The Catholic bulletin., 1916-01-15
NEGRO cAfHoLLe ACTIVITY.

+ NEGRO CATt5oLiG &C ItNiT'Y. ]
Last month the Church Of St. Bene-
dict the Moor New York City, cele-
brated the thirty-second anniversary
Of its foundation. This parish which
| is in charge of Rev. Thos. O'Keefe,
is possibly the largest Catholic Negro
congregation In the United States.
Father O'Keefe has been connected
with this parish, as assistant and rec
tor for twenty-five years. Just after
ordination he was appointed as helper
to Father Burke who had been
chosen by Cardinal McCloskey to or
ganize a parish for the scattered
colored members of the Church, who
up to that time had been attendants
at various Catholic Churches of New
York, in the neighborhood in which
they lived. When Father Burke was
chosen by the Archbishops to be
Director General of the Catholic
Board for Mission Work among the
Colored People, Father O'Keefe be-
came pastor of ST. Benedict's Parish.
In this connection it may be inter
esting to the reader to note the re
markable work that has been done for
the conversion of the Negro since
Father Burke was appointed. He as
sumed charge in 1907. His duties,
as defined by the commission of the
Archbishops, were to enlist the inter-
est of the Catholics of the United
States in the work of converting the
Negro. Since his appointment Father
Burke has visited all sections of the
country; he has preached in many
dioceses; the money he has collected
has enabled the Board to establish or
help to support fifty new churches
and to pay the salaries of most of the
teachers who are engaged in colored
schools of the South. At the present
time the Board over which Father
Burke presides has a large share in
financing colored Catholic activity
throughout the South.
The second year of its establish
ment, Father Burke was joined by Rev.
Dennis ]. Dustin of the Scranton Dio-
cese, who has since been a jealous
helper in the labor of preaching, col
lecting and interesting others in the
work. A third member was added
when Father Mountain of the Buffalo
Diocese, was appointed; but last year
he was recalled to an important
charge atshome. Recently Rev. VIM.
Gibson of Scranton Diocese and Rev.
Chas. Edwards of the Providence Dio-
cese, have been appointed by their
Bishops to assist in the work
The enlargement .of the band of
workers has been necessitated by the
invitation of the Bishops of the
country who are showing remarkable
zeal in the conversion of the Negro.
Starting with the New Year the
Fathers begin to labor in the Arch
diocese of Philadelphia and complete
their work in Hartford and Spring
field. In Hartford six thousand
dollars we're contributed during six
months in answer to appeals made in
the various Churches.
The late Holy Father Plus x recog-
niZed the work by comforting upon
Father Burke the monsignorial dig
nifty. Because it has grown to such
proportions, Monsignor Burke has an
nounced that the publication which
has hitherto been issued to diffuse a
knowledge of the work, will be issued
monthly fsOuf Colored Missions
will begin to appear, therefore, as a
monthly magazine in January, and it
| is interesting to note that an impor-
tant article, one of the last he sent
out, is a contribution to this number
from the pen of the late DR. Brooker
T. Washington.
The Office of the Catholic Board for
Mission Work among the Colored
People" is No. / Madison avenue, New
York City, to which all contributions
and communications may be sent. In
quiries addressed there to Monsignor
John 3. Burke will receive immediate
attention.