Chapter II: The Indian Mission Work

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| Indian |Catholic | | | Baptisms. |
DIOCESE. |Population.| Indians.|Churches.|Priests.|Children.|Adults.|
-------------+-----------+---------+---------+--------+---------+-------+
Arizona | | 450 | 1 | 3 | | |
Brownsville |[4]40,000 | | 30 | 16 | | |
Cheyenne | 15,000 | | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| | | | | | |
Duluth | 12,000 | 4,000 | 3 | 7 | | |
| | | | | | |
Fort Wayne | | 84 | | | 6 | |
Grand Rapids | | 2,500 | 7 | 6 | 73 | 2 |
| | | | | | |
Green Bay | 3,500 | 1,300 | 3 | 2 | 55 | 29 |
Helena | 12,000 | 6,000 | 12 | 16 | 450 | |
| | | | | | |
Idaho | 4,000 | 1,100 | 4 | 6 | 55 | 9 |
Indian Ter. | 96,640 | 3,000 | 6 | 7 | | |
| | | | | | |
La Crosse | 3,500 | 1,800 | 9 | 3 | 118 | 8 |
| | | | | | |
Marquette | 5,000 | 2,800 | 5 | 2 | 84 | 17 |
Natchez | | 400 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 19 |
Nesqually | 18,000 | 6,000 | 17 | 7 | | |
| | | | | | |
Oregon City | 2,500 | 1,800 | 2 | 2 | 57 | 22 |
| | | | | | |
Sioux Falls | 25,590 | 5,400 | 10 | 13 | 412 | 339 |
| | | | | | |
Santa Fé | 25,000 | 8,000 | 18 | 3 | 403 | 22 |
San Francisco| 1,500 | 800 | 2 | 2 | | |
Vancouver I. | 35,000 | 4,000 | 14 | 14 | | |
-------------+-----------+---------+---------+--------+---------+-------+
| 285,730 | 49,434 | 146 | 113 | 1,729 | 469 |
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[4] Largely Mexican Half-Breeds.

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| | | |
DIOCESE. |Schools.|Pupils.| Sisterhoods. | Religious.
-------------+--------+-------+-------------------+----------------------
Arizona | 1 | 40 | St. Joseph. |
Brownsville | 5 | 600 | Oblates of Mary. |
Cheyenne | 1 | 111 | St. Joseph. |{ Jesuit.
| | | |{ Benedict.
Duluth | 1 | | |{ Jesuit.
| | | |{ Franciscan.
Fort Wayne | 1 | 84 | | C. P. P. S.
Grand Rapids | 3 | 243 |{ St. Francis. | St. Francis.
| | |{ Notre Dame. |
Green Bay | 1 | 176 | St. Joseph. | St. Francis.
Helena | 13 | 930 |{ Charity. | Jesuits.
| | |{ Ursulines. |
Idaho | 3 | 130 | Providence. | Jesuits.
Indian Ter. | 6 | 265 |{ Mercy. | St. Francis.
| | |{ St. Francis. |
La Crosse | 4 | 316 |{ Perp. Adoration. | St. Francis.
| | |{ St. Francis. |
Marquette | 1 | 56 | St. Joseph. | Jesuits.
Natchez | 1 | 48 | Mercy. |
Nesqually | 6 | 435 |{ Providence. | Jesuits.
| | |{ St. Francis. |
Oregon City | 2 | 191 |{ St. Benedict. | Jesuits.
| | |{ St. Francis. |
Sioux Falls | 12 | 938 | St. Benedict. |{ Jesuits.
| | | |{ Benedict.
Santa Fé | 11 | 433 | St. Loretto. |
San Francisco| 4 | 70 | | Franciscans.
Vancouver I. | 7 | | St. Anne. |
-------------+--------+-------+-------------------+----------------------
| 82 | 5,066 | |
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ARIZONA.

The following communication is from the Rt. Rev. Bishop P. Bourgade, of Arizona. “The Indian work here is so limited and so uncertain that the prospects for the future are not very bright. The protestant and government schools are getting control of most of the Indians. The work of propagating the faith would require money, and missionaries to consecrate themselves to the work— I have very little money, and very little time to give to the Indian work. I have besides, no missionaries to spare. The few attempts that I have made to induce Religious to come to Arizona to work for the Indians, have failed.”

