The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-12-23
FRIAR'S LANDS
Interesting Story Of tho Phil
ippine Controversy.
The Article Here Given Is Abso-
lutely True.

Lew MeehS ago, 10 the Fnlnpp1neS Sug-
ar Estates Development Company for
the lands that had formerly belonged
to the religious orders in the Philip
pines a new campaign against the
Spanish friars has been started here,
writes an able and absolutely truth
full correspondent who has spent MANY
years in our far off island possessions.
There is nothing to show that the
American Jesuits, Dominicans, Fran
ciscans and Augustinians had any ma i,
terial interest in the transaction. In
deed, there is everything to show that
the whole affair was one that con-
cerncd the Spanish religious alone.
But undoubtedly they have sufficient
brotherly interest in their confreres
of Spain to cause them to feel keenly
any unjust attacks upon them.
Now, what is the truth about this
affair of the friars' lands in the Philip
pines? Has there been a spoliation of
the Catholic Church in the Philippines?
Have the friars been guilty of a gross
violation of justice? Have they even
lost the charity that impelled them to
enter upon their labor in the islands
and to pursue them throughout three
centurieso
1t has been asserted that the friars'
estates We're bought with money be-
Ia no ,;eI,>
pine Islands. But this has not been
proved, nor can it be proved. Even if
II were shown that the lands were
purchased with money derived from the
parishes, it would not follow that the
proceeds of the sale of the property
should revert to the parishes. For, as
the money derived from it, belongs
partly to the Church and partly to the
pastor IN person. If the pastor is not
member of religious order, to which
he is bound by his VOW Of poverty to
give whatever he may receive, he is
free to use his portion of the parochial
revenue according to his pleasure. A
German priest. for instance, who comes
to this country when he is young, may
labor long years in a parish, and finally
save from his personal income suffi-
| cient to enable him to return to the
fatherland and there spend his old days
in comfort. He may invest his savings
there; he may give them to his rela-
tives across the water; he may devote
them to foreign missions.
This is all very clear. And it is no
less clear that religious dischargihg
the office Of pastor or curate Of a
parish is entitled to certain income
from the parish. and that the religious
order of which he is member, and to
which he must turn over whatever he
receives for his services. has a perfect
| right to use that income as it deems
best for the interests Of religion. It
may devote it to the propagation of
religion in the country in''which 1t was
earned or in another. just as the great
missionary boards OF the Protestant
churches devote to foreign missions the
vast sums that they gather in this
country in one way or another.
But the religious orders in the Philip
pines received very little reward for
their long service among the natives Of
the islands. Actual experience since
the departure of the friars has shown to
others the truth Of their assertion that
the natives contributed very little to
the support of religion. BY far the
greater number of the inhabitants have
enough to satisfy their scanty needs
Anyway. their notion of religion is not
like ours, and they are not inclined to
make sacrifices for the religious work
that draws SO much from our pockets
The funds accumulated in Manila and
it's suburbs for the maintenance Of
pious works, charities. ETC.. did not
come from them. but grew out Of the
generosity Of resident Spanish families;
Archbishopric Of Manila, which may bt
considered as moderately rich, can bt
traced to the grants Of the Spanish
government and to the gifts of Span
iards settled in Manila. In the other
dioceses. where there are only a fev
Spaniards there are no such funds
and the bishoprics are poor.
About year after the Spanish re-
cupation of the Philippines began re-
ligious orders, exercising the rights Of
corporations. recognized by Spain and
Rome, began to hold real estate be-
queathed to them by dying spaniards
+ who had laid upon them certain re-
ligious obligations to be discharged in
succeeding years. To these original
very limited possessions only very
small additions were made during the
three centuries that followed. Not I'M
til the year 1868. after having been
subjected to repeated prosecutions and
spoliations in Spain, did the religious
orders realize that they could no
longer safely retain in that country
properties that would yield the rev.
enues necessary for their Eastern mis-
sions Then they bought from private
! NV, .ers an. from the Spanish crown
'"nds In the ne!ehh"r.1ood of Manila