Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-23
FOR CATHOLIC STUDENTS.
Bishop Monaghan Announces the Annua
Collection Next Sunday.

Bishop Monaghan Announces the Annual
Collection Next Sunday.
RI. Rev. John Monaghan, bishop
OF the diocese OF Wilmington, has sent
copies of the following letter to the
priests of all Of the Catholic churches
In the diocese:
Episcopal Residence 30l North Jack
son Street, Wilmington, Del. May
10th, 1901. Rev. and Dear Father:
The annual collection for the educa-
tion OF the students of the diocese will be
taken up on Pentecost Sunday, May
Goth, inst. 1t is needless to remind the
reverend clergy Of the Importance of
this collection, or of their duty TO inn
press upon their people the necessity Of
contributing generously to the support
of the young men now preparing for
the holy priesthood for our diocese.
There is no object towards which the
people should contribute more literally,
as there ia none In which Their spirit
ual interests are more concerned than
In the education Of our priests.
The first object of the solicitude of
the bishop of the diocese ia to provide
jealous and capable pastors for ths
| flock committed to his care, and to give
! to our students in the seminary all the
advantages which will fit them for their
sublime vocation as pastors Of souls.
To do this requires q constant outlay,
extending over number of years for
each student Of the diocese; and to
meet this necessary expense, we must
depend upon the voluntary offerings Of
our faithful people. The collection last
year was wholly inadequate for the
purpose, and hence We are constrained
to appeal to you and your congregation
to make this years collection for the
seminary worthy of its object.
In this connection, l beg to remind
you, Rev. and Dear Father, Of our
earnest desire to recruit tho ranks of
our clergy from the youth OF our own
diocese. Our efforts in this direction
have been highly commended by the
holy see In the letter of propaganda,
in answer TO our recent report Of the
condition of our diocese; and it IS the
wish Of our holy father, the pope,
that our own young men should be en-
Outraged in every possible way, to de-
vote their lives to the service of God
at the altar. There should be no dearth
OF vacations among our own boys.
We would therefore entreat parents
to foster the vooations Of their sons,
whenever they see in them the signs OF
divine call to the holy priesthood.
We must rely upon the prudent yea
and good Judgment of the reverend
clergy in selecting such candidates af
possess the talents aud other natural
qualifications besides the spiritual dis
positions, which would fit them to be.
come worthy ministers of God and
faithful shepherds OF souls. 1.-The
harvest indeed is great, but the laborers
are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord
of the harvest, that lie send laboreri
into his harvest. Luke 10, 2.
Please to read this letter to your con
gegation on next Sunday and again OF
the feast Of Pentecost, adding suct
words of your own as your zeal ma,
suggest, to bring this matter home t.
your people and to make the collection
for the seminary fully twice as muci
as the amount heretofore contributed
for this worthiest of purposes.
Yours faithfully in Christ,
John j. Monaghan,
Bishop of Wilmington.