The San Francisco call., 1908-09-20

renee. At some seasons the father
must wade through mud and rivers; at
others he rides under the intense heat
of the sun. I feel more and more con-
vinced that / shall have to assign two
priests to every station, unless / want
to kill them straight Off Confessions,
also, are very hard here. There are
from 80 to 40 a day here at San MI
guel. There is. too, we'll attended
catechism school The good father has
work for every moment of the day
and far into the evening.
CHURCH PROPERTY RESTORED
also visited Antique. This prov
ince was given to US by the lamented
Bishop Rocker to be our especial field
of labor. Aglipayans had taken firm
root here and seized nearly ell the
churches and converts. Now, however,
the high court of Manila has pro-
nounced sentence, and all this prop
erty must be restored to the Catholics
am. at present, on the point of set
ting out for the province, in order to
take legal possession Of all church
property there.
Last year / opened four stations in
Antique province-Cassay, Dao, Antique
and Patnongan. The first two have
both church and monastery, or priests
house; but both have been occupied by
the Aglipayans. Our fathers have been
living in a native cabin. Now, however,
the Aglipayan question is finished and
the pari paris, or Aglipayan priests,
have been told to leave the place,
which refuses to support them any
longer Next week we shall take pos
session OF the church and parochial
residence.
The Cassay station includes the
Cagayancillo islands. The hill father
who is stationed at Cassay recently
spent four months among the islands
and was 10th to leave his flock there
when the time came for him to go back
to his central station, the natives of
the Cagayancillo are such a good. kind,
simple people and SO well disposed
MISSIONARY NEEDS HELP
The town Of Antique, although never
in the hands Of the Agiipayans, was for
several years without a pastor. The
missionary here, as also in Dao, has
some 20 villages to visit and should not
be left without the help of a colleague.
/ must either send a second priest or
divide the district.
L visited Patnongan, too. Until last
year this was a stronghold of Agli-
payism into which it was difficult for
the missionary to penetrate. Had he
been coward the stones literally cast
at him in the streets would have fright
ened him away. He had the courage to
hold out, however, and during my visit
saw changes in this town that hard
ly dared to expect.
On Sunday, February 9, the associa-
ton of the Sacred Heart was installed
here. All day Saturday three fathers
were hearing confessions, and Sunday
morning L distributed holy communion
to nearly 500 persons. At the same
time mass was being said in the Agli-
pagan chapel and not more than 10 or
IL persons were. present
PERSECUTION is STOPPED
The local presidente and the Justice
Of the peace have done all they could
to tire the father out and drive him
away. Time after time has he been
fined SIS upon some trumped up charge.
and when he asked for bail they de-
manded $1,000. Thanks to the fairness
of the American government, however.
the amount Of the fines exacted had to
be returned and these officials of Pat
nongan received good lesson.
OF the nine missionaries who were
enabled to come out in January one.
alas'-Father Ebus-has just died In
the Manila hospital. He came here in
good health, full of life and courage:
but within a month was taken down
with pneumonia or quick consumption.
and after an illness of three weeks was
called to his reward. Only 26 years old.
he was q man of much promise The
death of Father Ebus is a great loss to
our sman band of missionaries.
Now that the church question is SET
tied have decided to occupy SibaIom
without delay. This town is the head
quarters of Aglipsyism IN the province
and the residence of the Aglipayan
bishop. a renegade native nrse.t
Thousands OF the natives in +bis
country die without the sacraments
because there are no priests to minis
ter TO them; and others are lost In ig-
norance and error
The people OF the immaculate CON
ception mission for colored peonle a.