BROWNSVILLE.

Bishop Verdaguer makes this touching appeal. “For two years we have not raised any crops and for the past six months we have experienced the most severe drought ever known here. Two-thirds of our priests cannot support themselves. Oh! please do for us what you can. Remember, that along the Rio Grande there are 20,000 Mexican Indians actually starving— living on dying cattle and boiled prickly pear leaves. Most all the horses and cattle have disappeared. There is no grass, and has been no crop for two years. If you do not help us I know not what we can do. Remember, that out of hundreds of half-breeds that attend schools not one child pays anything. Remember, that many of our priests have not received $100 during the past year. Please help us. We need five chapels. These five could be built for $2000. Twelve priests have to be helped on account of the drought and the misery to be met with on every side. $150 for each of these would amount to $1800. The Sisters ought to receive something for the half-breed children taught gratuitously by them. An allowance of $4.00 for the yearly tuition and books for each of these children would call for about $1500. The Bishop himself has no resources, still he must visit his vicariate. There is no house for him except a little shanty with two poor rooms. Five chapels are badly needed. The people for whom they are designed are exceedingly poor and are totally unable to contribute towards their erection. If each one of these chapels were 50 by 30 feet we could have them erected at a cost of $400 apiece. $2000 would suffice to build them.”

DULUTH, MINN.

In this diocese there are 4,000 Catholic Indians, three churches and one school for the Indians, and four priests attending the missions. These four priests represent the Jesuit, Benedictine and Franciscan orders.

FORT WAYNE.

There is a large Indian Normal School, situated in Rensselaer, in the diocese of Fort Wayne. The school is under the direction of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost and has an attendance of 81 young men. Four of these are being educated for the priesthood. “If you could pay the tuition of the four students,” writes Rev. A. Geitl, the President of the school, “namely, $40 a year for each, we would esteem it a great favor. We will supply everything else in the way of books, board and clothing. I have tried everywhere to get a little help for these four young men.”

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

There are 2500 Catholic Indians in the State of Michigan. Two Regular priests, who attend seven churches, look after their spiritual needs. The Catholic Indian Schools, three in number, have 243 pupils enrolled. “We need $2000,” writes Bishop Richter “to pay teachers’ salaries at Elbridge, Cross Village and Eagletown, to contribute towards the support of the missionaries, and also to assist in the building of a church at Harbor Springs.” The Indians of this diocese dwell in nine villages the most prominent of which is Harbor Springs. This latter place needs a new church. The church erected by the late Father Piery in 1842 is in a bad condition and is fast going to ruin. It is, moreover, too small, being hardly large enough to hold the children of the parish. The Indians as well as the white Catholics of the vicinity are poor, and help from outside sources is urgently demanded. There is a large Indian Boarding School in this village attended by 130 boarding pupils and 30 day scholars. These pupils, come from all the villages save Elbridge. This school, in the opinion of its director, the Rev. S. Altmicks, needs to be enlarged, to accommodate children who at present are unable to attend it through want of sufficient room. A tribe of Ottawa Indians are within the limits of the diocese and have passed through various vicissitudes of fortune. The Official Government Report on Indian Affairs, for 1891, has this to say of them. “A great mistake was made by the Government, when the allotment was made, in giving to the (above) Indians titles for their land without any restriction as to their right to sell. As soon as the allotments were made, land sharks went among the Indians and bought their lands for trivial sums, or loaned them small sums of money at high rates of interest secured by mortgage, on short time, and then foreclosed as soon as the law would permit them to do so.” In 1888, through the zealous labors of Father Altmicks the condition of affairs was brought before the Government, and a contract was given for the support of the schools at Harbor Springs. “There is very little hope for the prosperity of the Indians of the United States, in this world,” writes Father Altmicks, “notwithstanding the good will of some noble, honest and well meaning statesmen. But one thing I know, in the next world there will be a number of our poor Indians— while of our “civilized” people, hundreds of thousands will be cast out.”

