The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-02-07
LETTER OF BISHOP MeN|CHOLAS
OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA
A SOCIETY TO AID SEMlNARIANs.

"A SOCIETY TO AID sEMlNARIANs.
There is perhaps, no work just so
important and so imperative in the
Diocese of Duluth as to increase the
number of earnest. Jealous priests who
are willing to work for the good of
souls under conditions that demand a
true spirit of sacrifice Since the
formation of the diocese, more than
thirty years ago, there has not been
a boy born within the limits of the
diocese who has become a priest of
the Diocese of Duluth. In the Provi.
dence of God we must expect from
a diocese organized as Duluth is, with
it's parishes and missions and it's few
splendid priests, that number of can
didates should yearly present them
selves who aspire to the priesthood.
Conscientious efforts must be made
without ceasing by priests, by confess
ors, by teachers, and by parents to Sc
cure promising candidates for. the
priesthood. 1t is wrong to assume that
everything is to be left to the young
men themselves who think that they
are called to be priests. Vacations
must be cultivated and encouraged
This is the way God works in the
divine things of His sacraments, as
we'll as in the administration of mere
| ly human affairs. God is always U.s.
ing human agents. We must not on
the other hand think that everything
is to be left to God in calling young
men to the priesthood. God will do
His part. He will not and cannot fail
to give vocations to young men. If
vocations be lost, the fault is ours.
First Priests.
When Christ selected His first
priests they were not chosen from
among the learned of Greece and
Rome, but rather from the simple and
poor. Such has been the history of
the Church, and such is likely to be
the way of Almighty God until the
end of time. The more simple and
humble an agent is to carry on Gods
| work, the more credit must be given
to Almighty God. We must, therefore,
expect that in the Diocese of Duluth
the majority of our candidates for the
priesthood will come from the homes
of the simple and poor. 1t can be laid
down as a principle that the good
home, if not necessary condition for
good priest, is at least most ia
vorable one, and one from which God
for the most part chooses His priests.
Cooperation of All.
We as human agents, however,
while praying as if all depended upon
prayer, must proceed with the work
as if all depended upon us. All the
forces of the Diocese of Duluth that
are truly interested in the advance OF
religion should become interested and
help to foster vocations, and contrib
ute to the support of the young men
during their long years of prepare
ton. 1t is surely privilege to help
young man to attain the dignity and
power of the priesthood. 1t is priv
ilege to which many extraordinary
blessings are attached. Truly. must
we give thanks to God for the splen-
did priesthood of America. In this
body of noble, unselfish men there
are very many who, humanity speak
ing, could not have attained to their
divine calling without helping hand
from those to whom Almighty God has
been generous in bestoWing His gifts
of worldly goods.
The time of preparation for young
men for the priesthood is long one.
They must have completed four years
of high school, two years of college
and then six years of seminary life,
two of which are given to Philosophy,
and four to Theology. 1t is evident,
therefore, that a great amount Of
money must be expended on the edu-
cation of candidates for the priest
hood. Here in the Diocese of Duluth
many of the boys aspiring to the
priesthood cannot hope to have their
poor parents defray the expense Of
their education during course of
studies that extends from six to
twelve years. Parents that can as
sumo the financial responsibility in
part or entirely will be asked to do
so. With the great number of nation
alities in the Duluth Diocese it will be
necessary to secure students from Eu-
rope, who will instruct their own peo'
pie. Many of these nationalities may
know our language sufficiently well
for business purposes, but they wish
in matters of religion to speak and
to hear spoken the language of their
childhood or even of their young man
hood and Womanhood. In these times
when the cost of everything is great
ly advanced, the financial responsible
ity for the education and maintenance
of students becomes all the greater
This appeal is addressed to you in
> the hope that you will contribute tt
this very worthy charity according te
your means. 1t is likely that the fol
lowing question at once suggests itsel
to you:
: How Can | Help?
There are very many ways b!
l which all classes can help. You arr
: asked to give kind and sympathetic
y consideration to this appeal for God'
J work. You will find that in one wa.
i or another you can cooperate.
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