Catholic Missionaries

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 16, 16 April 1903, Page 18

Catholic Missionaries

Madame Lohman is a well-known Dutch Protestant writer, with strong rationalistic tendencies She i^ also pretty outspoken in her opinions, as may be gathered from the following extract which the London ' Tablet ' translates from one of a series of articles by her in the ' Amsterdamsche Courant ' on a long and recently completed scientific expedition made by her in the East. Hero is what she has to say concerning Catholic missionaries in the Orient :—: —

' It is impossible not to be filled with sincere respect at the sight of the immense benefits which are diffused by the Catholic religious Orders and missionaries. Catholic faith retains a power which very soon must win a final victory over Protestantism. I know that these assertions will draw down upon me the wrath of a large number of mry fellow-countrymen , but I do not hesitate to repeat that modern Protestant Christianity must end by becoming an empty phrase. In both the East and West Indies, as well as in various parts of Europe, I ha\e had opportunities of observing at close realtors the exemplary lives of the Catholic religious and missionaries, and the prodigies of charity of both the teaching and nursing Sisters. Many of our people, beloie visiting these countries, either through ignorance or human respect, used to insult Catholicism. But C have heard ""them confess with shame, on seeing the miracles of the Catholic Apostolate among the lepers and the despised negroes., that the heroism of Catholic chanty surpasses all that can be imagined, that it is unique in the world and in history.'