The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-07-24
PROTESTANT PROPAGANDA IN
CAROLINE ISLANDS CAUSES Ex-
PULsIoN OF GERMAN MISSION.
ARIES,

The fruits of more than twenty
years OF toll by Catholic missionaries
| in the Caroline and Marianne Islands
| are in danger Of being destroyed by
the lnroads of Japanese teachers and
preachers of various Protestant de-
| nominations, who have practically a
clear field for the work of winning
over the unfortunate Catholic inhabi-
tants bereft of missionaries since the
expulsion Of the Rhenish Westphalian
Capuchins by the japanese govern
ment.
So declares the Right Rev. Salvador
Walleser, Bishop Of Tamagra and
| Vicar Apostolic of the two island
| groups, who is a guest at the Capuchin
Monastery, Washington, D. G.. Bishop
| Walleser's little missionary band,
comprising twenty Capuchin priests,
twenty-one Capuchin lay Brothers and
fifteen Sisters of St. Francis, were
eVicted from the island in July, 1919,
and since that time the mission has
| been entirely abandoned.
The Sacred Congregation for the
Propagation of the Faith has selected
the Spanish Jesuits for the work
which was abandoned when the Capu-
chins were compelled to leave. This
selection was made after several 9th
er missionary societies had been ap-
preached and the labor which the
newly appointed missionaries will
have to undertake to revive the once
fOurishing post is certain to be eX-
tremely difficult
twenty-five day schools and several
boarding schools for boys and girls
were being conducted on the islands
by the Capuchins. These have been
closed or are being conducted by pa
gan Japanese instructors. The Jes.
uits will be forced with very meagre
preparations to face conditions entire.
ly strange to them and are deprived OF
any assistance from those whose
| knowledge of conditions in the mis-
sions would be of inestimable value
to them. In each Of the six smaller
groups Of islands included in the mis-
sion a different language is spoken
| This will necessitate the acquisition OF
| six languages unknown to the mis-
siOnaries before.
american Catholics" said Bishop
Walleser, have always shown a par
ticular interest in the work in the Car
oline and Marianne Islands, and it has
been due largely to their generosity
that we were able to maintain the
work there from the time of the out
break Of the war, and the consequent
cessation of German support, until il
was necessary to leave in 1919. From
both east and west came liberal offer
ings for work among these poor peo
pie, and the thought that the fruit
Of SO much labor and such generosity
is now being destroyed is very sac
to the heart of the missionary
The work in the Caroline Islands
which include the Island of zap, was
originally in the hands of Spanish Ca
puchins, but with the purchase of the
islands by the German government in
1906, was put in the hands of Rhen
ish Westphalian Capuchins, who also
took charge of the Marianne Islands
missionary work when that group
comprising fifteen islands, also was
purchased by Germany. The people
were lazy and immortality was rife
even among the little children wher
the first missions were founded. But
by perseverance and unremitting toll
remarkable progress had been made
by the missionaries up to the time Of
their eviction. Sixteen principal sta
tons and a number of smaller places
were being provided for.
Bishop Walleser will leave shortly
for Rome to consult with the authOri
ties as to the future field of labor fOl
the Capuchin missionaries.