The precursor, 1 novembre 1953, Novembre - Décembre

Montreal, November-December 1953 No.12, Vol.XIX,, 31st Year VLP, recurôor Bimonthly magazine published by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, with the approbation of His Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of Montreal.Subscriptions begin with either 2900 St.Catherine Road, the July or the January issue.Cote des Neiges, Montreal 26, P Q Vol.XIX, No.12 Montreal November-December 1953 IN THIS ISSUE The Youth of China to Mary.531 M.I.C.The Holy Ghost Secret Society.533 C.M.B.The Devil Loses Face.534 Sr.Lazarus of Bethany Visiting Our Haitian Posts.537 Sr.St.Mary Magdalen In Our Kowloon Mail.541 Sr.St.Philip Catholic Action in Las Pinas.543 Sr.Genevieve of Nanterre Happy First Communicants.547 Sr.Marie Priscillia Dearth of Harvesters in Cuba.549 Sr.Martha of the Redeemer Departures — 1953.551 Marti Doings.555 Sr.Joseph Edmund Wanted — A Mine of Rosaries.556 Sr.Teresa of the Cross Deluge Over Cuba.558 Sr.Leo Joseph This Sickness is not unto Death.560 Sr.St.Jean de la Lande The Martyr of Futuna.563 Florence Gilmore With Our Novices.566 Historic Sites of Haiti.571 Sr.St.Catherine of Siena Our Beloved Dead.574 $1.00 a year $20.00 for life COVER PHOTO: SMILING COUNTRY LASS OF JAPAN. r-77-yNS:*: PS V,; .v; I j The Youth of Chiha to JMary Lady of China, glorious Empress, Lo, at thy Court, crimson dynasty, Our martyrs throng while we To their triumphant paean unite Our piea. In their footsteps may we follow, fearless.Along the bloody Way.Ready to live the Credo in fullness.To bravely endnre for the right to pray The shackles of pain, the harrowing plight.Let combat within our hearts a quenchless Flame enkindle, fair Mother of Light.To conquer the godless; To vanquish hate Through the victory of love, .Let this be our fate,' .Behold at thy feet, glorious Lady, Thy Legion gathers to swear thee fealty.Lady of Zoze, merciful Empress, When mangled and torn, in the cruel strife.The captives for Christ appeal unto thee, Ah soothe, with gently Lenient hand, .Their tortured limbs.Loosen their galling hands.Linger still near while the Mass of their life Comes at last to the Ite Missa Est, ¦ And usher them into unending rest.' Mother of Light, Dispel the ominous darkness ¦ - That shrouds our land in fearsome night.Thou palace-temple of the mystic East, Welcome us home to the eternal Feast.M.I.C. The Holy Ghost = Secret Society Shou Yi the only Catholic student enrolled at one of the Faculties in a large University provided an easy target for the attacks of the professor of politics.Once in a while she was forced to undergo series of questions in the office of this individual who insisted on ^processing’' her along Marxist lines.Shou Yi happens to be by nature a person of very few words; so these proddings would ordinarily draw from her a mere yes or no.Her reticence greatly exasperated the misguided teacher.“Enough of this” he rasped one day, “You are going to tell me your personal opinion towards the government.Why are all the Catholics reactionists?” The habitually silent Shou Yi unexpectedly became eloquent.“We, Catholics, are not reactionists.Our Church has been founded by God Himself that is why it is called Tien Chu Chiao.Christ, our Founder, said ‘Heaven and earth shall pass but my words shall not pass! ’ Our Church is eternal.Study your history.For two thousand years, how many isms, philosophies, ‘Wei Ta ’ (expression meaning power and majesty which in Communist parlance has come to mean government, people, party, etc.) how many States have passed away; yet, the Church lives on and will live on forever.Even though I am the only Catholic in this University, even though I were the only Catholic in China, nay the only Catholic in the whole world I would still remain faithful to the Church, for it alone has the promises of eternity.My Savior offered up His life for me I would be happy to give mine for Him, for my Faith.The government would do well to meditate these considerations before blaming the Catholic Church.” While the young girl paused for breath, the infuriated professor pounded the table with his fist and snarled: “You, Catholics, are all the same.You certainly belong to a secret society.Today you will speak out.What is this society ?” Shou Yi calmly replied: “Even if I explained you would not understand, but since you ask I will tell you .Our Secret Society is the Holy Ghost.If throughout the whole world we, Catholics, believe and say the same things it is because the same Spirit dwells in our hearts and speaks through our mouth.” Once outside the office, the reserved Shou Yi was bewildered at her own eloquence.She had just experienced the truth of Christ’s words; “When you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, take no thought how or what to speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what