The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-02-12
TWO VISITS TO AUSTRIA

America for the purpose Of establish.
ing the newly founded order on the
other side of the ocean. Again, it was
Louis who inspired this and aided
the founding of houses in Milwaukee
and Baltimore with 1850 marks.
The next year, eleven more sisters
followed, and from the first three
small institutions in Marysville, Pitts.
burg and Baltimore, there developed
two large mother-houses with 1872 con-
vents. In these were more than co.
600 children of whom 1,755 were or
phans, receiving instruction lin the
year 1889. This truly great accom-
plishment is, after Gods grace, chief.
ly the work and merit of the Ludwig
Mfssionsverein which generously as
sisted the good Sisters. The Ludwig.
Missionsverein bears the same rela.
ton to the institutions of the Capu-
chins, Of the Franciscans, of the Car.
melites, of the Redemptorists, of the
Ursuline Sisters and of the Domini.
can Nuns, who came from Bavaria to
North America. All these looked to
the Ludwig Missionsverein for their
surest and best help"
Continued to 1914.
As time went on and the Church in
America prospered, the assistance
grew less. Thus, in 1880 the sum of
1890 marks was given to missions
in the United States. But the aid
was not suspended until the World
War turned the course of history. In
1918, the sum of 1890 marks was
sent to the Ludwig Missionsverein to
missions in the United States. And
in 1914, the amount of $500 marks
was distributed among missions in
two archdioceses, eight dioceses, and
one vicariate apostolic. During the
entire period of its activity (1S38 to
1914, the work of the Ludwig Mis-.
Esionsverein was SO general that there
/ is not a diocese in the United States
but contains territory which received
help from the society of Munich for
mission purposes.
Cannot Attend Mass.
And now, in view of what the Lud
wig Missionsverein has done for the
Church in the United States, is it not
"a beautiful thing that God has SC
prospered the Catholics of America
and SO inspired them with the spirit
of charity as to send another Vicar
General to Central Europe; this time
to give literally to those from whom
help was once solicited. The more SO
since the poor in the several countries
of Middle Europe are starving. Arch
bishop Faulhaber assured the writer
while visiting in Munich a. few weeks
ago, that there are many Catholics in
that city who do not attend Mass be-
cause they have, no shoes to wear
He warned the writer further not to
Judge of conditions by what was to
be seen in Theatiner Street Zone OF
the best streets in Munich). 1t is
the working man with a family who
finds it quite impossible to buy food
and clothing for his dependents. This
is obvious. when one stops to consider
that all imported food, us beyond trle
purchasing power Of the German la
borer's wages, because of the low
value of the mark.
.Monsignor Rempe's journey is not
of course, the beginning of Catholic
aid to the sufferers of Central Europe
That has been going on for some time
and has elected expressions of graft
.tude from the hierarchy of the coun
tries in question. But up to the pres
ent, there has been no representative
of American Catholic Charity in these
countries. And this has been defect
for which generosity could not com
pensate. In Munich. to take a con
crete case, though American Catholic
Charity has done much to alleviate
suffering, it's activity has been toe
hidden. The only: American Charity
commission in the city is under the
auspices of the Quakers. Now, poor
Catholics who receive aid from this
source and are aware that there is nc
Catholic counterpart, are4ery apt to
underestimate what Catholics are
really doing for them. Or, such mis-
conceptions pmay even have more Sc
i rious consequences and lead to prose
lytism.
| This is then the most important
purpose of ,Monsignor Rempe's jour
ney, to represent the corporate efforts
of 102 American dioceses put forth
on behalf of their starving brethren
in Central Europe. May God Bless
Monsignor Rempe's mission and the
generous Catholics who made it pos