The Washington herald., 1912-01-07
New Times Demand New Methods in Church
Work. They Say-Father Dole and Apostolic
House Training Recruits for Service
in the Home Field.

Catholic leaders in America are adopt
Ing some very up-to-date methods OF
work. These methods, while strictly Amer
lean. have fun oficial sanction. even OF
the Pope himself Some OF them bear
familiar names. but all are changed 10
ht Catholic work. When one thinks OF
a Catholic church extension society,
Catholic missionary union, Catholic
foreign mission society. and Catholic
womRn's auxiliary, one thinks not OIL
Europe and ages long ago, but OF Amer
lea In 1872
society is the Archbishop Of Chicago, the
Most Rev DR.. James z. Quigley, who
was consecrated Bishop OF Buffalo and
not long since promoted 10 the Chicago
see. With Archbishop Glennon, of 81.
Louis, and Archbishop Keane, OF Du-
buque, he stands for that vigorous and
progressive type OF Catholic leaders who
are doing things. These archbishops be-
leve in the Old but are ready to adopt
the new. His society prosecutes home
mission effort along the usual lines, OF
course. but il also prosecutes 1t along
some unusual ones.
New Times, New Methods.
The usual ones are represented IN null
titudes Of small churches IL has helped
10 build in the West The society Is
tremendously Interested, for example, IN
the New Mexico region. and in the great
Northwest. Not long ago all OF the nom
Catholic home mission societies made a
study Of Christian conditions In Colo
rado. These societies reported that in
that new State third more towns were
provided with Catholic churches than
with Protestant ones. 1t is safe guess
that some Of this showing is due TO this
extension society, in spite of the fact
that the society is not long organized,
and is not well supplied with funds.
The president of the society Is the
Rev. DR.. Francis c. Kelley. He is not
only full OF zeal. but he is also filled
with practical ideas and ideals When
one plan fails he Is ready with another.
With headquarters in Chicago, he is J
what one would expect to come from
C'hicago-a hustler in possession OF def
mite mFthods by which he hopes to at
tain v'brth while ends.
A specimen method is a Gospel car. The
society has had such a car for some
time travelling on the railroads in the
West Now Il Is having built q second
car that is to travel on the railroads IN
the South. The new car is to have all
of the latest improvements. The in
terror will look wonderfully like the
Interior of a small church, as the Illus
fratiOn shows. Here is an altar OF ap-
proved pattern, seats for a eongrega-
tion OF fifty or sixty, and there is to be
carried, to put up as needed, an ade-
quate TestibuIe with steps from which
entrance can readily be obtained from
ground or platform 20 the car.
A Church on Wheels.
This. chapel car is practically a travel |
ing church. The railroads, those cor
porstions with souls. generously haul the |
cars free. Religion is a good thing. they |
Ssy-worth helping. The railroads pick |
up the cars as often as the priests de-
sire, and drop them of wherever there |
IS a siding. 1t sometimes happens that
travelling Is done at the end Of a freight |
train and not in company with the aris- |
tocFatic cars OF the limited, but that Is |
announced in advance that the chapel |
car is coming to the town. OF course. |
the priests come with It. Everybody pre-
pares TO attend mass. The hours are the |
usual ones. There is a complete church |
at hand. Its visits TO the town are fairly |
regular. Out Of these visits there come |
in time permanent churches that are not |
on wheels The new chapel car IS to be |
ready within two months.
Cardinal Farley is at the head OF the !
missionary union, and Archbishop ire |
land, who has just celebrated his golden |
jubilee, is the first vice president. AS the
extension society is of the West. the
union is Of the East. It was started hf-
teen years ago, with the late Archbishop
Corrigan at its head. From the first the
PauIist Fathers were identified with the
union. and the active leader in It WAS
and IS the Rev. Alexander p. Doyle,
Paulist. missioner, editor. and statesman.
Father Doyle was transferred from New
York TO Washington some years ago.
and there undertook the erection OF an
apostolic mission house on the grounds
OF the Catholic University at Brookland
and the creation of a training school un-
like any other. 1t is a creation, indeed.
raised up to fit specific American need.
Father Doyle, Innovator.
Ten years ago the Brookland house was
built. The building Of It was made pos
sible by the gifts of generous Catholics
and the hard work of Father Doyle. The
latter framed the courses of studies, and |
his vision foresaw both what might be
accomplished and the measures neces-
ssTy TO accomplish 1t. While co-ordaIned |
with the Catholic University. Il Is dis
tinct in It's aim. Here are trained secu-
lar priests. both young men who are
taking Up particular work, and those Of I
some years experience who feel the need |
for better preparation, and regular priests 4
members Of religious orders. who desire i
80 present Catholic truth to particular |
classes.
A distinct line OF work, and one in which |
the Pope has given his special blessing, |
is the forming Of mission bands for the /
giving of missions. Thsss missions give |
new life 20 Catholics themselves. and also |
present Catholic truth TO non-Catholics |
4 method employed by the bands, and |
by the Pope, Is the explana- |
tory one, the educational one, wherein |
arguments are set forth In the irenic and |
courteous way, and controversy is avoid |
ed. About two hundred priests have been |
trained thus far. Most OF them are now |
Some are in the South, where |
need for additional men, not always |
held by these priests have resulted in /
sons Other influences have assisted, but /
ence has been the controlling one In the /
whole undertaking.
Last year. in connection with the uni
versity, but with the mission house as
the headquarters and the priests CO.
operating with Father Doyle as leading
spirit. between two and three hundred
sisters attended a summer school. There
have come TO the house also Catholic
leaders from England and Australia, and
through their study OF the work done
there. they have been led TO inaugurate
a similar house in England and the start
Ing Of mission bands there. Not long
since the Pope recommended TO Catholic
rlergv of France the fotIudfur ~ fhasa