to speak .For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.” Adapted from C.M.B. Kowloon, China The Devil Loses Face SR.LAZARUS OF BETHANY(l), M.I.C.In the latter part of February, a priest called at our convent to inquire whether one of our Sisters speaking Mandarin could go out to visit a sick person who wished to study the doctrine in view of receiving Baptism.I had just stepped across the Iron Curtain when Sister Superior assigned me to this pleasant duty.Well and good, I reflected.Here was the wished for occasion of getting even with the arch-enemy of souls who had pestered every way during my last months in Red territory and of making him lose face.My catechumen was called Mrs.Tien.Crushing trials and mishaps of all sorts had finally driven this lady and her husband to their knees before the Lord of Heaven whose Providence had tenderly watched over them and rescued from many dangers.Both greatly admired the Catholic Church and its teachings.During the Japanese occupation they had even solemnly promised to embrace it as soon as possible.Mr.Tien related his story as follows, “One day as we Chinese hid in one of the mountain fastnesses, we suddenly realized to our horror, that Japanese soldiers had completely encircled us.A fearful massacre ensued as we desperately tried to escape.On the point of being captured, I cried out to the great Master of heaven and earth, ‘Thchou, (Master) save me ! I believe in Thee.’ The cave where 1.Josephine Couturier, Piopoliste P.Q. Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 535 I was hiding lay in almost complete darkness.At the very moment when I cried out to God in my anguish, I suddenly beheld a beam of light pointing like a mysterious finger at a narrow canal whose existence I had until then absolutely ignored.Cautiously I crept up to it, thanks to the heavenly light, and thus effected my almost miraculous escape.Then and there I vowed to become a Christian.Soon after this event, hostilities came to an end and I grew so deeply engrossed in material affairs that I forgot about my promise.The Catholic religion continued to hold much attraction for me but its moral standard appeared beyond my reach.During those years of prosperity I did not feel the need of God as I had in my hour of peril.Then God brought me back to my senses once more by punishing me for my lack of generous responsiveness.Since the so-called liberation by the Reds, I have lost my fortune.To crown all my trials, my wife has fallen a prey to a grievous disease.Now, she longs to be baptized and I want to satisfy this yearning of hers.My hour has not yet come .lam not ready just now but some day I surely will become a Christian also.” Mrs.Tien proved the most docile and diligent of pupils.When Easter came around she had learned the principal prayer formulas and mastered the elements of catechism.The Pastor of the parish where she lived declared her ready for baptism.Such was his wife’s overflowing happiness, that the still hesitant husband suddenly declared, “I also wish to be baptized, not later on but right now.” To test his sincerity, I told him to plead his own cause with the parish priest.This he immediately did with the result that Mrs.Tien’s reception into the Church was postponed until Pentecost in order that both could be made children of God on the same day.During the months that followed, they prayed and studied together.Morning and evening they knelt side by side to offer their homage to their Creator.While reciting her daily Rosary, Mrs.Tien always offered one decade for her dear convert.The latter never left for his office without taking his catechism along to study in his spare moments.When he came home from work, both would comment and discuss difficult passages with the eagerness of school age children.On May 31, Mr.and Mrs.Tien were baptized in the Rosary Church receiving the Christian names of Anne and Joseph.They made their First Communion on Pentecost Sunday in our little Convent chapel.During the gala breakfast which followed the ceremony, Mr.Tien kept repeating, “What will Heaven be like if religion brings one such happiness even here below ?” The privileged couple took their leave saying, “We will spend this whole day in thanksgiving for all the precious graces bestowed upon us.At long last we have attained our goal in life.” Since then Mrs.Tien spends her days in prayerful solitude.She confided to me the other day, “Sister, I love to recite the Rosary.I offer the first decade for the Holy Father so that his enemies may cease their shameful outrages.Then I pray for the Catholics of my persecuted country that God may grant them faithfulness until the end.For myself, I beg the grace to be a fervent 536 Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 Christian.I also pray for my husband, for my daughter who still lives behind the Iron Curtain, for