The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-18
MUR.FzLC0N1O
OPTIMISTIC ON
CHURCH HERE
Promising Field For lis
Progress, Says Papal Del
egate-- Praises America.

ShlhAah III hitiit ollu n 0tA1h
majority of the Italian Immigrants who
come here to lead peaceful, thrifty lives
Mgr. Diomede Falconio, who represents the
Pope in the United States, talked at length
yesterday on religious and social conditions.
Mgr. Falconio declares the United States
the most promising field in the world TOT
Catholic effort. Its liberty of worship ana
non-interference will religion, be says, APP
peal to the oppressed in foreign lands, ana
are responsible to a great degree for the
hundreds of thousands who u come
to America for Its freedom and its many
other advantages.
Mgr. Falconio says Christian Science ha
given the Catholic Church no trouble, be-
cause its people will have nothing TO 90
with 'such nonsense" Neither, he say
do tho higher critics. disturb the Cath
Ollie peace.
What influenced you to come TO Amer
iCa?"
The Franciscans go where they are
sent. I arrived at the house of my order
in Allegany, N. Y, about forty-tWo years
ago. ] was not old enough to be a priest
in Italy. However, Bishop Timon, OF Bur
falo. ordained me by a special olspehsa-
ton. But ! didn't preach much az nrs..
/ taught philosophy and theology III one
of our seminaries and later was president
of st. Bonaventure's College at Aliegany-
Then [ went to Harbor Grace, In New
foundiund, where for eleven years / was
secretary ard chancellor to the bishop
rector of the cathedral. On my return TO
Italy | held various important ofhces IN
nv order. Eight years ago Leo XIII. sent
me to Canada as apostolic delegate. From
Quebec I came to Washington
you became a citizen of the United
States in 1852"
yes. L was satisfied with republican
institutions, believed in liberty and ar
IDENTIFY wanted to be an American. l soon
learned to speak English by contact with
my associates and students. All of my
teaching. of course, was in Latin, but out
side of my classes I did the best | could
with the language of the country.
Public School Question.
""When Monsignor Satolli first came here
he was simply an ALLOCATE, or envoy, OF
Leo XIII. At a later day he was NOM
mated to be the first apostolic delegate TO
the United States, and authorized to dis
pose of all business within his Office. The
principal question at the time was the at
titude of Catholics toward the public
schools. The church had been discussing
it for a year, and the mind of the Holy
Father was wanted on the subject.
HAS there been any change in the posi-
tion of the church on that particular mat
terri"
1NO0f WDdltYeI. we / nO nObbiit "
the public schools. However, we believe
that the heart needs to be educated as
we'll as the head. If boys and girls are to
become good citizens they must be trained
not only in mind, but In conscience. The
duty If Christians to the young Is we'll
defined by the example of our divine Lord,
who said: Suffer the little children to
come unto Me; forbid them not, for to
such belongeth the kingdom of God
ssTba Catholic Church goes no further
and win stop at nothing less.
Religion a Requisite.
9Th best time for religious instruction
is when the child is young. Consequently
we have many parochial schools for the
primary and lower grades. About LOO, 900
pupils are attending our 1873 colleges for
boys, our SIS academies for girls and our
1884 parish schools. Besides. there are
100 students at our seminaries, which are
eighty six in number. No; we are not
seeking to destroy the educational system
of the country. 1t is fine, so far as It
goes. Nevertheless, we cannot approve
schools in general where there Is no re-
lligious Instruction"
MAY young women who are Catholics
teach in the public schools without con-
demnation?"
Surely. Their hearts nave been trained
in our own way and they are free to
teach anywhere. Many of them are in the
public schools"
How many Catholics are there in the
United States?"
IT should say 14,OOO.O 900. We have 11,135
clergymen, and 1888 members of religious
orders who teach and preach. There are
ninety-three dioceses, divided into fourteen
ecclesiastical provinces. with a bishop in
each diocese and an archbishop over each
province"
"what is the number of your church
buildiugs?"
Our latest figures show s,072 resident
priests, and 4,72 missionaries, with build
ings for religious services. Our largest
cathedral, which is in New York, cost
$1,000. 0OO."
What Is the value of your property,
including, of course, converts. asylums,
hospitals, etc. ?"
I'VE have no information as to that.
There are 4O,5s8 orphans in 265 asylums,
and 169,3 33 inmates In our 992 charitable
institutions. 1t would be impossible to
ascertain just what all this property cost
or its present value"
Future of the Church.
I'm what part of the country is the
church having the largest GROWTH"
In the East, and especially In New
York. About 800, 900 immigrants came to
America last year. Two-thirds of them
were Catholics. They were poor people,
and couldn't ravel very far after they
landed, So they hunted employment near
at hand. Those who went West moved
about considerably before they found avail
able places in which to settle. We are
doing our best to take care of our immi-
grants, but have needed priests who UNDER
stand their ways and can speak the vari-
GUS languages"
rs not this country thought TO be the
most promising field in the world for Cath
Ollie effort2'
Undoubtedly; hundreds of thousands of
Catholics are leaving Europe annually to
find homes in America, where there Is lib
erty of worship and no interference with
religion. IN Spain and Italy, Catholic
countries, increase in the membership of
the church depends upon the birth rate.
Therefore, we are growing faster here than
anywhere else
But what l like best in the United
States is the freedom which each religion
enjoys to carry on the work of righteous
ness in its owr way. TIL state has moth
ing to do with the church.
Has Christian Science given the church
any trouble?"
NO; our people will have nothing to do
with such nonsense
The Pnpal Authority.
DC higher critics disturb your peace r
Criticism Is permitted to a certain eX-