The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-05-20
WHO WILL BE THE FRIEND IN
NEED.

"The Mexican missions situation
is a more serious one than had any
idea off," writes the Rev. E. B. Ledvina,
General Secretary of The Catholic
Church Extension Society, who has
been investigating missionary condi-
tions in Texas, "and it needs imme-
date attention. The priests working
on these missions are really leading a
genuine life of sacrifice, and doing it
with such commendable and admirable
zeal and cheerfulness. They live very
humbly, depriving themselves of many
of the common comforts of life to give
greater help to their missions.
"Only an eye witness can have a
real conception of the conditions
here. The Mexicans are locking to
the southern borders of this state
and the neighboring one in thou
sands, and experience has proven that
the supplying of even the humblest
church facilities insures the safe re-
tention of their loyalty to the Church,
and the future development of good
acquisitions to the citizenship of our
country, by training the little ones
under the auspices of religious teach
ers.
Gust before luncheon we stopped
at the parochial school where the
Mexican and few American children
received us in their school room and
entertainment hall. 1t was most
excellent opportunity to witness the
most gratifying results of the patient
and Jealous work of the nuns, who
have labored so successfully with the
priests to advance the condition of this
mission. 1t is an example of what can
be accomplished with the Mexicans
if continuous and regular attention
can be given them. The little Mexican
boys and girls sang as nicely as any
chorus I ever heard, and little Mexican
girls detained in English in most
creditable manner.
"This is only one of a number of
places where like success would be
possible if only aid could be given the
missionaries to make the start. In
Del Rio, 275 children attend the
Catholic school; but if only more
school rooms could be provided, about
400 more would attend. The same
condition prevails in several other
places.
"This morning saw the little
chapel at The Mines, about three
miles from this little town of Eagle
Pass. 1t cost about 5000. The Cath
Ollie Church Extension Society gave.
$500, the Oblate community contribu-
ted some, and with other contrib
utions and the volunteer labor of the
Mexicans, the little chapel, as shown
in the December, 1910, number of
Extension Magazine, was erected.
The young Italian priest painted the
church himself, and a good French
man built and decorated the altar.
''On each side little miserable huts
are scattered, in which live the poor
Mexicans, who do hard work in the
mines for little pay; just now they
are out of work on account of a scare
ity of orders for coal. | made it
point to go around and see the poor
huts and dug-outs more closely. I
entered one, which l was told was
one of the better equipped living
quarters. The floor was bare; the
roof consisted of an assortment of
poles and square pieces of pine for
rafters, fastened to which, by leaves
of cactus called the Spanish Dag
ger, were strips of a native bamboo.
And all was covered with twigs and
adobe. In this case there was an iron
! bed in the corner; but usually a
blanket or a comforter is spread on
the floor, and that must serve as
mattress, sheets, pillows and covers.
''The kitchen and dining-room was
a small thatched-roof space, that
| looked more like chicken shed of
the meanest kind, in the center of
which, on the bare ground, saw a
| few smouldering pieces of mesquite
wood, and scattered ashes, and tin
vessel that must have served as a
! coffee pot. There was an utter abb
sence of anything that might serve
for table or chair"
The only treasure these poor Mex
leans have is their Catholic Faith,
and Protestant sects are working
among them to deprive them of that.
Won't you help to prevent that rob-
berry by sending a donation for the
Mexican missions to The Catholic
Church Extension Society, 1913 Nc
Cormick Bldg, Chicago, H.?
L
Never was there more mistaken
] idea than that triumnhS in the world