The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-02-18
DIOCESE OF BISMARCK.

Bismarck, Feb. IS, 1911.
To the Rev. Priests and Beloved Cath
Ollie People of the Diocese of Bis
marck
Dear Brethren:
On the first Sunday of Lent col
lection will be taken up for Missions
among the Indians and Negroes. In
Missions. The one at Fort Yates was
established before there were any
churches for the white people in the
present diocese. Benedictine Fathers
have administered to those Indians
and have always done it without any
financial reward. The money, earned
by one of their priests as superintend-
ent of an Indian school, had to help
support the other Missionaries. At
present, the only income they have is
from some small Missions among the
white people and what they receive
from Catholic Indians.
The other Indian Mission is at Elbo-
woods on the Fort Berthold Reserva-
ton. Some of the Indians there had
been baptized by Father De Smet some
fifty years ago. Ever since they were
anxious to be Catholics and have, at
different times, begged the Bishop to
send them Missionaries and tc open a
Catholic school for them.
About twenty years ago the Catholic
school house was built; but during the
time of building the Government
changed it's policy regarding so-called
contract schools. Receiving no COM
pensation at all for teaching, feeding
and clothing the Indian children, the
Bishop could not keep the school open.
He had, at different times, Mis-
sionary priest at Elbowoods; but mis-
sion work without Catholic school
never succeeds we'll among the In
dams.
The very last day before his death,
the late Bishop Stanley promised the
Indians of Elbowoods that he would
do his best to induce the Benedictine
Fathers of Richardton to take charge
of the Mission and to open Catholic
school there.
AS Abbot of the Monastery at Rich
ardton, I considered this last will of
Bishop Stanley as a sacred trust and
command and I sent two priests from
Richardton to take charge of that Mis-
sion. have also during the past year
built church and priests house at
Elbowoods and secured Benedictine
Sisters as teachers for the school
there.
Some friends of the Indians have
given for this purpose $500; but the
outlay was more than $4,000. I, as
bishop of the diocese, have burdened
myself with these heavy expenses in
order to give spiritual help to these
Indians who for so many years have
cried for priests and Catholic schools.
/ have done this especially because
part of that Reservation will shortly
be opened to white settlers and, there
fore, the mission work among these
Indians must be done at the present
time, if they would be gained to the
Catholic Faith.
Our Catholic school, boarding
school, was opened last October;
there are about fifty Indian children
attending it and receiving Catholic
education and training. Within the
last few months, the priests in charge
of the Mission have baptized COM
paratively large number of adult In
dians Thus it becomes evident that
our work among them is not in vain;
souls, hungry for the truth and grace
of God for so many years, are now in
structed and receive the Holy Sacra-
ments
The collection to be taken up for
the Indian Missions, is especially in
tended to help pay the expenses OF
the Mission at Elbowoods.
| / earnestly beg every Catholic OF
the diocese to contribute very literally
and to do this in gratitude for the gift
of Faith which we all have received
from God.
In the churches where there is no
Mass on the first Sunday of Lent, this
collection will be taken up the first
Sunday afterwards when Mass will be
celebrated.
Yours in Christ,
VINCENT WEHRLE, o. s. B.,
Bishop of Bismarck.
/ F {. :.