GREEN BAY, WIS.

Out of 3500 Indians in this diocese 1300 are classed as Catholics. They are all located on the Menominee Reservation. Two Franciscan Fathers are exclusively engaged in missionary work among them. There is a large Industrial School on the Reservation under the direction of five Franciscan lay Brothers and eight Sisters of St. Joseph. “A total amount of $7,500 is needed for carrying on the work of the mission,” writes the Rev. J. A. Selbach. “As reported last year, our school suffered a loss by fire amounting to nearly $20,000. The building has been rebuilt, its re-erection and equipment running the missionaries into heavy debt. Besides, a new church was sorely needed at Little Oconto and has been built at great expense on the part of the Franciscan Fathers, as yet it is not completed. A very necessary work is the building of a new church at Kinepowa, calculated to be finished during the coming summer, if the necessary means can be gotten for the same. The two old buildings wherein divine service has been held so far, are in ruinous condition, and so small that not more than half the respective congregations can find room therein during divine service. They have to attend outside, the doors being left open. It is needless to add how hard and difficult this is for the poor people, to be thus exposed to the inclemency of the weather especially during the long winter season. As for the Oneida Reservation, there is a little frame church which has to be brick-veneered. An addition ought to be built to this church and also a school house constructed, at least, in course of time. The Government does not help in the least; on the contrary, these (Oneidas) Indians having been Protestants before, made all difficulties possible. The Rector of Freedom Congregation, heretofore attending to the Oneida Mission, is hardly able to do so any longer, as his congregation claims all his time, and he is certainly unable to do full justice to the enterprise of converting many more Oneidas. Wherefore it is absolutely necessary that a priest be given to the Oneidas, having care of them alone. Such a priest would, without the least doubt, convert many, for the Oneida Indians are favorably impressed with the Catholic Religion.”

HELENA, MONT.

There are twelve churches for Indians in this diocese, and sixteen Indian Schools with 930 pupils enrolled. The Ursulines have a mother-house located in the diocese as well as a novitiate. They devote themselves entirely to the education of the Indians of the different missions. “I will be called upon to pay for the debt of the Indian school and novitiate and mother-house of the Ursulines” writes Bishop Brondel. “These nuns were living for seven years in small log cabins and now they have a decent building considerably in debt. Two or three thousand dollars would help considerably.”

IDAHO.

Eleven hundred Catholic Indians are to be found in Idaho, four churches and three boarding schools have been erected for them. “Our Indian Missions continue to be prosperous” writes Bishop Glorieux. “Last June I visited the Coeur d’Alénes, at De Smet, the Nez Percés, at Lapnai and the Kootenais, near Bonner’s Ferry, in the northern part. The magnificent reception they gave me as well as their piety, showed that their faith is still lively. All the Coeur d’Alénes and the Kootenais are practical Catholics. About one-fifth of the Nez Percés, viz., 300 are Catholics, nearly all of whom are practical ones. Many of the Shoshones and Bannocks in the south-eastern part of Idaho were baptized about twenty-five years ago, but owing to the Government policy, the missionaries could not visit them for a long time, and consequently, they have given up their religion. The Lemhis in the eastern part have never been visited, to my knowledge. They number nearly 500. Lack of priests and funds is the principal cause of this neglect. I hope that in a short time I will be able to do something for them.”

INDIAN TERRITORY.