my relatives and acquaintances that all may come to the knowledge of the true Faith.My last decade I offer for the poor souls in purgatory.Prayer is my strength and comfort.It helps me to endure the pains of illness and the enforced inaction that used to weigh me down so oppressively.Now, I feel happy in the thought that I can help others by suffering and praying for them.” Why CATHOLICISM Has Not Been Wiped Out In China The Chinese communist premier, Chou En lai, cannot understand why Catholicism has not been completely wiped out in China.He expressed his annoyance at the continued existence of the Faith as he spoke to a group of subordinates in Peking.Pacing back and forth and gesturing angrily, he shouted at the group: “The Japanese army was large, well equipped and well organized, but we communists vanquished it.The reactionary Nationalist forces were also large and well supplied, but we beat them down.The Catholics in China are a relatively small, powerless force.Still after waging war on them for more than a year we have not wiped them out.Why ?” The story of the Red premier’s bewilderment was told here by Dom Paulinus Lee, Chinese Trappist prior, who heard it from Bishop John Ramalho, S.J., of Macao.The persecution of the Church has actually strengthened the Faith in Red China, the Trappist prior said.He supported his opinion by quoting Bishop Lorenzo Bianchi of Hong Kong, who was only recently expelled form Red China.“The Church in China is in a wonderful position.” The prior quoted Bishop Bianchi, “Before its persecution by the communist the Church was almost unknown in China.Today it inspires the admiration of people all over China, thanks to the publicity given it by the communists themselves.” — (Tosei News) VOTIVE LIGHTS IN THE CHAPELS of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception Sanctuary lamp $50.00 Vigil light or candle .10 cents each 90 cents for a novena j $ 3.00 for a month l 35.00 for a year VISITING Our Haitian Posts SR.ST.MARY MAGDALEN (1), M.I.C.On March 21, I arrived at Les Cayes to set out again on March 23 for Les Coteaux, our most distant mission to the South.Horses, jeeps, and trucks are the only means of transportation along the coast.As we left for our mission trip, we were fortunate enough to secure two springless seats in front of the truck while in the rear, the other passengers sat packed like sardines.The heavy luggage was piled sky-high over the hood.Even animals boarded the conveyance.Of course there was the usual motor trouble which gave us a chance to chat with the peasants in the neighboring fields.A mother proudly displayed her baby, a lovely sturdy child, as black as coal.As I made a show of distributing medals, in the twinkling of an eye a crowd, emerging from I don’t know where, gathered around us.Black hands, large and small, waved at half-mast while voices chorused, “A little medal, a little medal, please.” Soon our provision was exhausted, but at the sight of a few safety pins accidentally mingled with the medals, the refrain spontaneously changed to, “Small pins, good Mother, small pins, please !” The crowd was so dense that we had a hard time getting back to our car.The first convent of the Immaculate on the coast is at Port-Salut.Our dusky driver who had badly crushed one of his fingers and could not go on, left us with our dear Sisters.What a welcome we received! One after the other the Sisters dashed out into the entrance hall with exclamations of surprise.My white veil (in tropical climates white veils are worn because of the heat) caused much excitement.One Sister unable to hide her impressions any longer, exclaimed, “Why, Sister, you were so dark at the Motherhouse — and now you are almost fair!” It would have been impossible to assert the same thing of me at the end of my trip.From Port Salut, we rolled towards Roche a Bateau.Seldom have I seen such picturesque scenery as that which unfolded on either side of the road.On the right, the rays of the late afternoon sun shimmering over the waters of the bay, graced every wave with a crest of amethyst and gold; on the left, precipitous ravines blanketed with rich tropical foliage plunged down vertiginous depths.One false move of our truck might have spelt instant 1.Anne M.Magnan, Berthier, P.Q. 538 Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 death for the passengers on the sharp rocks below.Driving along a road that climbed by switchbacks and hairpin turns, we finally reached Roche a Bateau around 6 P.M.Nobody was expecting us.A few moments of pleasant conversation, then we hurried on, for darkness had already fallen.An hour later, we stepped off the truck at Les Coteaux.Here also we took the Sisters by surprise while they were enjoying their recess on the balcony facing the sea.We spent Palm Sunday at this Mission Post.Biblical scenes were vividly recalled to our minds by the primitive pattern of village life.Tiny, faithful burros performed the chores of the farmers.By the seashore, fishermen plied their trade mending nets, scooping up a variety of small fish.Women sauntered from the community well with their water jars gracefully balanced on their heads.As they came and went on this first day of Holy Week, the people carried their blessed palms about.Mammas always bring their babies to church.Oh, the charming concerts that result! One day a woman came in late leading by the hand a wee maid of three or four summers.As Sr.St.Mary Magdalen admires the “flowers”of Haiti. Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 539 there were hardly any places left, I motioned the child to sit on the kneeler of my priedieu.She did so, remaining as quiet as a mouse, shyly stealing glances up at me once in a while.I gave her a holy picture and so deeply absorbed in its contemplation did she become that all I could see of her was her curly top, two little braids looped with blue ribbon sticking out comically on either side.In the various classrooms visited, I struck up many a warm friendship with the pupils.Haitian children are lovable but, mischievous as any.The teachers often have their hands full maintaining order and discipline.Missionary life in these islands is anything but romantic.No missioners should venture out here without a generous dose of self-denial inspired by a deep and abiding love of God and souls.It certainly is no spree for Sister Nurses to dress open, fetid sores all day long in spite of the terrific heat which sends the sweat cascading down faces and hands.I spent a few hours visiting the Port Salut dispensary during the hottest season and my habit and coif were wet through and through.The scenery is magnificent.From the windows our gaze lingers on the vast expanse of the silver-sparkling waters of the Caribbean where innumerable fishing craft rock in the breeze.It was during my stay at Roche a Bateau that I discovered myself aptitudes for riding on horseback over the mornes.In case you might feel inclined to doubt my word, I had a photo snapped just as I was mounting Princess.On May 27, I was back home in Los Arabos, Cuba, in time for the spectacular downpours of the rainy season.In no time at all, the rain flooded the houses, transformed the patios into miniature lakes, blotted out the roads leading to our Colegio.Pupils and teachers enjoyed impromptu holidays as no one could go out in the face of such a deluge.The rain is powerless to cast a pall of gloom over the merry moods of the San Juan Bosco personnel.This morning, June 3, the young as well as the no longer young Sisters opened the “conge” with a roundelay.Life on the missions is just simply wonderful.— .z=— Go, friend, in spirit and kneel beside the Crib at Bethlehem.That little Baby is your Lord and God, the Omnipotent Creator of all things.He is so infinitely powerful that it was mere child’s play for Him to create the entire universe and everything in it.With a mere flick of His tiny finger, He could in one single instant bring it all back into nothingness again.He is powerful enough to do all these things — but He cannot force you to love Him.And He yearns for your love more than anything on heaven or earth.You, His creature, have that little Baby — Almighty God Himself — at your mercy, so to speak.If you will have pity on that tiny little Babe and give Him the love He yearns for, He will in return give you the human peace of mind, the internal happiness, and the freedom from fear you seek in these troubled days, and which the world cannot give you.And not only that, because “eye has not seen or ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love Him” .(Reprinted from Leaves) The refugees get their quota of smiles along with precious food rations as Sr.St.Philip makes her rounds. In Our Kowloon Mail SR.ST.PHILIP (1), M.I.C.On Reverend Mother General’s feast day, July 22, I spent a few hours visiting the sick in the paupers’ hospital with Sr.St.Lazarus(2).Near the entrance of the establishment we espied, lying on the flagstones, a poor man of about forty shaking with fever.I wished it could have been in my power to give him at least a mattress to lie on! Before going in, we spoke a few words of comfort about God and gave him a drink of water for which service he thanked us profusely.Once inside the wards, we found many pearls of great price to offer our dear Savior.Three dying adults and twenty-three babies were baptized in His name.Dear Mother General and my own beloved little sisters in the homeland were given many namesakes among them.An old patriarch of eighty-eight wearing a perennial smile on his wizened face inquired whether he was too old to be made a child of God through Baptism.We taught him to make short but fervent acts of Faith, Hope, and Contrition, then we