The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-08-13

JERUSALEM A CITY OF GAYETY'
UNDER EXISTING CONTROL
WHOLE ASPECT HAS CHANGED
FOR WoRsE-MANY CATHOLICS
ABANDONING HOLY LAND
DUTY OF AMERICAN CATHOLICS
IN REGARD TO CONDITION OF
HOLY CITY.
The number, just influence and
prestige of American Catholics in
crease each day, and it is not only
within the confines of their own great
republic that their action and credit
are manifest. The propagation of the
Faith has become one of their chief
concerns, and one in which they az
ready excel, says a special CORE
spondent Of the N. C. w. G. News
Service. But does their role in the
Holy Places of Palestine, the cradle
of Christianity, correspond to their
importance in the world? 1t is for
them to answer, but it has been oh
served that in the Holy City O.:
Jerusalem they have not a single
house of their own, and yet it is OF
great interest to Christianity that Am.
erican Catholics take their part ir
the defense of the Holy Places, since
they have become such important
members Of the Church of God
1t is not for simple inhabitant OF
Jerusalem to point out their duty tC
them, but he may at least give them
some information and express the de
sire of many Catholics in Palestine
Religious Conditions in Jerusalem.
Before the war the Catholic organi
cations were very flourishing. The
majority of the Catholics in Palestine
belong to the Latin Rite. For man.
years the ancient Christians defend
ed their faith against the invasions OF
Islam; it was not until after the def
mite failure of the Crusades that the
villages became Mussulman, although
a certain number remained faithful tC
Christianity in spite of all. These lat
ter were governed by pastors belong
ing to the Greek Church, which later
became schismatic. The cities still
contain a certain number of these
Christians. In Jerusalem the number
of Orthodox is estimated at $4,000
The Latin church was introduced into
Palestine in the time of Charlemagne
and after the crusades the faithful re
manned under the protection Of the
sons of st. Francis. Plus TX re-estab
lished the hierarchy by appointing
Mgr. Valerga as Latin Patriarch. La
ter more than thirty Orthodox vii.
lagos were converted to the Catholic
Faith and turned to him as theil
leader.
There has been a Greek Catholic
hierarchy in the Orient ever since tn.
eighteenth century. The Greek Cath
Ollie faithful are often very similar to
those of the Latin rite. These latter
are in the majority everywhere ir
Palestine. For instance, in Jerusalem
there are about 5000 of the Latin rite
as compared with only, a few families
of the Greek Catholic rite. The GreeR
Catholics are often more numerous In
Galilee. .yssa .a ~ ta.s,,.,. ii. :.
Attracted by their devotion to the
Holy Places, various religious orders
| and congregations have established
themselves in Jerusalem. They are
| so numerous that it is difficult to men
ton them all without forgetting one
Among the religious communities o
men are the Missionaries of Algiers
| the Dominicans, the Lazarists, thu
Brothers of the Christian Schools, thu
Assumptionists, the Benedictines. al
French, and the Salesians, the major
/ ity of whom are Italian.
Among the communities of womel
are the. Sisters of st. Joseph, the Sis
tiers of the Apparition, the Ladies o
Zion, the Clarists, the Carmelites. the
| Sisters of Charity, the Franciscans
the Sisters of Cottolengo. The TIVE
last mentioned are Italian orders.
Custody International.
The custody Of the Holy Land is in
ternational, but the majority of thu
religious are Italian. The Spanish ar
also fairly numerous.
/ Long before the war the German
Catholics built home for pilgrims
which is kept by the Lazarist Father
and the Sisters Of st. Charles. A
the time of the visit of the Empero
of Germany, the sanctuary of tn
Dormition was turned over to tn
German Benedictines.
i Before the great war all these four
dations worked energetically in tn
interests of the Church, the poor, tn
children and the sick Russia niair
tanned large houses for the thousand
of Russian pilgrims, but no work @
public utility. The German Protes
tants, on the contrary, had severa
schools, large Syrian orphanage an
some hospitals. These remarks al
ply to Jerusalem emily, and no clair
is made to establish statistics.
/ All these Catholic institutions, tn
beneficial action of which was un
versally recognized, usually enjoye
complete freedom and respect. II an
incident arose the French protector
ate was exercised very effectively |
favor of those who had recourse to j
i Is this wonderful development
Catholic work threatened? UP to tn
present the number Of houses has II
creased. The Italian Sisters of Ivre;
! the italian Franciscan Sisters of Mar
and the Jesui. Fathers are among tn
most recent arrivals. Not a singl
Catholic has been led by the sedu'
/. | =,