The Irish standard., 1903-11-21
PROPAGATION OF FAITH.
Review of Past Years Work of
the Society.

Inc society.
The society for the Propagation of
the Faith Baltimore, AId.) acting in
accordance with one Of it's laws ia
make all its affairs public, has pub.
lished in the November issue of the
Annals a report of the moneys an
portioned to the various missions
throughout the world during 1908, to-
gether with some interesting details
as to how the apportionment is made.
We are Informed that the society
does not deal in Investments and has
no permanent fund. At the beginning
of each year all the aims contributed
by the faithful during the year pre-
vious are distributed. The appor-
tlonment Of the funds is committed
to two councils, one at Lyons, where
the society was founded in 1890, the
| other at Paris. Those councils are
composed of ecclesiastics and laymen
known for their position, talents and
experience in administration. They
receive the applications. which must
he sent yearly, of bishops and heads
OF missions, consider carefully the
claims of each and divide the money
ut their disposal according to the
needs of the missions which have ap-
piled for help. The total sum applied
for by the various chiefs of missions
amounted this year to four millions
of dollars, whereas, the society had
for distribution $1,2I5.:5'37.9S only; all
petitions had therefore to be reduced
pr"rortionately, and after long and
careful study the apportionment was
made as follows: Missions in Europe,
Sl:'S.o2O.I0; missions in Asia. $3.50
S42.-i missions in Africa. S276.253 81;
missions in America. SGG.G42 13; mis-
sons in Oceanica. $12S,275.7S. The
number of dioceses. vcariates and
procedures apostolic assisted amount
cd to over 300, so of which are in
Europe, 13o in Asia. Ga in Africa,
81 in America and q in Ocaanica.
AS the aim of the society is merely
to help missionaries to implant the
faith, us soon as the missions are able
to exist by themselves it withdraws
its aid because the demands made up
on it's resources are many and the
money at its command is altogether
insufficient to meet them This eX-
~ Of
dioceses which receive assistance is
not larger. Years ago nearly all our
dioccses could be found in that list of
ALLEGATIONS, whereas only fourteen
dioceses or vicariltes of the American
church received aid in 1903, among
them, some the existence of which is
hardly known to American Catholics,
though the American flag floats over
them: thus it is that the Catholic mis-
sionaries in the Sandwich Islands,
Samoa. etc, all now American pos
sessions, are supported by the society
for the Propagation of the Faith.
We are told that the society aims to
be Catholic in name and in fact, that
in the same manner as 1t applies to all
for support, it is. and always has
been, to the full extent of it's power,
ready to assist all Catholic missions,
properly speaking, in whatever part
of the world they may be situated.
1T is asserted also that the nationality
of missionaries has absolutely no in
fluence in the apportionment of the
aims received by the society. A per-
lls;l Of the list of missions sending
Catholic laborers and religious orders
and societies in charge Of missions are
represented in the list.
1t is Il lrgrettable fact that the
money at the disposal of the society
is woefully inadequate to meet the
demands of the missions. Many mis-
siOnS are not and cannot be for Il
long time self-supporting, and the mis-
siOnarics, in spite of personal self
sacrifice and zeal, cannot maintain
them without financial assistance. For
this they depend upon the aims of
Catholics throughout the world.
Hence 1T is that the society for the
Propagation of the Faith makes earn
est appeals to the charity of all, that
the divine command to preach the
Gospel to every creature" may he full
filed.