J. de Moidrey

“ Seminaries have been multiplied, and the native clergy have become more numerous and more thoroughly trained. Several orders of nuns—the Sisters of Charity, the Franciscan Sisters, the Carmelites, the Helpers of the Holy Souls, the Little Sisters of the Poor, &c.—greatly assist in the evangelisation of women. Congregations of Chinese nuns have been instituted and a great impetus has everywhere been given to the preaching of the faith. ”

“ Nuns, also, may belong to the great religious orders, which receive Chinese members on a footing of equality with foreigners, or they may be members of special Chinese congregations.
It is a well-known fact that Catholic priests, religieux, and nuns are bound to celibacy. It may be added that when they request to be sent to foreign missions it is generally for life, and with no prospect of a return home. Circumstances or superiors may decide otherwise, but the Catholic missionary gives himself up to his work for his whole lifetime in this world. ”

“ Pius IX divided China into vicariates apostolic, the number of which has been increased from time to time, each being entrusted exclusively to one congregation of missionaries.
The opening of China, the rapidity of the voyage from Europe, the better organisation of the several missions, the creation of several new missionary associations in Belgium, Germany, and Italy, and the comparative freedom enjoyed by the missionaries, make it possible now to send a much larger number of workers into the field. ”

“ In the vicariate of Peking there is a Cistercian monastery with 6 foreign and 5 Chinese priests and 65 monks, most of whom are Chinese. They do not engage in missionary work proper.
The Jesuits have two missions—one in the south-eastern part of Chihli and the other comprising the two provinces of Kiangsu and Anhwei (Kiangnan mission) . There are 2 bishops, 179 foreign priests, 80 Chinese priests, 226,542 converts, and 103,000 catechumens. The prefecture of Sungkiang, in which falls the district of Shanghai, is the most densely-populated with Christians throughout the whole Empire. ”

“ Any foreigner may apply to his own consul for protection, but a Catholic missionary runs a risk of meeting with practical difficulties, principally in purchasing and holding property, outside of the Treaty ports, without the French passport. ”

“ The possibilities of the work are enormous. Naturally, however, the question of organisation is an important and diflicult one. There is a general procuration in Hongkong, and there are secondary pro- curations in Shanghai, Saigon, and Singapore. Here all the administrative work is done and material assistance is sent to the mission- aries in the field. The Society has also at Pokfolura, Hongkong, a sanatorium for those of their workers who have broken down in health, and a Maison d'Etudes, to which is attached one of the best-equipped printing oflices in the Far East. ”

“ The fine missions of Szechwan, Yunnan, and Kweichow really date from the long episcopate of Bishop Pottier. In 1756 he found only 4,000 converts, but in 1801 he was able to number 25,000. His two successors, Bishop de St. Martin and the Blessed Bishop Dufresse (martyred 1815) governed and organised the mission with remarkable prudence amid almost continual persecution. In 1803 the first synod ever celebrated in China was held in Szechwan, and its statutes are still admired and put into practice. There were also Lazarists, or Vincentian missionaries. ”

“ There are many other helpers, paid and unpaid, the number of whom cannot be given on account of the different organisation of the various missions. In the Kiangnan mission, for instance, there are about 800 secular "virgins," that is to say, women who, living in their family, take no vows, but openly profess to remain unmarried. They are employed by the mission sometimes as school-mistresses and sometimes as caretakers of orphan asylums, or in visiting the sick, taking care of the chapels, &c. ”

“ Some missions have normal schools for the training of masters and mistresses. There are also schools for boys who intend taking Orders, but who as yet follow the lower curriculum. Other schools, especially in the Treaty ports, are opened for foreign children. The teachers belong, in most cases, to the congregation of the Marist Brothers, or to an order of nuns. Mention must also be made of the schools which are now being opened in many places for Chinese boys and girls desirous of studying foreign sciences or languages. ”

“ There is no mission in which it has not a branch. Children, mostly female infants, abandoned or exposed by their parents, are received in "Foundlings' homes," the total number of which is about 300. Many, probably the greater number of the poor little creatures, live only a few days or weeks owing to the hardships they have undergone before being rescued. Those who survive are provided with nurses and entrusted to Christian families. In many cases, these families adopt the child as their own. ”

“ The number of girls is fairly equal to that of boys. Non-Christian children are generally not excluded.
To these village schools must be added those schools in which the Chinese classics are regularly taught. In a few missions they conform to the new official organisation, and are divided into lower elementary, higher elementary, and secondary schools, but in other missions they do not conform, so that it is impossible to give anything like a complete summary. In Shantung there are 86 of these schools with 1,158 pupils, in Honan 13 with 518 attendants, &c. ”

“ The Society has "procurations," or agencies, in Hongkong and Shangai, with a sanatorium and a large printing office in Hongkong. It includes 11 bishops, 399 French priests, 170 Chinese priests, 256,779 baptized converts, and more than 80,000 catechumens or worshippers ("adorateurs") . The more flourishing centres of these missions are at Szechwan and Kweichow. The work extends also to the aboriginal tribes of Southwest China.
Franciscan Friars of various branches.—Their field of work extends over eastern and northern Shantung, Shansi, the greater part of Shensi, Hupeh, and southern Hunan. ”

“ There are in Ili about 300 Christians, and their number seems to remain almost stationary. In the other vicariates the converts are mostly Chinese, the native Mongol tribes having so far paid little heed to the gospel news. The Ortos Mongols have 496 converts and 178 catechumens; the native Fangtze of Kansu have none. There are 4 bishops, 170 Belgian priests, 37 Chinese priests, 56,780 converts, and 18,000 catechumens. The General Procuration is in Shanghai. ”

“ Children, when not adopted, are brought up in industrial schools, on model farms, &c., until they are married or otherwise provided for. Orphans or pauper children belonging to Christian families cannot be supported out of the funds of the Holy Childhood; they are provided for by other benefactors. In 1907, in the seven Vincentian vicariates, more than 20,000 children belonged to the Holy Childhood. ”

“ For instance, in the very poor districts of Ch'ungming and Haimên the villagers consider it an honour and a blessing to add a "child of the Holy Church" to the numerous children who already crowd their miserable hovels. ”

“ Other charitable works include numerous hospitals, dispensaries, and homes for the aged, some of which are found in almost every mission. In Yaochowfu, Kiangsi, there is a lepers' asylum with 20 inmates, and there is another in Chefoo. In many places the secular "virgins" who take care of the schools and chapels visit also the sick in their neighbourhood.
Scientific Work.
There are several printing establishments at Hongkong, Siccawei, Yenchowfu (Shantung) , Chungking (Szechwan) . Peking, and Tsinanfu. Newspapers are published at Chungking, Yenchow, and Siccawei. ”

“ It forms a prefecture apostolic, but, so far, only 8 Italian priests are carrying on work there. They can claim about 1,055 Christians and double that number of catechumens.
The annual increase in the number of baptized Christians is now about 8 per cent., and amounted last year to more than 80,000. The proportion varies very much in different parts of China, but is increasing. ”

“ Some of these are lower elementary or higher elementary, and a few are secondary or even higher schools. Some priests or religieux are masters in Government schools at Tsinanfu, Lanchowfu, &c. The work of instructing catechumens, who cannot be baptized before they have been thoroughly instructed and trained, has led to the organisation of a special educational work, somewhat analogous to classes for adults.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, HONGKONG.
Charitable Work. ”

“ As some missions do not include in this number schools for orphan children, it cannot be very far from the truth to say that there are about 6,000 of these lower schools attended by considerably more than 100,000 pupils. ”