The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-02-16
THE ANNUAL .CoLLECTIONtI IN AID
OF HOME AND FOREIGN
MISSIONS.
To the Clergy and the Laity of the
Diocese of ST. Paul:

Tho annual collection in aid Of
Home and Foreign Missions will be
taken UP in all the Churches of the
Diocese of st. Paul on the second Sun
day of Lent. The announcement of
the collection will be made at the sew
eral Masses. on the preceding Sunday,
the First Sunday of Lent, by the pub
lie reading of this, our present letter,
to he followed on the part of the pas
tor by cordial explanation of the
holiness of the work to which the pro-
ceeds of the collection are to be de-
voted, and a fervent eXhortation to
his faithful people that they allow
themselves a liberal sharing in the
blessings awaiting those who contri,-,
butte to it's furtherance.
1t is with very special qualification
that we publish the proceeds of the
collection in aid of Home and Foreign
Missions for the year 1917. The total
sum received by the diocesan Chanc-
cry was $S,026.29.
In addition to the sum going from
The Diocesan Chancery to Missions in
foreign lands, we should put to the
credit of our faithful people the sums
remitted directly to the Society of
the Propagation of the Faith and to
the Society of the Holy Childhood by
the Local Diocesan Director of those
societies, Rev. James A. Byrnes, of
the st. Paul Seminary, st. Paul.
Those sums for tho year 1917, amount
cd $13,05G.70 for the Society of the
46O75 for the Society of the Holy
Childhood.
The work done through the Office of
the Local Director of those societies,
let it be said at once, receives from
us most cordial approval and encour-
agement. We hope eEr2ostis' t. ssss it
established and prospering in every
parish of the Diocese. 1t by no means
takes the place of the general an
nual objection, of which we today
give announcement or of similar
collections to be henceforward an
nounced. Those collections look to
a wider scope-coyering besides the
Propagation of the Faith in foreign
lands, missions in our own United
States and in our own Diocese of st.
Paul; and, besides, they represent the
more official contribution made. each
year, by the Diocese to the holy cause
of missionary labor. To this official con-
tribution the work of the Local Dio-
Cesan Director is a welcome supple
mcnt, and as such commends itself
most Significantly to the zeal and the
piety of our Catholic people.
Generosity, Beloved Brethren, in aid
of the missions of the Church, is gen
erosity to the cause. nearest to the
heart of Christ, to the. cause that inn
pelled the Eternal Word to the myste-
rious acts of the Incarnation and the
Redemption. Il am come to cast fire
on the EARTH" said the Lord, '.and
what will |, but that. it be kindled."
The fire brought to earth by the Eter-
nal Word, is His Gospel of salvation,
That this Gospel be heard to utter
most confines is the passion of His
heart To this end He instituted the
Church, under the mandate to preach
the Gospel to every creature, to teach
all nations-"eyen. unto the consum,
nation of the world" To this end
apostles of His truths are needed
who, in burning love for, those truths
and for Him Who first spoke them, will
bear them to farthest corner where
humanity lives in the vale of dark
necs, and open to souls the pathway tC
tl,H Kingdom of God in Heaven. Such
APOSTLES there have been in every
agc of the Churclfs story; such apos
ties there are today, proving by their
re; and the sacrifices to which it sub
1nits them that Christ did not come
in vain, that the Church is, as bidder
to be, Catholic. universal, taking the
earth as the field of its regal benefi
cence, distilling across every sea anC
through every continent the saving
dews of divine love, the brighten
ing rays of divine truth. The
missionary work of the Church
1t is the most precious jewel il
its casket of holy deeds; it is tn
manifest attestation of its origin il
the love of Christ for the souls of mon
The apostles who do this work! w
repeat of them the words of Scrip
turc: "How beautiful are the feet Q
them that preach the Gospel of peace
that bring glad tidings of goo
things!"
Brethren, it is not the privilege Q
I'll Christians to be the missionarie
of Christ'3 Gospel 1t is, however, tn
privilege of all to be the helpers, tn
co-I9borers of those missionaries. Hell
is reeded that missionaries be il
oreaged in numbers, that the prope
training be given to those whom Go
is calling to the ranks of the diYiu
army. Help is needed, when the mis-
slorary is in his chosen ground, tha'
however heavy the sacrifice, he sti
may at least retain life, and that th
equipment essential to an effectiV
preaching be in some measure secu
cd to his work. This help, this pa
tieipaiion in the Iabors of the mi