, the lowest of which is $50
do not vary much. it being the aim of
the chancellor TO make them as equitable
as possible.