The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-10-20
astoral Letter of
Bishop Busch

49,
cese Of st. Cloud.
Beloved Brethren:
Prompted by a sense of strictest
duty and a feeling of deepest solicit
tude, | come before you to plead a
cause, the most important, the most
sacred that can be conceived by
Christian minds, or that can appeal to
Christian hearts, the cause of our holy
Priesthood. How much it means to
be a priest! How much it means to
have the priest! Because we have
been SO exceptionally favored, may
there not be a danger that we forget
at times to return sufficient thanks
to God for this the greatest of His
blessings, that we have been called
to the priesthood, or have had the
constant and the careful attention of
wise and holy priests since our ear
Hest childhood?
To the bishop is entrusted the duty
to see that what you have so plenti-
fully enjoyed, may be granted also
to others, to your fellowmen and espe-
cially to your children and children's
children, to see that those whom God
calls to the priesthood may find it
possible to follow this divine calling
and so provide for the future, that
those who come after us may also en-
Joy the rich heritage that has come
to us and they also secure the guild
Of yYicn Nv
priests.
This duty of preparing priests and
providing pastors for the faithful is
one that is attended with ever-in-
creasing difficulties. On the one hand
the cost of education is ever growing
more expensive, and on the other hand
the need of specially trained priests
is ever increasing as we grow more
numerous and living conditions be
come more complicated.
For this reason I have, after long
and prayerful consideration, and
after a careful study of the methods
followed in other places, felt it
proper to open my heart to you, my
beloved brethren, on this subject that
must appeal strongly to you, who
have always shown such a deeI
appreciation and such a ready willing
ness on every occasion when the diff
ferent needs of religion were brought
to your attention.
Due to the special protection of g
kind Providence and the powerful in
tercession of our Patron Saint Cloud
| this diocese has been favored with
an abundance scarcely equalled in
| any other district We are glad tc
know that there are many among Us
who have been exceptionally favored
for many years past, and who are
we'll endowed with earthly means
With a people so devout and will
such means at their disposal, it woulC
seem but natural to expect that al
appeal on behalf of our priesthood
would surely meet with a ready ant
| generous response.
| For this reason | have resolved t
| inaugurate a regular and systematic
/ means for all to show their gratitude
| both for their temporal favors, ant
much more for the blessings of ;
spiritual nature, which they derive
from the ministrations of the priest
| by setting aside the month OF Octobe
/ of each year for a special effort t,
collect funds for the education AM
preparation of candidates for the hol.
/ priesthood.
We must secure scholarships to en-
able poor boys to go through college
we must provide means of keepinI
as large number as possible in on
seminaries, we must obtain mean
for training of priests for specia
work in the diocese, and We shoul
not rest satisfied until we have ais
| provided means for preparing priest
| for the mission field at home an
abroad.
Since this work of giving priests t
the Church is the most excellent forr
of charity, am confident that all wi
welcome this plan and will contribut
regularly and generously for this pun
pose. On the first Sunday Of Octobe
priests will devote their sermon /