poured the purifying waters over his wrinkled forehead.In the children’s ward, parents often presented their dying little ones to us so that we might give them their passports to heaven.Out of respect they did not wipe away the baptismal water used to regenerate these babies.Coming out of the hospital, we again crossed the courtyard where lay the sick man we had found alone and unattended in spite of his desperate condition.He lay face upward, the noonday sun shining down fiercely upon his fever-racked frame.His wide-open eyes held a glassy stare and his breath 1.Annette Beaudoin, Champlain, P.Q.2.Juliette Rainville, Beauport.P.Q. 542 Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 came in short, hissing gasps.Already his limbs were cold and stiff and in a few moments all would be over with him here below.As he was unconscious, we conditionally baptized him.Ever since, his dying face has haunted my dreams of the day and night.O for the means to alleviate all human suffering transforming it, through the merits of our dear Lord, into rich heavenly coinage of love! It must have been a tremendous surprise for this poor outcast to exchange the cold, rough pavement for a home in the Halls of Abiding Peace.On this same day, in the early morning hours, fifteen pupils, the children of British soldiers, made their First Holy Communion in our chapel.These youngsters attend a Protestant school where Sr.Marie Alvarez(i) regularly goes to teach catechism.They had a wonderful day.I felt very happy to see each one of them kneeling at the altar rail between his father and mother and surrounded by his brothers and sisters.This was done according to the request made by the military Chaplain.What a precious memory this will be for the children and what a heartfelt joy for the parents also! Daughter of Bonze Starts Legion of Mary Group One of the converts recently received into the Church by Father Sueur, pastor of Numazu, Japan, was the daughter of a bonze.The girl’s home is at one hour's distance from the parish church and to help spread the Faith she took the initiative in establishing a new unit of the Legion of Mary.In the meantime the girl became ill and the priest was called upon to bring her Holy Communion in her home.In spite of her illness, she kept up her work in behalf of the Legion and the first meetings were held at the temple itself in presence of the priest who gave additional instructions there.(Tosei News) Recipient of“Fro EccIesia et Pontifice”Cross Award Mrs.Marcela Martelino Vda.de Reyes, mother of the late Archbishop Gabriel M.Reyes of Manila, was the recipient recently of the “Pro EccIesia et Pontifice" Cross Award from the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII.The 84 year old mother of the late Archbishop was honored with the award, one of the highest tokens of recognition granted by His Holiness, for her meritorious work for the Church in Kalibo, Capiz, her native town.1.Noella Brisson, Cornwall, Ont. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS Catholic SR.GENEVIEVE OF NANTERRE (1), M.I.C.“Christ is calling you!” These words I flung as a challenge to my High School pupils some time ago.Would they heed His call and help promote the Christian way of life among their own?Thirty-four enthusiastically responded to the summons ; Catholic Action had come into its own at Las Pinas High.With the characteristic vim and vigor of youth the seniors immediately set to work organizing their tasks in the different schools.The catechetical section was the first to appear on their program.After a few weeks of training, they sallied forth, two by two, like the disciples of yore to launch their apostolic activities among the children of public schools deprived of any religious instruction whatever.A warm welcome was extended to them everywhere they went.The fact that in a small town everybody knows everybody else may have helped.Worries were to come from other quarters: lack of suitable space, insufficient time to cope with all the work to be done, too many pupils for the number of volunteer teachers.At the central Primary, our Catholic Actionists were allowed to hold meetings in the domestic science department for girls, while the boys assembled in their workshop or outside on the terrace when the weather was fine.In barrios things went even more smoothly as the girls for the most part gave their lessons in their own homes.Consoling results were obtained especially in these rural sectors.It was a lucky thing for me that my own dear mother and my Canadian friends had provided me with scores of holy pictures, medals, and rosaries as welcome rewards for the children.On December 8, our catechists presented Our Lady with the first fruits of their spiritual harvest — thirty-seven First Communicants whom they had carefully prepared for the great day.It would be difficult to tell who were