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Show . y Japanese Catholics. It may be interesting to give just now a few facts about the real situation of Catholics in Japan, Ja-pan, which haA'c been communicated by a Missionary Mission-ary Brother. Japan has some forty-five millions of inhabitants. Of these 64,000 or 1-T00th part, are Catholics. These 64,000 Catholics are divided into one Archdiocese and three dioceses. The.'elergy are French Priests sent out by the Frnch Missionary Mission-ary Society, whose headquarters are in Paris. There are. at present 11!) of these zealous missionaries in Japan. The Trappists ha-e an agricultural establishment estab-lishment in Hokkaido, and four different orders of women are represented in Japan, with about 75 or 100 members in all. They have charge of schools, orphanages, etc. The Brothers of Mary, whose headquarters aro or were in Paris till Combes ordered or-dered them out, are in Japan since 1888. The first community of five brothers has stea'dily been on the increase and at present they have fifty Brothers, Broth-ers, four schools Avith 2,000 pupils, including night scholars, etc. The Sisters and those missionaries in charge of . orphanages are paid by the Society of the Holy Childhood. The Brothers of Mary Avcre financially supported by the motherhouse in Paris until Combes droA'e them out of France. It is true the scholars pay a small tuition fee, but it does not go far to buy property aud build schools. At present pres-ent the Brothers in Osaka are putting up a $15,000 school. They have 300 scholars and expect 400 on April next at . the beginning of the school year. The money has been borroAved in France. The Brothers opened a school in Yokohama two years ago. They are living in rent, paying $100 per month. |