The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-12-11

I The future of Japan is foresladoWed
by her present. The Japanese are des-
tined to be the leading nation of the
Orient. In religion. as in all else their
influence will be great and decisive. If
Catholic, they will be strong in the
Faith. If opposed to Catholicity they
will be a powerful obstacle in its in
PRODUCTION into and development In the
countries adjacent to this island en-
pire. This influence Of the Japanese
upon the. neigllboring nations will not
be a matter CT fifty or u hundred years.
1t may endure for many ages.
1t was not until 1865 that the little
band OF Japanese who had kept the
faith were found Only within IS years
have Catholic missionaries been per-
mitted to evangelize the people, Only
within this period have the latter been
free to embrace Catholicity, without
fear of persecution or the forfeiture Of
their possessions.
The Trappists. Dominicans. Francis
cans. Fathers of the Divine Word, and,
more recently the Jesuits have founded
educational establishments in Japan.
Sisters Of the :tlifferent religious con-
sregations Of women have also opened
schools and academies for girls in this
promising cDuntsy deefsy.'.sr =. ~
The apostolic Workers in Japan now
number from two hundred to two hun
dred and fifty missionary priests and
brothers, and two hundred missionary
sisters. These Jealous workers minis
ter to the sixty-fi thousand Catholic
Japanese, but they are striving for the
spiritual conquest of fifty million souls.
From the beginning Of their labors
in Japan the Fathers OF the Paris So
ciety for Foreign Missions, with great
wisdom and sagacity. sought to build
up q native clergy. 1t was with much
joy that, in 1881, they saw their first
Japanese seminarians ordained to the
priesthood. Since that time, the num-
ber of native japanese priests has in
creased, but unfortunately, Il lack OF
resources has frequently prevented the
fostering Of the germs of vocatiOns
schools and colleges.
Besides these native priests. 1t Is ad-
visablc tn have a large number OF cate
chsts and Catholic school teachers. In
our Japanese colleges we are often
forced to employ native professors who
are pagans The Catholic Japanese be-
long, chiefly to the humber classes,
and are too poor to be able to continue
their studies long enough to fit them
selves to become teachers and profess
sOrs.
| In Urakami-a locality sanctified by
the blood of the Japanese martyrs of
the sixteenth, seventeenth and nine
teenth centuries-thc Society of Mary
is erecting the temporary buildings that
are to shelter the teachers and stu
dents Of the new apostolic school.
The Marianists are to have charge
OF the work. With the aims they COL
lect for it, they hope to be able to pay
for the land and, later, to erect more
substantial edifices thereon. The plan
provides for the accommodation of from
eighty to one hundred missionary stu
dents and their professors.
| The boys are to be recruited from the
families of the descendants of the early
Japanese Christians, their ancestry be-
Ing, In manner, a guarantee for their
perseverance. They must pass num-
ber Of years in this school, in order that
they may be we'll grounded in the Faith
and, also, in their secular studies. At
the conclusion Of the course a certain
number will. doubtless, pursue the
higher branches, with view to pre-
pairing themselves for the priesthood.
The resources of the mission, which is
charged with the support of the native
clergy, will not, however, permit of the
acceptance Of any large number of can
didates from this foundation for some
time to come.
Others Of the students will, perhaps,
enter the religious life as brothers and
monks. Others again will become cate
chists and lay teachers. All will, it is
hoped, exercise a good influence among
their compatriots by their Catholic ex-
ample and apostolic zeal.