the happier, the teachers or the pupils.This first success encouraged every one to still more generous efforts.1.Genevieve St.Pierre, Montreal, P.Q. These thirty-five First Communicants were prepared for Jesus’ visit by volunteer Catholic Action Catechists of our Las Pinas High School, P.I.Sr.Genevieve of Nanterre stands on the right Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 5 45 Christmas came along with its usual round ot festivities.The seniors spent happy moments preparing surprise packages for the students of public schools with whom they had come into contact.The latter took the occasion to show their gratitude by staging impromptu entertainments which proved very interesting especially to their devoted catechists.During the months that followed, two more groups of First Communicants were instructed and a campaign for the fulfillment of Easter duty was successfully launched.Two other sections of Catholic Action have been formed besides the catechetical unit: the Blessed Sacrament and Marian sections.The principal aim of these is to secure faithful attendance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the daily recitation of Our Lady’s rosary in the homes.The campaigns in favor of these two points have met with remarkable success both in our schoolrooms and in the families visited.Such has been the zeal displayed by Sr.Marie Aristide(i) in charge of the Eucharistic Unit that she won for herself the glorious nickname of Sister Eucharist, among the youngsters who do not know her real name.Sr.St.Edmund(2) to whom the Marian section had been entrusted, found herself confronted with a knotty problem.As she urged the children to do all in their power to help introduce the practice of Family Rosary in their homes one little girl objected, “But, Sister, that’s quite impossible.How can the family be expected to recite the rosary together when our grandparents speak Spanish, our parents Tagalog, and we children use English?’’ The solution lay in having the children adopt their elders’ language at least for the recitation of prayers.Scanning the reports of activities for the past year, we note with satisfaction that Catholic Action is thoroughly organized at our school.Our local units have now joined diocesan ranks and our pupils hold their own at monthly assemblies as well as at the yearly general meeting held in Baguio.Before they leave our classrooms for Colleges and Universities, they solemnly promise to join Catholic Action in these establishments.May Our Lady grant that the flaming torch of faith may thus pass from hand to hand, from soul to soul, until the entire archipelago is set on fire with love for her divine Son.The faith is not fully lived unless you share in the apostolate to the world.Our Blessed Lord was a missionary always.In the very crib, He drew His first converts — the Magi from the distant East, the shepherds from the nearby hills.But His supreme missionary act took place upon the Cross.Here, stripped of the garments that had localized Him, He appeared as the Universal Missionary.1.Irma de Ladurantaye, Cap St.Ignace, P.Q.2.Alice Carrier, Worcester,Mass.Bishop Fulton Sheen S.Marie Priscillia presents her class of First Communicants. %)mv ROCHE A BATEAU, HAITI Jfirst Communtcantsi SR.MARY PRISCILLIA(l), M.l.C.Sr.St.Mary Magdalen(2) touring our missions in Haiti in the name of Reverend Mother General witnessed the joy of our little ones who made their First Holy Communion, one bright Sunday in April.How lovingly they had prepared their hearts and how carefully they had nurtured therein precious seedlings of virtue! Mere babies they may be as yet but they have already gauged the mysterious efficacy of self-denial.Discreetly lifting the cover off their sacrifice box you will find such marvels of generosity as the following, “A little boy swore at me but I kept silent for God’s sake.” “I swept the floor for the love of Our Lady.” “I sat up straight during my lesson.” With the assured confidence that Jesus would not refuse them anything on their day of days, some penned naive little notes.“Dear Jesus, bless papa and mamma and bring them together again.” “Bless Father Lefebvre! Cure him, please! Keep the Sisters who are teaching us from getting sick.” “Help me to learn my lessons easily.” “I want to be good.Help me!” Early on the morning of the great event, our pupils arrived at the convent where they formed ranks to march together to the parish church decked with fragrant flowers and gay bunting.Never had it been filled to overflowing as it was on that April morning.For the first time, all the First Communicants, grown ups and children from different outposts, had been invited to take part in the same ceremony at the Central Mission of Roche a Bateau.This helps to make the faithful feel more like members of one big family.In his stirring allocution, Rev.Roger Paradis, O.M.I., congratulated the devoted catechists who had taken such pains to have all the participants make adequate preparation.