The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-05-15
INDIAN MISSIONS OF THE FAR
NORTH.

During these times appeals are be-
ing made so frequently to the gen
crosby of the public on behalf of the
widows and orphans and the sufferers
from the disasters of this terrible war
that it almost seems hopeless to at
tempt to obtain money by this method.
But necessity knows no law and so
here is another appeal to the Catho-
lies of Canada and the United States.
This time it is on behalf of the In
dian missions of Bishop Charlebois,
o. M. l., Vicar Apostolic of Keewatin.
These missions extend from the boun-
daries of Saskatchewan, Manitoba
and Ontario to the arctic regions
There are fifteen Fathers and ten lay
Brothers, all members of the Congre-
cation of the Oblates of Mary I'M
maculate 60. M. -, with a population
of $500 Catholics.
This Vicariate has no resources of
its own and as the Indians are unable
to support their missionaries, Bishop
Charlebois is obliged to depend entire
ly for their up-keep on the funds of
the Society for the Propagation of the
Faith, The grants received from this
society have so far sufficed to make
ends meet, but the European war has
destroyed at one stroke all hope of re-
ceiving help from that direction for
five or six years to come. The result
is that Bishop Charlebois finds himself
at the present moment with fifteen
priests, ten lay Brothers, several Sis
tiers and large number of Indian
children to feed, clothe and shelter
and is without resources to meet these
needs and sees no hope of being able
to do so unless some generous Cath
olics come to his assistance in the
emergency.
The following details will enable
the reader to understand the condi-
tons under which these missions are
carried on.
1t took Bishop Charlebois four
months to make the pastoral visit of
his fourteen missions and during that
period he travelled 800 miles by rail
way, so miles by wagon, 1000 miles in
canoe and so miles on foot, and was
obliged to sleep sixty times in the
open air, nor does this include all his
Vicariate. He has recently sent two
Fathers to found a mission at Ches-
terfleld Inlet. If you will go to the
trouble to examine the map of Can
ada you will find Chesterfield Inlet on
the coast of Hudson Bay. This is to
be the central mission for some 5000
EsquimauX. To Judge of the cost of
this mission it is only necessary to
state that every thing has to be
brought by water from Montreal and
the word everything includes lumber
coal and firewood. One might travel
hundreds of miles round Chesterfield
Inlet without finding enough wood
with which to light a fire.. The coal
used at this mission cost $40 ton.
To make matters worse, since the
war started the price of goods has
gone up considerably and there has
been corresponding decrease in the
value of the furs which form, the chief
sources of revenue for the Indians OF
Keewatin.
Thus furs which two years ago sold
for $50 are now worth only 81, while
the Hudson Bay Company charges
$25 to $50 a sack for -four and from
Coo to 75c pound for sugar.
From these two facts it will sur
prise no one to hear that the cost o.
these missions runs into the thou
sands of dollars each year,
Where is this money to come from
Will it be possible to continue these
missions or will be obliged to aban
don them and the poor Indians brought
over to the true Faith at the price o
such efforts? These are the questions
which are occupying the attention o
Bishop Charlebois at the present mo
ment The answer depends on the re
Spouse which is made to this appea
by the Catholics. The missionaries