The Indian Territory is a great Indian centre, there being no less than 96,640 Indians within its borders. Of this great number but 3000 are Catholics. These Catholic Indians have six churches which are regularly attended by six Benedictine Fathers, of the Sacred Heart, and one secular priest. There are five Catholic Indian boarding schools in the Territory with an enrolment of 262 pupils. “A school should be built in the Gwokow nation” writes Bishop Meerschaert, “for that nation and other small tribes around. A church there is an absolute necessity. Another school should be built in the Creek nation. We will try a day school in Muscogee where we can build and be able to have sisters. The trouble is that day schools with our Indians are impossibilities. We have to clothe the children, board them and teach them. When our schools are built, if we could have all the children we could accommodate it would be all right, but the Morgan system is there to destroy all. He has been a perfect scourge for our Indians— refusing contracts, diminishing them, building other Government schools at the expense of the Indians, where Catholic schools already existed, and this in order to destroy and ruin them. The Priest of Muscogee Creek Nation attempts to visit nineteen places. He writes that two priests more are needed there and they must be supported, as no help comes from the Indians. I will try to get priests to work for that mission and for many others among the whites in the Oklahoma Territory. These I will have to procure in Europe, as I cannot find them here. Hence, more expense. This country is being populated rapidly. Everywhere new settlements are springing up and towns and cities are developing. These towns and cities are anxious to have churches and schools. As yet there is little money and most is expected from the priest. Protestant associations are building handsome churches everywhere and keeping our work back where we cannot build. Notwithstanding our poverty several new churches have been built this year, thanks to the great efforts and self-sacrifice of the priests on the Missions. Their mass intentions and every cent they can get go to the good work. They live very poorly in order to be able to do the work. They are indeed hard workers and good, pious and zealous priests. The Propagation allowance is $2,897.72. About $3000 below the sum given to me in former years. As the funds of last year were exhausted before my arrival, except $450, I had to use most of the present years’ allowance for the improvements and work of the vicariate. As regards the Indian work; I have opened a new mission among the Creeks, the Guokows and other surrounding tribes. I have to build a church and school for the Guokows, and must help the Creek nation to do the same. I hope the Commission will help us in our poverty, for the money will be well spent in this large territory, the home of nearly 100,000 Indians, and will do a great deal of good. I beg God that I may find self-sacrificing priests and means to do our work. Much good might be done here in a short time if priests and sufficient means could be had. All the priests in charge of the missions work most faithfully and cheerfully, notwithstanding all manner of hardships. I enclose a check for $52.90, the full amount of the collection taken up for Negroes and Indians. The amount is small, but it is the first collection ever taken up for that purpose, I think. And as it is an expression of the good will of our poor people, may our dear Lord accept their good will and give them an abundance out of which to contribute in the years to come. We cannot expect all the means actually needed here in a new country like this, where everything is wanting and resources few— yet with a little, much can be done.”

LA CROSSE, WIS.

There are 1800 Catholic Indians in this diocese out of an Indian population of 3500. These Catholic Indians have nine churches visited regularly by three priests of the Order of St. Francis. Four large schools, attended by 316 Indian children are in good running order, under the direction of Franciscan Sisters. These schools were materially assisted by last years allocation.

MARQUETTE.

About 2700 Catholic Indians dwell in this diocese, over half of the resident Indian population. They have five churches and one school. The churches are visited by two Jesuit Fathers and the school is conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The Missions and the priests attending them were helped by the Negro and Indian Commission at the last yearly distribution.

NATCHEZ, MISS.

Bishop Heslin, of Natchez, has four hundred Catholic Indians in his diocese. They have one church and one school. “The number of Catholic Indians in Neshoba Co., has now increased to 335, a considerable gain over last year. Rev. B. J. Bekkers, with money lately collected from friends in Holland, has made a further purchase of some 600 acres to be portioned out among the Indians according to necessity. He reports the Indians are very much distressed in consequence of the low prices obtained for their crops, which were chiefly cotton. He cannot tell how they will be able to tide over the time lapsing before the new crops. The poor people have no credit, and they are now left dependent on Divine Providence. I must confess that I am comparatively ignorant of the other Indian Colony situated back of the coast; but I expect before long to get better acquainted with them, and to be able to give a more accurate account of them. A great deal has been said about the efforts made, and the aid given by the Indian Bureau and by Mother Catherine Drexel, in behalf of the Indians, but we have as yet seen nothing of them in Mississippi.”

NESQUALLY.

