The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-01-28
AMERICAS DEBT
TO IRISH EX|LES
What the Early EXiles Have Sowed
in Tears, Their Successors
Reap in Joy.
The Irish Being First to Immigrate
Had to Bear the Bulk of
Pioneer Work.
A Comparison of the Influences
Exercised by the Various
NatiOnalities.

AS it is in the United States that
the great bulk OF our eXiles have made
their homes, the evangelizing work
they have done in that great republic
claims our first consideration, writes
Rev. Ambrose Coleman, O. p, in the
Catholic Register. What the first
comers sowed in sorrow and tears
their descendants have garnered in
joy. What indeed would be the Church
in the States only for the Irish? Two
thirds or more of the churches, ca
thedrals, schools, orphanages and 9TH
er charitable institutions have been
built by them, without the aid either
cf government or of rich men. Look
over the clergy lists and you will see
that the majority of bishops and
priests have Irish names. And the
disproportion between them and 9th
er nations was still greater before the
recent influx of immigrants from mid
die and southern Europe. l do not
wish to detract from the splendid
work done by the German element in
the States, embracing as it does,
three millions of Catholics, who, like
the Irish, have built noble churches
and schools and are splendidly organ
lied. And it is remarkable fact
that nearly third of the clergy have
German names, showing how abund-
ant are German vocations to the
priesthood. But Irish emigration on
q large scale preceded the German,
and thus on the Irish fell the bulk Of
the pioneer work, and the terrible
onslaught Of "knownothingism' in the
earlier part of the century. 1t will
be well, too, to compare the influence
exercised by other nationalities in the
development of the Church in the
States, with that of the Irish. The
Poles, who have many points Of sim
ilarity with out people, have in re-
cent years become strong Catholic
element in the Republic and are gen.
erous in their contributions for re-
ligious purposes. Still, it must be ac-
knowledged by everyone that it was
well for the poor Polish emigrants
that they found on their arrival an
organized and flourishing church well
able to look after their needs till they
should be able to get priests and
churches of their own nationality And
the same may be said of the emf
grants from other nations of eastern
Europe. The influence of the French
element has been extremely small
The French are a hOme-staying peo-
pie, and very few emigrate. AS to
the laity coming from France, in re.
ligious matters they do not count in
America or any other country. Still,
due credit must be given to several
French priests who a century ago
took charge Of the first Irish congre.
cations in the States, when Irish
priests were not to be had. IN our
estimate Of the French laity We do
not, of course, confOund them with the
French-Canadian emigrants to the
States, who, numbering well over a
million souls, are remarkable for their
devotion to the Church and their pow
er of organization.
The Italians in America.
In melancholy contrast to all other
nationalities stand the Italians in the
States, who number considerably over
two millions. Religion seems to sit
very lightly upon them. A great num-
ber are in active opposition to the
Church. Even those who attend the
churches and demand religious serv-
ices from the priests cannot be
brought to contribute their share to
the upkeep of religion. That duty
they willingly leave to others, espe-
cially their Irish neighbors. They
have only about three hundred priests
Of their own nationality to minister to
their needs. Great numbers are lost
to the Faith, and proselytism finds
many willing victims amongst them.
Only that Italian emigration began
long after the Church had been fully
organized in the States, things would