The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-12-25

twelve families. Shortly after its erec-
ton l preached four days mission
| at this place, with the result that
three children of Catholic parents,
aged 10, 16 and 10 years of age, re-
ceived Baptism. Another son of Cath
Ole parents, aged "a, made his first
Confession and received Holy Com
munion for the first time. One invalid
marriage was corrected and an old
man went again to the Sacramento
after having neglected them for more
than fifty years.
One of the difficulties to be taken
into consideration is the question of
| Catholics who will not acknowledge
themselves to be such. They seem to
be in hiding, as if they were afraid to
come out and own up" to their Faith;
but the erection of little chapel often
works wonders in encouraging them
/ and giving them moral conviction suf
! ficient to fulfil their duties.
At a certain place where mission
was begun, the priest at first knew
only ten Catholic families. When the
church was built, however, fourteen
more presented themselvs. Four mar
| riages, entered before q preacher or
county official, were rectified Ito the
great joy of alb, many grown-up Cath
olics were brought to make their first
Confession and to receive Holy Com
| muniOn for the first time
If it had not been for the erection
of the chapel at that point, tremble
to think what would have happened.
The people would have drifted deeper
into indifferentism. and their children
growing up without religious educa-
ton of any kind, would most likely
have turned out to be bitter enemies
of the Church. But the erection of
the little chapel turned the tide of in
fidelity, and that mission in time, with
Gods blessing. may be the center of a
vigorous Catholic population.
could mention similar cases in
many other places. Every Jealous
priest, working in this new diocese,
has found many Catholics, simple and
well-meaning, who were in danger of
being lost to the Church forever, and
who would have been lost had not
these priests or other kind friends
tried to lead them back to the fold.
And there are others-Catholic men
and women-who are we'll meaning,
but starving spiritually because they
have not the commonest conveniences
of religion. 1t seems to me that our
newer civilization acts like mildew
upon the Faith of many; even in our
well-organized parishes there are not
few whose Faith is whitening under
the blighting influence of religious in
differentism. How much more is not
this the case in district where Cath
olics are few and far between and
continually mingling with members of
false religion, and with no religious
facilities of their own to offset these
pernicious influences.
1t is sad to say that many people
who try to build up a home in this
new country become lost to their best
Mother-the Catholic Church.
Needs Of the Diocese.
Now let me state the most impor-
tant needs Of our missions. There
are perhaps eight places within the
diocese where the building of mission
churches is almost imperative. And
these chapels should be erected in the
very near future.
Other needs are more pressing. For
instance, a number of small congrega.
tions built churches without any out.
side help. Bad crops and other re.
verses have reduced them to extreme
poverty. They had debts which, un-
der ordinary circumstances, would be
light, but which they find very burden.
some. These debts range from $500
to $1,000. Any help given for such
missions will be applied to the places
where the needs are most pressing.
A number of our missionaries re.
ceive hardly any salary. Some of
them get about $500 a year. stipends
and stole fees included. It is certainly
a pity! There are at least eight such
priests within my diocese, worthy,
self-sacrifcing men, bearing their bur.
den without complaint, hoping for bet.