This diocese has quite a large Indian population, there being no less than 18,000 within its limits. About 6,000 of these are Catholics. Seven Jesuit Fathers are here engaged in Indian missionary work while three diocesan priests visit the missions when opportunity affords. There are seventeen churches exclusively for the Indians, while four schools conducted by the Sisters of Providence look to the instruction of the Indian children. “We could have a great many more children at school,” writes Bishop Junger. “About three weeks ago eighteen children were brought to Yakima to go to school, but they were not received as there is no room there, and besides the Sisters of Providence have a great number above their contract. The same may be said in regard to the school at Blanket and Puyallup. Then there are several tribes which would willingly accept the teachings of the Church, but missionaries and priests are wanting. In my last report I mentioned that the diocese of Nesqually does not receive an allocation in proportion to other dioceses, concerning schools, missionaries and churches. I would not reiterate this remark, and it is against my feelings that I do it again; but I think my conscience obliges me to do so. Neither do I begrudge the other dioceses what they receive. In the pamphlet, ‘Mission Work among the Negroes and Indians,’ which was sent me a short time ago, I see on page 21, under the heading ‘Indian Mission Work,’ that Nesqually is not fairly represented in regard to priests and pupils, and especially in regard to the latter. There are only 150 pupils mentioned, whilst if you count them up in my report you will find nearly 400, and this year there are about 450.”

OREGON CITY.

Two thousand, five hundred Indians dwell in this diocese. Eighteen hundred of them are Catholics. Two priests attend the two churches erected for the Catholic Indians. The two Indian schools, one of which is taught by the Benedictine Sisters, report an enrollment of 191 pupils. “Besides the current expenses,” writes Archbishop Gross, “I should like about two or three hundred dollars to erect a modest chapel on the site selected by me recently at the Silety reservation. I should also like some additional donations for the Franciscan Sisters for their school at the Umatilla reservation. In giving my report, I must state that the Klamath Indians are large in numbers, and many of them are Catholics. The reservation is in the hands of Methodists. I made an ineffectual attempt to visit them some time ago. The next dry season I shall go again and preach there, whether the government agent likes it or not. I shall the next time not allow myself to be kept off the reservation. There is a government school for the Indians near Salem, but so far completely in the hands of the Protestants. I paid a most interesting visit to the Silety. These poor Indians had been handed over to the Methodists by General Grant, and the Catholic priests were ordered to remain away from the Silety reservation. I went there uninvited this summer and spent quite a time among them. I was astonished to see how many had preserved the faith. Nearly all of them came to confession. I administered Confirmation to a large number. I am not quite sure as to the number of Indians in this diocese. For fear of exaggerating, I have placed in my report a total, which I believe to be in reality less than the true number.”

ST. CLOUD.

We present an interesting letter from the Mother Superior of the Sacred Heart Industrial School, at Morris, Minn. “I would have replied long since in answer to your kind letter, but I met with a very severe accident, a dislocation of my right shoulder, and I am not well yet. I can use only my thumb and first finger. God grant that I may get the use of the others, for it is a great loss to the poor children that I cannot work. I am anxiously looking forward to September, and I trust what our good Bishop Zardetti asked for us will be granted. Having lost all our crops by hail and having had to build an addition to our building by order of the Government, or lose our children; we are greatly in need. We had to mortgage cattle, sheep and horses. Had I not promised to pay in September we would have lost all. What we get from the Government, $9 per month for the support, clothing, teaching and travelling expenses of each pupil, falls far short of the actual expense. For this reason we try to raise all we can. If we secure what we expect all our difficulties will be over in regard to the Industrial School, as it will be self-supporting. We are teaching the girls all kinds of work. They make their own clothes as well as those of the boys. They knit, spin and weave. We are now teaching them to do store work; so that if any remain with us off the reservation they will be able to support themselves. We are aiming at the plan of the Industrial School at our convent in Brooklyn, which I organized some years ago. If we can induce the parents of the children to let the latter remain with us when their schooling is finished, it will be, in our opinion, the best method of civilizing them. Oh, if we could but have help, how much good we could do for the glory of God and the salvation of these dear souls!... We are praying God to help us now in our struggles and if the Commission will grant what is asked this year, we will not apply again. We are insuring our crops this year for fear of hail and storms.”

Bishop Zardetti, of St. Cloud, endorses the foregoing letter in these words, “I remit to you the enclosed petition, endorsing it from my heart. The Sisters in Morris who are very poor, do much for the Indians in their care, and are, I think, entitled to a subsidy from the Negro and Indian Commission.”

