The San Francisco call., 1909-09-05
[Speeial Dispatch 10 The Call

people of Uganda that Professionalism
has not the monopoly of progress.
Mgr Juan Perfecto Gorardo was con-
secrated titular bishop of Nicopolis and
auxiliary OF Cebu. in the Philippines.
on June "a. Bishop Gorardos father
was a Spaniard and his mother a Mes
tizo. He is a man of fine physique.
commanding presence and brimfui OF
energy.
On the occasion of the recent nation
al convention of the Catholic fedora
tion in this country, America" paid
the federation this handsome compli-
ment:
In the beginning il was feared by
some that a vast organization of this
kind could never be held in control; :;
that the individual would usurp the
prerogative of the entire body and
speak as IL authorized by all; that
action taken in one part of the country
would run counter TO the sentiment or
interests of the general body, or to
the societies federated in some por-
tion of the country: that concerted
Catholic action might arouse non
Catholic suspicion or opposition. Hun
dreds of thousands of men hitherto
living apart have been brought into
close relation; they have learned To
the interests of the entire body Cstilo-
lie; they have not been misrepresented ed
by individuals or by local organiZa-
tions presunling TO speak or act for the
entire body; and they have encountered
no opposition from 9on-Catholics, but
on the contrary, their public acts have
won the admiration of all"
John Thompkins. S. j.. writing of the
present status of the church in the
Philippines, thus describes existing
conditions:
I'm no part of the islands, outside of
the walled city of Manila. is there a
sufficiency of priests The people are
pleading with the bishops TO send
priests, but the bishops are powerless
to satisfy these sad appeals.
Dolores has 5000, and there is no
priest. 1t is commonly said that there
is not a Catholic now in Dolores, the
population being divided between Ag-
lipayism and Professionalism.
1T is easy to understand, therefore.
how. with absolute insufficiency of
priests. Cathoiicity is being starved,
and the fact that it still endures speaks
volumes for the jealous workers of
bygone days.
Another sourse of menace 10 Cath
oiicity IN the Philippines. especi8ly in
northern Luzon, is the existence of Ag
lipayism. still another is the activity
OF the Protestant American ministers.
Perhaps Yet another grave menace
may be mentioned. and that is the
doctrinal ignorance of the present gen.
Grafton. The lack of priests, men
toned above, the closing of the Spanish
government schools. wherein catechism
was taught. and the introduction of
our American school system. have de-
prived the rising generation OF that
fundamental Catholic training so nee
essary TO solidity of faith, and make
them somewhat easy victims of false
teachers"
It is now self evident TO the careful
reader that the newspaper accounts
of the recent uprising in Barcelona,
Spain. were. misleading in some re-
spects. Information from Catholic and
other sources make it plain that the
recent trouble was attempt to dupli-
cate in Barcelona the horrors of the
commune in Paris. which are still re-
mernbered with detestation by readers
OF the events of those bloody days.
The assaults of the anarchists en-
gagged in the disturbances in Barcelona
were directed against Catholic
churches, converts. priests and sisters
One community OF Little Sisters of the
Assumption, an order devoted TO visit
ing and nursing the sick poor In their
houses. barely escaped massacre by be-
ing helped over the fence by friends
and neighbors. who then hid them. dis
guised as ordinary working women. in
their own homes until they could ef-
feet their ape from the city.
The outbreak was plainly the ebulli
ton of the scum and offscouring of
the city. aided by foregn adventurers
and plotters from other countries
against Catholic institutions and their
representatives. There was no thought
of a republic. such as we understand
the word in this country.