The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-08-08
FLOCK OF PHILIPPINE MISSION
AIRY GOES OVER TO AGLI.
PAYANIsM.

FLOCK OF PHILIPPINE MISSION.
AIRY GOES OVER TO AGLI-
PAYANIsM.
Seldom is priest asked to bear a
heavier cross than has been placed
on the shoulders of the pastor in
charge of the parish in Langoran in
the Philippine Islands, who. during
the term of his ministrations to
them. has seen nearly his entire flock
abjure the Faith and go into the err
rors of Aglipayanism. This priest
is in the diocese of Bishop O'Doherty
and the detection of his people has
added not little weight to the bur-
den this bishop assumed with his
new diocese. Gregorio Aglipay, I'M
easy for fame, started his National
Church of the Philippines during the
exciting days of the Revolution in
1898. when anything national" an
swered the peoples description of
anything good. Aguinaldo, the Fill
Pine leader, encouraged the idea of
Aglipayan heresy, until parish after
parish became infected with it. In
deed, when the late Bishop Rocker
took charge of his see in Jaro, it
was more of an Aglipayan diocese
than Catholic diocese. But he soon
brought the people to see the error
of their ways and conversions were
plentiful, and now that the fever has
burned out. Aglipayanism may be
said to have heard its own death rat
tie. Save in very remote parts of
the Islands, there are few of this
species of heretics. Either they are
atheists or have become Professionals
for the denominations seeing the
neglect with which Catholics were
treated by their fellow-Catholics -
were not slow to spend their money
in supporting the missionaries of
their sects, in building chapels. hos
pitfalls and orphanages. In order not
to conflict with the work of one an
other the Protestant missionaries
laid their plans well. The natives
must not be disedified by "the varia-
lions of Professionalism" as Bosuet
calls them, and the missionaries de-
termined they would not. They
would not know them; they conse-
quently could not bother about
them. The territory of each sect
was marked off. To the Presbyter-
ians was given one part of the field.
To. the Methodists another section
was allotted and the Congregational
lists had still another part. The work
of the Protestant denominations rep
resents millions of dollars, and their
missionaries went at the work Of
perverting these people with will.
They saw the apathy of Catholics in
the matter of conserving their
Faith, and this but added fuel to the
fire of their zeal.
People Tired of Aglipayanism.
The parish of Bishop O'Doherty's
diocese is one that has perhaps been
infected with this poison longer than
any other in the islands. But the
people are tired of their wanderings.
Their feet are seeking the homeward
path. The old Mother Church is
calling to them-and here is where
the apathy of our Catholics is appal-
ling and tragic. There is no church
for them. 1.-The old church has fall
en- down." says the Bishop, land the
little group of Catholics have only
a room in a half-tumbled down rec
tory to serve as chapel" Will you
try and help this parish. whose pres
ent pastor has seen nearly all his
flock pass over to Aglipayanism, and
who may now have the happiness of
seeing them return-if we can but
help him? After their fourteen years
of it these people are tired Of their
errors, and we may win them back
to Mother Church. Will you help
us?
It is to the Catholic Church Ex-
tension Society that the bishop ad-
dresses himself. The society is To-
Gated at 1888 Mccormick building,
Chicago, and any donation sent to
them for this priest, who is engaged
in the arduous work of recovering
a people, will be gladly forwarded
to him.
ST. PETERS, ROME, MAY NEVER
BE ENTIRELY FINISHED.