Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 130, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1910 — PLANS SCHOOLS FOR SOUTH. [ARTICLE]

PLANS SCHOOLS FOR SOUTH.

Prieat Pledgrca Himself to Raise flloo,ooo Yearly to Help Segroes. A movement has been started by the church in the United States for the wholesale conversion of negroes and the Rev. John E. Burke, pastor of the only Roman Catholic church for negroes in the city— the Church of St. Benedict the Moor, in West 53d street— is in charge of the work, the New York Evening Telegram says. It Is the plan of Father Burke, who has the active support of all the prelates in the country, to raise SIOO,OOO every year In order to establish new schools, mission chapels, substantial churches and a seminary. At present there are only four negro priests In missionary work among their own people and their field is confined t<y. the. southern states. The intention of the church authorities la to pssaßsftasfsr-m. lw interest la the extraordinary cam

paign and recently he sent a circular letter to the clergy and laity of the oountry calling attention to the needs of the negro mission movement and urging all to make a special effort to help it along. Father Burke, in speaking of the needs of the Catholic negro of the country, said: "We want to tear down the old mission chapels of the south which are dilapidated and build new ones. We want to build substantial churches where they are needed and establish parochial schools for the education of —e young. The colored people themselves have not the means to do these things. “We also want to get more young men of the race to study for the priesthood and seminaries will be necessary. Our idea is to make this not only a campaign of religion, but one of education as well, for we realize that both go hand in hand, and- to make colored people of the south good Catholics we will have to educate them.” Most of the funds to be raised by Father Burke will be used for missionary work in the southern states.