The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-11-25
CATHOLIC CHURCH
IN CHINESE EMPIRE
Work Begun in Thirteenth Century
Being Carried on Vigor-
ously Today.
Catholic Missionaries and Their
Flocks are Largest Bodies of
Christians in China.
Converts to the Church in the En-
pire now Number About
One Million.

During the progress of the revolu-
tion in China but little has been heard
of the Catholic missionaries and their
focks, though they are by far the
largest body of Christians in China,
says a writer in the London Catholic
Times. kilograms have been publish
ed giving information about the Prot
estant missionaries, their wives and
other members of their families. News
about the Catholics has, however,
been slow in coming, and in these
islands and throughout Europe gen.
orally many are, l am sure, anxiously
awaiting definite intelligence as to the
fate of the Catholics in China and the
condition and prospects of the Cath
olic missions.
Whatever pessin1ists may say,
Christianity is still powerful and pro-
gressive. 1t is the religion with a
future, and all who sincerely believe
in it must hold that in the course of
time it will obtain stronghold in
the East as it did so many centuries
ago in the West. No mortal can pre-
tend to interpret the designs of Divine
Providence. Where we read disap-
enaintnent and failure, there are often
to be found the elements of future
success, and it may be that the vicls-
situdes through which Catholic mis-
sionary work has passed in China
We're In some mysterious way nee
essary preparation for the growth of
the Church's influence there in years
to come. But to the human judgment,
limited as it is, it seems strange that
the Catholic Church should have come
so near bringing the vast population
of China within her fold and yet
should have failed so completely to do
SO.
The story is one of the deepest in
terest. So far back as 1889 John of
Montecorvino, Franciscan, reached
Peking, built church, and founded
a Bishopric. In 1907 he was created
Archbishop and Primate of the Far
East by Pope Clement ", and in 1870
Urban V. appointed new Archbishop
in the person of William de Prato,
who was accompanied by twelve
Franciscans. Nearly two centuries Ia
ter st. Francis Xavier was proceed
ing from Japan to China when he died
at small island off the Canton coast
Not long afterwards two members OF
the same order, Fathers Ruggieri and
Pasio, obtained permission to settle at
Choa-King. This was in 1882.
In the following year they were join
ed by Jesuit OF extraordinary tai
ents, Matthew Ricci. He was man
of extensive learning. In mathematics
he was especially versed. By his
knowledge he made an impression on
all who came into contact with him.
But as foreigner he was held in
suspicion as we'll as his brother Je-
suits. Amidst the gravest difficulties
he went to Peking, was courteously
received by the emperor, converted
the prime minister, Su Kwang-Ki,
founded novitiate in the capital for
Chinese whom he had won to the
faith, established seminary at Ma
Gao, and as Superior of the Jesuit mis-
sionaries in China paved the way ror
the development of their work. A
large number of imperial princes and
high officials we're received into the
Church, and within twenty years of
Ricci's death there were thirteen thou
sand Christians in China.
There were then three hundred thou
sand Christians in the Chinese EN-
pire. A beautiful Cathedral church
was built in the palace grounds and
the important question whether Chi
ma was to become officially Christian
was freely discussed. 1t was proposed
that the practice of ancestral rites
should be permitted to Chinese con-
verts, on the ground that these rites
were not religious but mere civil func-
tions, and that the use of the Chinese
language should be allowed in the
liturgy. The Holy See, having exam
ined the matter, found that the re-
quest could not be complied with,