The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-08-08
from the National Capitol
BY Stanton Lawton
OF THE BUREAU OF
CATHOLIC INDIAN MISSIONS

Z
CATHOLIC INDIAN MISSIONS
The past two years have been full
Of trials for the Bureau of Catholic
Indian Missions. The coming in of
new officials unfamiliar with gov
eminent policies relating to Indian
missions gave an occasion for bigots
now and then to work harm before
their real object could be detected.
Expostulatioins by the Catholic
Bureau were unheeded. Moreover,
long-sellted policiese have been in
vestigated and altered to such a de-
gree that at times the outlook was
gloomy indeed.
A number of missionaries bitterly
complain of injustices, but Father
Ketcham. the competent Director of
this Bureau. has faith in the new
Commissioner, the Honorable Cato
Sells. and regards him as a
thoroughly capable and fair-minded
man, and believes that as soon as
Mr.. Sells becomes fully familiar
with conditions. Catholic Indian
mission matters will be conducted
by him in a satisfactory manner.
In pleasing contrast. however, to
the dark side of the picture is the
progress which is being made by the
missionaries despite all obstacles
and the results that have now been
reported to the Catholic Indian
Bureau for the year 1913. Two re-
ports from the Sioux missions Zone
from a Benedictine, the other from
Jesuit) will serve in illustration.
The Reverend Bernard Strassmaier,
O.. S. B.. missionary in charge at
Standing Rock Agency. North Dako-
ia. from the seven congregations on
the reservation. comprising 353
families and 1921 souls. notes III
baptisms-1OO children and IL adults,
80 Christian marriages, So Christ
ian burials. 81 First Communions,
sos Communions and member
ship in st. Joseph's Society for men
of 347 and in st. Mary's Society
for women of 1856. Father Bernard
states that he has been given a new
assistant, Father Vincent, "a young
man who is learning the language
quite WE'LL"
Rev. Father Henry. 8. j., speak
ing of the work on the Pine Ridge
Reservation writes: 1--WE baptized
172, many of whom were adults,
marriages. All our societies, 48 in
number, with few exceptions, are
in working order. The reception of
the sacraments has been good and
in some camps remarkable. In
period of about two months l gave
Holy Communion to 494 persons. OF
late I have nearly always been on
the go and have made not less than
$50 miles in little over two months
Jim Grass is my companion now for
the 4th winter and does good work.
In fact he is great help and makes
my work comparatively easy. adj
mire his constancy. Father Lindeb-
ner is as busy as a bee. He too has
a companion. Since November 25th
he baptized II persons. 10 being
adults-among them Chief Kills-A-
Hundred and his whole family, 10
in number. He is one of the most
influential men. We built three new
chapels this year. To one of them
the Indians contributed $500.
On my last trip discovered an
Indian heroine, girl about twenty
years old, Nellie -, mixed
blood and an old mission girl. She
was bought in marriage by rich
Protestant. He promised to become
a Catholic. so the wedding dress was
bought and everything made ready.
when he drove up in his automobile
to the Agency and told Nellie they
would have to get married in Prot
estant church as his aunt wanted it
so. "Then we don't marry at ALL
said Nellie. and she stock to her
word though her father was ready
to give in because the young man
was rich and he was very poor. So
the young man had to return alone
in his automobile. When I saw her
later and asked her about it, she did
not make much of it but said very
emphatically, NO. could not do
that
Do you not think this girl hero
ine?"
TO MARK PEACE CENTENARY.
Arrangements have been made for
an issue Of postage stamps of special
design to commemorate the centen-
airy of peace between Great Britain
and the United States.
The Post Office Department will
have the new stamps ready for sale
-. -. = MI.