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 HOLLANDERS

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HOLLANDERS

Hollanders are, of all non-English speaking peoples, the most apt at learning the language and adopting the customs of the United States. The fact that in these schools, established by Dutch immigrants, the rich language of the Netherlands is entirely ehminated, would seem to confirm this opinion It may be said that the Dutch Catholics, both at home and abroad, have shown themselves strong advocates of Catholic education. Hence it is that, in parishes where their number is insufficient to form a congregation of their own, they pledge their material and moral sujiport to parochial institutions irrespective of nationality, and they manifest appreciation as well as fidelity in regard to the faith which their forefathers kept and cher- ished through centuries of governmental oppression and other forms of adversity. In 1902, the Premon- stratensian Fathers from Heeswijk, Holland, founded St. Norbert's College at Depere, Wisconsin. This college was erected primarily for the education of young men aspiring to the priesthood, secular or regular; but a Ijusiness course was introduced later. Although opened only seven years ago, it is now in a flourishing condition, numbering ninety students, fifty of whom are preparing themselves for the priesthood. The Dutch Sisters of Mercy, at Baltic, Connecticut, conduct an academy for young women, and have an enrolment of ninety pupils. Of Dutch non-Catholic educational institutions may be men- tioned Hope College (1S66) and the theological sem- inary (1866), both at Holland, Michigan; and acade- mies at Orange City, Iowa ; at Cedar Grove, Wisconsin ; and at Harrison, S. Dakota; all lielonging to the Dutch Reformed Church, which at present is divided into two sects, the "Christian Reformed" and the "Reformed Church", while the Rev. Mr. Hugenholtz started a Liberal (Unitarian) Holland Church, at present quite insignificant, in Michigan.

Journalism. — There are sixteen Dutch periodicals in the United States: one in Chicago; four in the State of Iowa (one at Orange City, two at I'ella, one at Liona Centre); seven in Michigan (three at Grand Rapids, three at Holland, and one at Kalamazoo); two at Paterson, New Jersey; one at Rochester, New- York; and one at Depere, Wisconsin. These jour- nals are all weeklies. Their subscribers, taken col- lectively, number about 70,000. The "Volkstem" (Voice of the People) published at Depere is at present the only Catholic pul^lication in the Dutch language. The "Holland Amerikaan", issued weekly at Roch- ester, New York, though non-sectarian, strongly promotes Catholic interests; the other newspapers — of which "De Hope" and "De Gronwet", publi-shed at Holland, Michigan, and "De Volksvriend", at Orange City, Iowa, are of main importance — espouse the cause of the Dutch Reformed ('hurch.

Communities and Churches. — There are two Dutch religious orders in the United States, one of men, the other of women. The Premonstratensian Fathers, more commonly known as Norbertines, from their founder, St. Norbert, came to America in Novem- ber, 189.3, from their abbey at Heeswijk, in North Brabant, Holland. They came at the request of Bishop S. G. Messmer, of Green Bay (now Archbishop of Milwaukee), Wisconsin, to take charge of the Belgian missions in his diocese. In 1898, they canon- ically erected a convent at Depere, Wisconsin. In 1901 a novitiate of the order was also established with papal approbation. These fathers, faithful to the motto of their founder Ad omne opus bonum parati (Ready for every good work) have charge of six Belgian congregations and seven missions in the Diocese of Green Bay. They are, furthermore, en- gaged in parish work in the Dioceses of Marquette and Grand Rapids and in the Archdiocese of Chicago. They also conduct St. Norbert's College, mentioned above. The order in America numbers twenty-one priests, three scholastics, five novices, and four lay

brothers. The Sisters of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, came to America in 1874 from their mother-house at Tilburg, North Brabant, Holland. They began their first mission at Baltic, t'onnecticut, in the Diocese of Hartford, which is at present their headquarters. They also opened two schools and a city hospital at Willimantic, Connecticut, and one school at Tafts- ville, Connecticut. Since these sisters have taken charge of missions in the Dutch East Indies, they have declinetl to open any more houses in the United States. The order in America has seventy-si.\ professed sisters, eleven novices, and four aspirants, while 1900 pupils receive a Catholic education through their devoted efforts. There are in the United States seventeen Catholic Dutch congregations and a few smaller missions, some of which have been more or less mixed with other nationalities, especially with the Flemish. The Dutch are, moreover, well represented in several other parishes, especially in the States of Michigan, South Dakota, and Montana. The Dutch priests, secular and regular, number 137 — a significant indi- cation of the strong missionary spirit of the small Catholic population (2,000,000) of the Netherlands.

Distinguished Dutch Americans. — Among the fore- most of these was the Most Rev. Francis Janssen, for whom see New Orleans, Archdiocese of. The Rev. Th. van den Broek, O.P., was born at .Amsterdam in 1803, and was ordained priest after entering the Order of Preachers. In 1832 he entered upon his missionary career in Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, he was one of the pioneers in the present Diocese of Green Bay, where also he began his first Catholic colony of Hollanders at Little Chute (1848). This afterwards developed into seven others. He was a man of extraordinary activity in the missionary field and of deep piety. On .\11 Saints' Day, 1851, while speaking to his flock of the glory and happiness of the saints, he was attacked by apoplexy and died 5 November, 1851. He was buried in the church at Little Chute, Wisconsin, where the Dutch have erected a magnificent monument to his memory. ■The Reverend .\rn. Damen, S.J., was born at De Leur, Holland (N. Br.) 20 March, 1815. He en- tered the Society of Jesus and set out for .America with several others under the guidance of Father De Smet, S.J., was made a profes.sor in St. Louis LTni- versity, and soon after became pastor of the college church at St. Louis. In 18.57, he maugurated a church and school in Chicago on the spot where now stands the Church of the Holy Family Church and the College of St. Ignatius. Though Father Damen accomplished meritorious work in the line of Catholic education, still his main achievements were the mis- sions which he gave in nearly every important city in the United States. He died at Creighton College, Omaha, Nebraska, 1 January, 1890. — For the Rt. Rev. Cornelius Van den Ven, see Natchitoches, Diocese of.

Thrift, economy, cleanliness and other domestic qualities make the Dutch desirable citizens of our Republic. Religious intlifference is, generally speak- ing, unknown to them, but with an undying fidelity, they cling to their respective beliefs. The Catholics are noted for their faithfulness in attending services on Sundays. It is especially in rural districts that the Hollanders have obtained the best success in their material undertakings. Coming from a land which is famed as a dairy country, and accustomed to labour, they have proved themselves fit to stand the unavoidable hardships of pioneer life. Many of them have attained a remarkable degree of prosperity.

FiSKE, T/ie Dutch and the Quaker Colonies in .-imerica (Bos- ton and New York. 1899) ; Griffis. The Story of New Nether- lands (New York. 1909); Sister M. Alphonse, The Story of Father van den Broek (Chicago, 1907); Annual Report of the Commissioner General of Immigration (W.ashington, 1908); Bureau of Statistics, Immigrnlion into the United States (Washington, 1904); Valette, The Globe, VIII (New York, 1S98), 318; Kutper, Varia Americana (Ainsterdam and Pre-