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Financial Sttpport for tlee Church in Texas
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First Sunday of Lent. The proposals of the Council were formally approved by the Holy See and the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians began to function immediately. During the sixty-five years of its existence the Commission has assisted to the full extent of its resources practically every Indian and Negro Mission in the United States, including Alaska. Some have required help only in their infancy, while others have been dependent upon it, at least in part, during this entire period. The Commission has supported The Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions in Washington, which in turn has rendered invaluable services to the Catholic Indian schools. Before the creation of other agencies for the home missions, the Commission gave assistance to missionary work among the Mexicans in the South- west, as well as for work among the Colored. Its scope is, however, the maintenance and development of religious work among the Negroes and Indians of the United States. As shown in the succeeding chapter on the Religious Orders, it will be seen that active work among the Negroes in Texas began shortly after 1884. It is only just and fair that a record of the not insignificant aid given to the various dioceses of Texas for this important work since the organization of the Commission be included in this chapter. From 1887 up to 1951 the Commission for Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, whose chairman is His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Spellman, has contributed the following sums: Brownsville-Corpus Christi ........................................ $219,650.00 Dallas .......................................................................... 112,050.00 El Paso ... .... ............................ ...................... ............... 34,650.00 Galveston .................................................................... 212,300.00 San Antonio ................................................................ 156,750.00 Amarillo .... .. ... ..... ..... .. .... .... ...... ......... ... .. ...... .... .... .. .... . 44,000.00 Austin ... ... .... .. .. .... .... ... .. ...... .... ... .... ... ... ... ..... .. .... .. .. .. .. .. 36,000.00 Total ............................................................................ $815,400.oo The liberal donations, added to the others already mentioned, have heen invaluable to the growth of the Church in Texas." American Board of Catholic Missions. The generous help that has • 6 The summary here given of Commission for the Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, from 1887 to August 13, 1951, is based on cor- re!ipondence with the Reverend J. B. Tennelly, Secretary, with the author. The correspondence has been depo!-ited in the C. A. T.
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