The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-09-14
THE DIFFICULTIES OF FATHER
CAIN.

The Catholic Church Extension So
ciety has, from time to time, given in
formation in regard to Father Cain,
one of the Fathers of the Mill Hill
Congregation, laboring in the Philip
pine Islands. The following letter was
Extension Society the other day and
we give it in full, in order that all of
our readers may realize what terrible
odds this good priest is confronting
in his attempt to save the Faith to
the people under his immediate
charge.
Il am longing for somebody to take
pity on the state of things here and
to help me on. Things are going worse
and worse-there is a real famine on.
The people are digging in the fields
for all kinds of roots. Sometimes
they dig up to their waist before
finding anything that can possibly be
eaten-working half a day to get a
root as big as a potato. You will
understand how difficult it is even to
live, being in charge of a parish like
this. l don't like giving up things. l
am a firm Keller upon Divine Provi-
dence and I feel sure that help will
come to me. My church is half a
wreck; my house the same. My al
ways rickety school is condemned by
common consent.
B Il shall begin a school. 1t will cost
certainly $4,000, but I'll start now
with twenty of the dollars you sem
me. 1t is hazardous for me, because
I've nothing left for my food and
little for the necessities of my
teachers. I saw $71.O0 allotted for
Philippine teachers. I wish you would
send it to me. Every little helps. My
teaching staff would require $40 per
month, but O they are living on
starvation diet. I cannot get a cent
from the parents of the children.
There is a struggle going on for
existence. Last night 1 heard that
towards the north of us, many have
died of hunger. There, even the grass
rained for over seven months. Here,
thank God, it has rained. The people
had a Mass said for rain, and also
besides, another Mass in honor of St.
Isidoro Agricola, and it is evident that
an answer has been given these pray
ers. We manage to keep body and
soul together. The ones who eat
things injurious, l doctor in my "hos-
pital." l am the only doctor" for
miles and miles of a radius. Last
Saturday a man was brought into my
consultation DON suffering from the
effects of the famine. 1t had been too
much for him-the efforts of walking
from his home, which was at a
distance of only about two hundred
feet. He was no sooner seated in a
chair, then he swooned away. 1 gave
him the Last Sacraments Immediately
and then attended to his body. I got
him round, and he is getting better
slowly.
II feel weak, myself, on account of
the same want. My Mass Intentions
go to support everything: church,
school, teachers, self and the sick and
poor. But as l say, twenty dollars
of your recent gift of $41.50 will go to
start a new school. God is rich, and
his banking agents are everywhere.
Please remember me in your pray
ers."
Here is a poor missionary, who,
having little, yet shares what he has
with the poor and hungry. Is there
not, in this wide and prosperous
country of ours, someone who having
much will share with this good mis-
sionary some of the material things
with which Almighty God has en-
dowed them? There are many, we
feel sure, who, like this good mis-
sionary, having little, still will share
some of it with him.
Any contribution received at the
office of the Catholic Church Exten-
sion Society will be promptly for
warded to Father Cain if sent to 1888
Mccormick Bldg, Chicago, Ills.