The Irish standard., 1907-11-16

for Christ need not travel to distant
lands. for he can find in North Dakota
the Mecca Of his ambition. where an
abundant harvest is waiting for the
willing reaper.
The Bishop, like his clergy. is per-
fectly familiar with the trail" Dur
ing the eighteen years of his episcopate
he has visited every nook and corner
Of his immense diocese, Unmindful Of
Clocks" or personal comfort he has
utilized avery mode of transportation
from grain wagon to a broncho sad
die, for duty is more sacred to him than
dignity. He 10 a true missionary bishop.
as careful In planning for the future
as in providing for the present: md
while scholarly attainments, together
with a commanding presence would
give him prominence in the most re-
fined or learned gathering. he is edually
at ease in the humblest cottage Of his
loving flock. Bishop shanley's name is
a household word among his people by
whom he Is enthusiastically admired.
None can better appreciate or utilize
spiritual advantages than he who Ia
bors to possess them. North Dakota
Catholics, are ,marvelously devout and
the hardsi1lpss undergone in many To-
calities in .1trving for religious ad-
vantages hate,helped to make them so.
Besides generously supporting their
priests and furnishing capital for
church improvement. they have con-
tributed diocesan seminary fund for
the education of. many of the younger
priests. These In turn have organized
parishes and. built churches where eor-
merly Holy Mass was celebrated In
private dwellings, schoolrooms, section
houses, or any convenient building CEN
trally located. There are yet many To-
calities where better accommodations
cannot be procured for an altar, hut the
deep and earnest devotion of prairie
congregation supplies. in the sight Of
high Heaven, the material and artistic
grandeur lacking in their surround
ings. -
Backsliders are numerous, their care
lessness ands loss Of faith being grim
reminders of the days when priests
were scarce .ahd churches rare But
the old saying that holy water sticks"
is being constantly exemplified on every
side. and urgent sick calls frequently
come from homes, where. for all the
priest could tell, the inmates, might
have worshiped Buddah.
Fargo .dioceses is now in the brick
and mortar age of it's material exist
ence, each s1leesssive' year witnessing
greater iactivRy sih building. During
the summer Of s1s1e thirty-six new
churches were erected, similar num-
Der enlarged or repaired, and several
parochial hlaaAses hlaaAses completed.
st. Mary's Cathedral, Fargo, was con-
secrated In May, 1899, and is one Of
the most artistic and best equipped
structures OF the west. The building
was erected and furnished at cost OF
s11a,soo, and iss the pride Of North
Dakota Catholics
Hospitals and academies, under the
supervision OF various sisterhoods are
quite numerous, and equal to the ne
cessities Of the timess but the paro-
chial school system has not, yet at
tained a. permanent footing, owing
partly to the scarcity of funds and the
scattered condition Of congregations. A
retrospect Of the last decade inspires
us with hope that the future holds them
in store.
While meeting and solving the many
obstacles in its progressive course, the
Church of North Dakota has not to
contend extensively with intempernnce
and its accompanying evils. Prohibi-
tory state laws are gradually coercing
the liquor traffic and inspiring the citi-
zens with a strong antt-saloon senti-
ment. 1t is Safe estimate to say that
seventyfve per cent of the boys up
to the age of sixteen years never saw
the outside of "a saloon, while fifty per
cent Of the young men of twenty never
saw the inside of one. Hence the
problems Of charity, correction, drunk
enness and ahject poverty do not give
the priest any anxiety, for the future
or present worry. These prohibition
laws are directly responsible for much
Of the immense Immigration Of the last
few years, as many parents recognize
the wisdom Of rearing a family in a
state where the law effectively removes
the dangers arising from drunkenness
ana gambling.
Together with it's many natural re.
sources North Dakota enjoys perhaps
the most healthful climate in America
I