SANTA FÉ.

Archbishop Salpointe has 8,000 Catholic Indians in his diocese. The total Indian population aggregates 25,000. There are 18 churches and 11 schools in the diocese exclusively for Indians. These schools have an enrollment of 433 pupils. Three priests devote nearly their whole time to Indian missionary work. “We intend to carry out our school work on a better plan,” writes the Most Rev. Archbishop. “The agents of Commissioner Morgan are doing all in their power to ruin our schools and to pervert our poor Catholic Indians, by means fair and foul. Their efforts are especially directed against the faith and Catholic allegiance of the Pueblos. If we could maintain our schools and especially if we had the necessary means to maintain two more missionaries to attend the Pueblos of Santa Jamingo, Saguna, Acoma and Zuni, we could arrive at splendid results, because those Indians are better affected now towards the Church, than they have been in years past. Moreover the several thousand Navajoes (the tribe numbers over 20,000, most of whom reside in this archdiocese,) are in sad need of missionaries, since the Gospel has never been preached to them. They need schools, as we have absolutely none for them. They are intelligent, and doubtless, many of them would be won over easily to Catholicity.” Bishop Chapelle of the same diocese writes “I trust that the amount asked for in the names of the Most Rev. Archbishop and my own, will be allowed us. Our Indians are very poor indeed and the resources of the archdiocese, I may say, are _nil_, for the work of evangelizing these poor people.”

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

This diocese contains 1500 Indians, 800 of whom are Catholics. There are two Churches and four schools for these Catholic Indians. Both schools and churches are in charge of the Franciscans.

SIOUX FALLS, S. D.

There is a large Indian population in the two Dakotas. In the diocese of Sioux Falls there are over 25,000. Of these, 5,400 are members of the church. Ten churches are open to them. These are under the charge of seven Benedictine and six Jesuit Fathers. The schools, twelve in number, with an enrollment of 938 pupils, are directed by the above mentioned fathers. “The year has been a most prosperous one,” writes Bishop Marty, “both in conversions and in the formation of new Catholic centres among the Sioux. Especially at the Standing Rock, Cheyenne and Rosebud Agencies. A beautiful new church and parochial residence has been built at Cheyenne Agency, and was dedicated, July 3rd, on the occasion of the Catholic Congress. On the 19th the church was blown down and the house partly destroyed by a cyclone. Only 50 per cent. of the lumber can be used again for building. Five petitions were presented for new churches on the different reservations. Each of these churches would cost one thousand dollars, as building material, as well as labor, is dear at a distance of fifty miles from railroad or river. There is no building material on the prairie. I also have to maintain the missionaries at Grand River and Cheyenne.”

VANCOUVER ISLAND, ALASKA MISSIONS.

There are about 35,000 Indians on Vancouver Island and in Alaska. Only 4000 of these are Catholics. These Indians have thirteen churches and seven schools open to them. Some idea may be had of the extent of the territory within which the Indian Missions are comprised, when we reflect on the vast area, (593,000 square miles) which is included within its limits. Fourteen zealous priests are here engaged in missionary work. According to Bishop Lemmens the prospects for the future are bright. “We have good hopes that all the Indians on the West Coast will ultimately be Catholics; the majority are so now. The Missions on the Yukon River and in the south-west of Alaska are very successful. In all this diocese there are only four churches, in which it is possible to take up a regular Sunday collection. The Cathedral is the only church which brings in any pew rent. All the churches, except four, have to be entirely supported from the general funds of the diocese.”

With the Alaska missions of the diocese of Vancouver Island we bring our report to a close. The foregoing reports from the Bishops of the South and Northwest speak louder than comment on them. The Negroes and Indians stand in need of priests, of churches and of schools. Much good could be done among them if the men and the means were available. A rich field is here open to zealous missionaries, and to the charitably disposed. Let all praise be meted out to the noble few, both priests and sisters, who have consented to consecrate their lives to this laudable work. May heaven continue to bless their labors and to furnish them the meagre pittance of which they stand so sorely in need.