“My dear volunteer catechists,” said he, “It is thanks to your zealous endeavors that these one hundred and eighty First Communicants have been made ready to receive Jesus within their hearts.Little children and adults alike will have you always in grateful remembrance for what you have done for them.The entire parish thanks and congratulates you.In the name of God, in the name of the Church and of your parish, persevere in your apostolic activities.Have faith in the words of Daniel : ‘ They that are learned shall shine as the brightness 1.Made Reine Ouellet, St.Ulric of Matane, P.Q.2.Anne Mane Magnan, Berthier P.Q. 548 Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 of the firmament: and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity.’ We rely on you to keep up the good work begun.” When the solemn moment arrived, the little ones with a sweetly serious look on their shining faces, slowly advanced to the altar railing followed by the adults.Before she left, Sr.St.Mary Madgalen assured us she would keep the remembrance of this blessed day in her hallowed shrine of memories.After the ceremony, a photograph was taken of the happy group.As the photographer was having some trouble adjusting his instrument, one little lady coquettishly remarked, “If I have to stay such a Içng time in the sunshine, I won’t come out nice! ” In the assembly hall, the heroes and heroines of the feast were pleasantly surprised to find their respective places each marked with a prayer book, a rosary, and a souvenir card.Exclamations of delight went the rounds as they fingered these treasures.The dear Canadian friends who donated them would certainly have felt more than repaid for their trouble if they could have seen the happiness mirrored on all those dusky faces.God and Our Lady love them, every one! Mass is celebrated once a week in the chapel of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception for the intentions of Subscribers to THE PRECURSOR and all living Benefactors.Association of Charity In the Philippine Islands, there are thirty-nine free schools provided by a group of young, unmarried women known as the Young Ladies Association of Charity.The government has never been able to give free education because of lack of funds.In many instances, students in State schools pay higher fees than those in private schools.The idea of the Y.L.A.C.originated in 1941 with the late Mrs.Aurora Quezon, wife of former President Quezon.During the Japanese occupation, the organization collected food and clothes for the poor.They also ran small schools for the children of men killed or missing in the battle of Bataan.There are now thirty-nine groups belonging to the Association throughout the Islands.Each has its free school and some have a free library and clinic as well.A high proportion of their annual revenue is given by members themselves.The Y.L.A.C.provides vocational instructors for crippled children in the national orthopedic hospital.It also distributes food, clothes and money to families in slum areas in Manila, Cebu and other large cities. SR.MARTHA OF THE REDEEMER, M.I.C.(l.Marie-Marthe Laurin, Beauharnois, P.Q.) Dearth of Harvesters On March 19, a historic event took place in the modest parish church of Colon, the ordination to the priesthood of Joaquin C., second Cuban priest of the Matanzas Diocese.Although born in Guareiras, he lived successively in various pueblos, studied for a while in the Havana Seminary, then left for South America where he spent some time preparing to enter religious life without however coming to any definite decision.He returned to Cuba where he continued to seek his way of life, still uncertain whether to become a priest or a monk.God wanted him to be a minister of the Gospel among his own people.One day as he confided his aspirations to His Excellency Most.Reverend Alberto Martin, the Bishop solved the problem of his vocation by presenting the young seminarian to the Pont Viau Foreign missioners in Colon.Under their direction, Joaquin studied and was trained in view of the secular priesthood.The ceremony was presided over by the Bishop of Matanzas.Its impressive rites were explained to the people who were seeing them for the first time.With visible emotion the young levite received the unctions that made him a priest forever.The ordination over, he gave his first blessing to his parents, his compatriots, and his Canadian confreres.A few days later, we Sisters of Los Arabos had the honor of welcoming the newly ordained priest at our Colegio of San Juan Bosco.An anecdote which happened during his visit here, shows clearly the young priest’s missionmindedness.He had given Sr.St.Dominic(i) directions about some painting he had ordered from her studio, when the latter remarked, “I could draw a chalice and below the island of Cuba .” 