Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 10.djvu/428

 MISSIONS

376

MISSIONS

aries themselves. A report of comparative failure does not prejudice their cause: the more numerous the dilHculties with which they have to contend, the more conspicuous is their self-sacrifice. As, however, statistics now receive the attention of all denomina- tions, wonis of explanation should be added concerning local diliiculties, and in cases where a non-Catholic might be misled. Thus, e.g., a non-Catholic might not know that a Catholic priest may not, in general, baptize a pagan child without its parents' consent, nor an adult without proper instruction.

The object of mission statistics is to supply the reader with such information as will enable him to

used exclusively of such. How many of the mission- aries are natives should also be indicated, since this information reveals the progress made towards the ideal of all missionary work, the estal>lishment of a native priesthood. Besides the number of mission- aries, exact information should be given concerning the male and female auxiliaries, who are engaged as catechists, as teachers, or to care for the sick; likewise concerning all the lay brothers and sisters (not, how- ever, mere servants) who arc employetl directly or indirectly in the work of evangelization.

(3) Misdon Establishments. — In this category may be classed the mission-stations, churches, chapels,

STATISTICAL TABLE OF

Cathoucs

Cate- chumens

Missionaries

Geoqraphical Divisions

Total

Of

European

Race

Total

Native

Lay Brothers

126,773

1.026.168

1,060,369

56,217

2,242,922

629,797

157.640

About 1.000

14,000

„ 12,000

„ 25,911

„ 80.000

5,000

24.672*

426,480

22.576*

1,133 55,443

233 1.811 1,253

78 2,804 2,937

33

43

550

652

1

1,755

2,256

99

291*

184*

32

617

1,811

IS

5,299,886 170,054

92,840 231,358

74.032 145.359 310.342

137,911

45.000

15.000 50.000 20.000

530,304*

3.930

272,929

17,480

259,870*

9,149

392

313 587 378 347 217

5,257

9

1 2 7

HI 2*

123*

2,930*

291*

445

309

88

N. E

403

African Islands

112*

853,931 401,796* 350.953 112.700 110,711

130,000 150.000 20,000

554,209*

1,842

476* 186 59 138*

1,357*

239*

Central „ 1.

46*

„ „ Indians

Total for America

976.160*

170,000

859*

285*

7,300.031*

6.702.402 1.038.132 3.500.000 3.200.000 1,300,000 4,500,000 1.750,000

437.911

About 10.000 15.000

12,242* 1,100

5.389*

4,863*

Central .,

Mexico Indians

West Indies Negroes

Total of Missions (2)

21.990.534 29,290,565*

25.000* 462,911*

Total (1) and (2)

judge how far the work of the mission has been suc- cessful. The special points on which exact infor- mation is most desirable may be grouped under four heads: (1) Number of Christians; (2) Personnel of the Mission; (3) Mission Establishments; (4) Ad- ministrative .Statistics.

(1) Xumber of Christians. — In recording the number of Christians, a distinction should always be drawn between converted heathens and Christian settlers. While, in most missionary countries, the latter class may constitute so small a proportion of the totals as to be negligible, there are many countries in which the number is sufficiently large to create a false idea of the progre.ss of the mission, if this distinction be not observed in the statistics. A distinction between Christians and catechumens is equally necessary, and under the former head none but the baptized should ever be included. By catechumens are to be under- stood only such heathens as are actually being in- structed for baptism: as they constitute the harvest of the mission, they .shovild never be excluded (as is now too often the case) from the statistics.

(2) Personnel of the Mission. — The statistics concerning the personnel of the mission should state how many are priests, the term missionary being

schools of every kind, hospitals, and charitable estab- lishments. Chief stations are most simply distin- guished from sub-stations by confining the former term to stations which have at least one resident mis- sionary, and the latter to stations where Divine ser- vice is periotlically or constantly held by a non-resi- dent missionary. To attempt to restrict the terra chief station to centres of unusual missionary activity must lead to great imcertainty, as it would be hope- less to expect that any uniform dividing-line could be universally observed. Again, the name sub-station should never be applied to places where instruction alone is given: the number of such might easily as- sume proportions which would almost necessarily lead to misapprehension of the exact position of Christianity in the country. Outposts, such as those here indicated, should (if given) be kept separate from the stations. The schools and educational es- tablishments possess a peculiar interest, since in many lands the task of reclaiming adults of a low cultural level, whose minds are obsessed with superstitions and brutalized by crime, is a well-nigh impossible one. The .stiitistics should always distinguish between male and female, elementary and secondarj', Catholic and non-Catholic pupils, and also between ordinary pupils