The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-15
Catholic Missionary Work
By Frederic J. Haskin.
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 church or chapel. when the parish prospers. this money will be paid back and will be used to build anotnef church in some other struggling parish A "chapel car" Is in use by Catholic missionaries. It is a Pullman car nt- ted up as a Catholic chapel. having all the appurtenances necessary for the celebration of the rites of the church. It is switched 0E on a sidetrack In a place where there Is no Catholic church. The few Catholics of the place, who have not attended a service for years perhaps. gather about the chapel car and are brought back into touch with their faith. Non.Cathoiics are also at tracted and the missionary takes ad- vantage of the opportunity to preach. Many such visits as these have results ed in the building of church and the establishment of a new, parish.
 It Is the especial province of the Church Extension Society to look af- ter the interests of Catholics who have moved into small towns. mostly in the church of their faith. Astonishing records of success are made by the missionaries who have gone out after these strayed sheep and. instead of bringing them back to the fold have erected fold where the sheep were found. Two hundred new Catholic chapels in six years is the record
 This society also makes an effort to supply very poor churches with vest- ments and other articles of church goods. Thousands Of Nestments Nave been distributed gratis and now q sep- arate Church Goods Department is maintained. The missionaries often find cases of extreme need. For ins stance. e report was made from South Carolina of the condition of the mis- sion church at Cheraw. This mission was established In 1922 and ten years later the church was built and dedis cated by the famous Bishop England.s For fifty years 1t was the only Catho-s lie church in an area of 500 miles h. the Carolinas. It's people were few and poor. The Society for the Propas' gation of the Faith donated s400 about twenty years ago to make necessary repairs. The vestments still in use in the church were donated in 1892 by the Society for Poor Churches of Paris, France. There are not thirty Catholic churches in all South Carolina, but q determined movement is to be made in that section and the old mission at Cheraw will be restored and preserved.
 Many stories of new converts, new churches and new workers will be told at the Congress in Chicago. And then will be told the stories of the fieids white to the harvest where there is opportunity for the various missionary organizations of the church to do new work. The object of the Congress ia to Inspire the whole churchiin America with a new zeal for missions.
 The work among the negroes and Indians will have especial attention. It Is said that the Catholic nnisslon- aries have found a ready respohse from the negro population of many parts of the South. and that the church Is be- ing rapidly extended in that direction. The negro Is naturally deeply relig- ious and the Catholic missionary finds him a willing listener.
 His Holiness, Pope Plus x has taken great interest in the missionary work of the various organizations in this country. Recently he gave an especial blessing to the Apostolic Mission House at Washington. Tn A letter to Cardf- nal Gibbons giving his approbatfon to the worlEeof this Organization. the Pope said: z
 Truly soilcitous as. we are concern ing ail measures which may contrib ute to the progress of the church among the nations. we have received with joy the information that, in the United States of America, there are very many who are every day more powerfully. drawn to the study of the doctrines of the Catholic church by the labors of. zealous missionaries, espe- cialfy of those who have been trained at the Apostolic Mission House at the University in Washington. In the fruitful work of these missionaries. two things are particularly approved by us. First that the missionaries teach the doctrines of the Faith, not only to Catholics but to non-Catholics. Then again 1t pleases us that they show. no bitterness in their preaching. and their only purpose is a true ana complete exposition of Catholic doc-i tPine; which method much more easily opens the door of the true Faith to, non=Catholics.''
 Taking advantage of peculiar condi- tions which exist in no other country but the United States, eschewing all controversial disputations, having the seal of approval of the Pope, and be- ing fired with holy zeal--the mis- sionaries of the Catholic church In the United States are accomplishing re- suits. The Congress at Chicago today will be manifestation of their power. (Copyright, 1908, by Frederic J. Has
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 TOmOKrOyv--Antt-Crue Societies.
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