1.Laurette Lapointe, Jonquiere, P.Q.LOS ARABOS CUBA 550 Montreal THE PRECURSOR November-December 1953 “No, no,” Father Joaquin countered, “Not Cuba, Sister, but the world.Draw a globe like this — Fm a missioner for the whole world.” May the seed cast into the furrow at the cost of such strenuous labors on the part of the missioners, yield rich harvests of priestly vocations in Cuba.There are so many thousands here, especially in rural districts, who do not live up to their Christian ideals because there are no spiritual shepherds to minister to their needs.Children grow up an easy prey to atheism or religious indifference because of the lack of Catholic schools.We would like to have the gift of bilocation so as to be able to reach all the campos to teach young and old the only science that is essential to win everlasting happiness.Pray that numerous laborers may flock to the Master’s vineyard.May God multiply the number of Joaquin among the generous, idealistic Cuban youth.* * * PHILIPPINE ISLANDS Filipinos Build National Shrine of OUR LADY Led by the mayor of the town, the people of Antipolo in Rizal province are donating their labour to build the first national shrine to the Blessed Virgin in the Philippines.The shrine will be dedicated to La Virgin de la Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo —• the Virgin of Peace and Safe Voyage of Antipolo.The national move to construct a half-million dollar shrine to the Virgin of Antipolo received its impetus from the late Dona Aurora Quezon, wife of the first President of the Philippines, who was assassinated by the Huks in Quezon province in 1947.Every day farm workers, truck drivers, mechanics, barbers, shopkeepers, and even municipal officials turn out at the town plaza to receive their assignment for the day’s work on the shrine.The parish priest, Rev.Fr.Franciso Avendano, has divided the town and surrounding villages into specific areas, and daily volunteer labourers from the designated area put in a day of hard work for the shrine.The ladies of the parish serve a hot noonday meal to the volunteers, and Father Avendano passes out free cigarettes.The Standard My Christmas assignment was to fix a crib for the Chapel.I found a wooden box and asked a Mohammedan carpenter to cut out a door and a window in it.By evening my little stable was ready.Then I noticed that the box stable had two large doors and not one door and one window as I had requested.“Abdul, why did you make two doors instead of a door and a window,” I asked.“But Sister, you must have two doors in a house so when the husband and wife begin to fight, before they get too angry the husband can run out of one door and the wife out of the other.Every house must have two doors, Sister!” Sr.M.Bernadette, PIN ID 1953 Departing Group During the course of the present year, twenty-nine Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception left their Motherhouse for different countries where their Society is privileged to do its share in the gathering-in of the harvest of souls.For Hong Kong, China: Sister Marie Emmanuel (Berthe Crevier, St.Ann of Bellevue); Sister Helena Marie (Helena Foung, Canton, China).For the Philippine Islands: Sister of the Holy Heart of Mary (Agnes Lavallee, Winnipeg); Sister St.Albine (Therese Lemay, St.Hyacinthe); Sister Marie of Pontmain (Monique Langevin, Quebec); Sister Cecile of the Angels (Cecile Kirouac, Bristol, Conn.); Sister Marie Pia (Huguette Turcotte, Mont Joli); Sister Marie Joseph (Aurora Augusto, Manila, P.I.).For Nyassaland: Sister St.Remi (Josephine Beneteau, Amherstburg, Ont.); Sister Marie Corinne (Rollande Langevin, Quebec); Sister St.Peter of Verona (Marie Jeanne Plante, (Levis); Sister Jeanne of Lorraine (Carmelle Delisle, Pont Rouge); Sister St.Serge (Jeanne d’Arc Corriveau, St.Sebastian d’Iberville).For Madagascar: Sister Marie of the Holy Savior (Marie Antoinette Bolduc, Quebec); Sister St.Ferdinand (Lucienne Ferland, Lac Megantic).For Rome: Sister St.Honore (Lucia Mercier, St.Honore of Beauce); Sister Marie Edwidge (Marie Paule Gaudreau, Rimouski).For Haiti: Sister St.Solange (Ida Brochu, St.Benoit Labre); Sister St.Leopoldine (Benoite Labelle, Pont Viau); Sister Marie Leopold (Marie Paule Blanchet, Lambton) ; Sister Marie Herve (Annette Gouger, St.Henri of Mas-couche); Sister Marie Eva (Marie Claire Adam, Montreal); Sister St.John Eudes (Marcelle St.Gelais, Montreal).For Cuba: Sister St.Marie Madeleine (Anne Marie Magnan, Berthier); Sister St.Febronie (Juliette Bournival, (Three Rivers); Sister Suzanna of Jesus (Suzanne Longtin, Montreal); Sister St.Eveline (Annette Bergeron.Kenogami); Sister St.Nemese (Claire Garceau, Three Rivers); Sister St, Leandre (Jeannine Moreau, Quebec). 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