The Irish standard., 1907-06-22

~ SA3S SUI, lllt value VI SGGQS
and kindred subjects-form a specia!
department of instruction, added to the
classical course and the courses in
physics, philosophy, theology, and
Scripture which We offer.
There are 2o6 students in the semi
nary. I find vocations abundant and
If had the means could have 1000
young men studying for the priesthood
But we can support only a limited
number. At the present time thirty of
these young men are able to pay their
own expenses. The balance are wards
of the Church, because their families
have become Impoverished have Sc
1ected them with reference to their
families, to their physical equipment,
to their mental capacity. and lastly, a
consideration which is most important
of all, with reference to their inclina-
tion to the priesthood.
For the general education of the chill
dren. the system in vogue in many
places is attendance at the public
school for one-half a day, and for the
other half at the Catholic schools,
where lay teachers give instructions
under the direction of the priest. The
stronger churches have parish schools.
At one time all had them. but the rev.
olution caused the destruction Of
many
The Filipino has an affection for the
place in which he worships. A person
going to pray would give you the i'm
preston that he is going to have a
personal audience with God. Childlike
and trusting. he regards the church as
his own house, because it is the house
of his Father, and he acts as if he had
the title deed for it in his own pocket
The children Chamber around in the
churches just as if they were in their
own homes. No chairs are provided ex-
cept for the old and feeble and for
persons of distinction, such as civil
governors of the islands. The people
kneel or stand during the services. The
sermons are brief. the entire service
rarely lasting more than an hour and
a quarter.
In journeying through the islands
find the people desirous that the full
ritual Of the Church shall be observed.
Congregational singing is in vogue. and
the congregation sings the entire SER
vice. as a rule, particularly in the
orchestra, sometimes numbering sixty
instruments, and many of the great
masses are sung by the people, accom-
panied with this orchestral music
The idea that the Church in the Phil
1ppines is rich is pure fiction. The
Church had been rich in lands. and
these lands We're productive and gave
results, but for ten years no revenue
has been received from any Of them.
and the result is poverty on the part
Of the Church. Under the old regime
the Spanish government paid for the
support Of the clergy. This. Of course,
has been withdrawn, and the clergy
are dependent on the voluntary contri-
buttons of the people. The people had
not been accustomed to support the
clergy directly: they supported them
indirectly through the taxation system.
The direct contributions are now
hardship to them. the support which
they give to the Church is very meag-
er, and the priests are in extreme pow
erty
There are 400 priests in the diocese
OF Manila; 120 priests in the diocese
of Jaro; 10 in the diocese of Vigan
$50 in the diocese of Cebu. and 160 in
the diocese of Nueva Caceres In the
United States we have $4,000 900 Cath
olics, with IA archbishops. 30 bishops
and $4,000 priests. In the Philippine
Islands we have 100000 Catholics.
Just 50 per cent of those in America,
and we have I archbishop. 5 bishops
and 1.o4o priests. The striking con-
.trast in these figures shows without
comment how much remains to be
done.
At the outset. our government was
egregiously deceived as to the positlon
and state of the Church. but it has
learned in time, I hope and think that
the anti Catholic forces were not only
Anti-Spanish and anti American and
anti-white men, but also anti-social
and anarchical. These forces were new
er numerous, but they We're united, de-
termined and aggressive. The identi-
cal methods Of the French Reign Of
Terror were used to coerce the i'm
7nense majority of the people. who
were then and are now pious and de.
voted Catholics; Industrious, law-abid.
ing citizens, excellent parents anxious
TO give their children every opportuni-