The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-27
FRENCH RELIGIOUS ORDERS
To COME TO AMERICA
Dr.. Zahm Talks of Bringing IN 600
Priests and Nuns.

NEW YORK, april 27--zThe Rev. Dr.
John a. zahm, provincial Of the Order Of
Holy Cross, one of the largest IF ths
Roman Catholic teaching orders in
France aud the United States. has jus,
returned from the former country. where
he has been arranging for the transfer Of
his congregation In that country to dIf-
ferent parts Of the world.
DR.. zahm describes widely he eon1u-
sion and dismay Of the priests and nsaz
who have been expelled. He speaks mere
in regret and sadness than in bitterness
against the administration now ruling
in France
1t would be hard for one not having
witnessed those scenes to imagine tbs
piufulness Of it. - said Or Zaam "Tbega
are thousands CT aged priests and nuns
who have speat their whole Iivss IN
charitable or educational work and an.
now too old to begin life anew in a
foreign land. and yet must nov lace the
world without that protection which they
have known almost since their Childhood
The expulsion is not so hard on the
younger men and women, but TO these
aged nuns and priests 1t is indeed q ter
rible trial To the nuns, accustomed as
they have been 10 their clustered life for
50 many years, to be compelled now IN
discard their habit and 60 into the world
in the garb Of women of the world. en-
tiTely dependent upon their friends and
the church outside Of Francs-for. of
course, We viii provide for them in
financial way-is the saddest chapter in
this dePIorable history.
4 shall bring 200 priests of my order
and as many nuns of the Holy Cross 10
the United States They are, Of course
all teachers. and I shall not have much
trouble in disposing Of them to the ad
vantage both of the church and state in
this country. From our college AZ
NeUilly and from that at Paris shall
bring some of the most learned men in
my order These I shall send to cur IN
stitutions in the States. mostly in the
West and Southwest
AT the new college ar Austin. Tex.
which l shall Immediately begin to re-
build. I can provide for nearly nfty OF
our fathers. I may also possibly es 81
lish college in New York. Some Of nv
congregation Will go TO our college at
Washington, and number OF them and
also the sisters to our university at
Notre Dame
Asked If any of the priests and INNS
would 90 10 the Philippine Islands. Or.
Zahm said: The Philippine Islands
now furnish the richest field Of labor in
the world. as well as the hardest for
teachers and missionaries The great
deaTth Of ministers there now offers =
home for many. shall arrange for a
number Of my order to proceed there at
an early date
I have the authority Of the sunerio-
general Of one Of the expelled orders o
arrange with the authorities for the IS
ta5Iishment OF his entire following IN
the Philippines. This order. which IN
efudes eighty OF the most sueeesssr-l
missionaries of France today. AMI
large number of teachers as well. VIII
prove a great advantage 10 the church
in the islands
Dr. Zahm says that. although some Of
~ RSt1SLAli papers ana histories or fl1
orders have been preserved and the ar
chiyes Of a large number shipped 10 f,r-
eign lands. the. enormous libraries u
the different religious institutions have
been eonhseated. and in many cases the
life work of some of the most learned
of the priests has been seized. Historic
old paintings and statuary have been
taken and the moEastertes. converts and
colleges devastated
There is no possible way to fight ex-
eept legally" he added This viii 3s
done, and while 1t is the general impress
sion in France that the nation viii be
enriched by the confscation. OF
this great mass Of educational and. reIi-
gious property. it viii inevitably place
the government deeply in debt. The en-
ployment Of great lawyers and the fghe-
ing of innumerabIe eases against her
Will accumulate an appalling debt"
DR.. zahr viii remain here for several
days, and viii then so TO Notre Dame
University
100000 ALIENS