The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-12

Are Mostly Barns" Says Father
Ledvlna, "When Compared With
Protestant Edifices."
Rev. E. B. Ledvina, vice-president
of The Catholic Church Extension So
ciety, recently returned from Texas,
where he installed the new Motor
Chapel, est. Peter" in the mission
fields cared for by the Oblate Fathers.
Father Ledvina was pleased by the
progress that Catholicity has made,
for small though it be, it is a great
improvement over the barrenness of
former years. But more, very much
more, remains to be done.
Protests Against Treatment of Our
Fellow Catholics.
Father Ledvina is calm, conserva-
tive priest, but he grows very indig
nant when he speaks of the Mexican
question.
1--WE took the State of Texas from
the Mexicans," he declared, earnestly,
land now every effort is being put
forth by the Protestants of the United
States to rob them of their religion,
and we Catholics are quietly and in
differently letting these proselytizers
steal these children away from under
our very eyes. Here we have fer
tile soil to work. 1t needs but little
effort to keep our own. In heather
lands we need far more and get far
10 70 oncf
any aspersion upon efforts being put
forth for the heather in foreign lands,
but l do mean to infer that we are
acting very illogically and negligently
when we treat indifferently the saw
ing of thousands of souls at our very
doors, who really have the first claim
upon us.
81 wish I had a voice that could be
heard in every pulpit of the land at
one time. l would like to tell the
Catholic people of our land what a
great charge has been given to them
right within the borders of our own
country-a charge, by the way, that
has fallen into unheeding hands.
Praises Work of Irish Nuns.
"a wealthy Eastern gentleman gave
a magnificent donation for the work
of the Church in Texas. The Catho-
lie Church Extension Society made
haste to send it to the missions des-
ignated. One thousand dollars of this
amount was assigned for the erection
of an addition to a school in Mex
lean settlement. Father Ledvina paid
a visit to this school. He found five
Sisters of the Incarnate Word in
charge, and he was surprised at the
really wonderful work done.
"The five Sisters" said Father Led
vina, ARE all from Ireland, and a
happy group they are, despite the
hardships they have had bestowed
upon them and the necessaries they
have had denied them. And the work
of the children is wonderful It
speaks well for the efficiency of the
teachers"
This work would have been an ut
ter impossibility had it not been for
the gift of this Eastern benefactor
The Oblate Fathers repeatedly as
sured Father Ledvina that his gift has
turned the tide in favor of their
humble efforts. They admit that to
them the fight looked hopeless and
that they we're about to give up in
despair when this godsend came to
them in the shape of check. The
struggle is still on and the places
helped are only keeping their heads
above water; but the help given at the
time of their black encouragement
has injected new hope into the hearts
of these brave missionaries.
This same condition prevails gen.
orally in the states bordering on old
Mexico, but Texas, because of it's vast
territory and the proportionately large
influx of Mexicans, faces the greatest
difficulty of all.
Says Fund Should Be Organized.
1.-THE Knights of Columbus alone
could support these schools, in a
meagre way at least" declared Fa-
Their Ledvina If only some organi-
cation would give to the Society the
help for these missions that the
Ancient Order of Hibernians gave us
for the mission cause, and designate
it for the erection and partial support
of Catholic schools in the missions of
Texas and other states bordering on
Mexico, the situation would soon
take on new aspect The poor mis-
sionaries would get new courage and
work with redoubled cheer and sue
cess. Will not some Catholic organi-
cation come to the rescue? Thousands
of souls are depending on the answer.
The Catholic Church Extension So
ciety, 1888 Mccormick Building, Chi
cago, is depending upon you for the
solving of this question. 1t will be a
terrible thing later on to have to
reproach ourselves with, if the Mexi-
cans are drawn away from the Church
of their ancestors, simply for the
want of fraternal solicitude on the
part of our brethren who could help if
they would.