Out of 3500 Indians in this diocese 1300 are classed as Catholics. They
are all located on the Menominee Reservation. Two Franciscan Fathers
are exclusively engaged in missionary work among them. There is a
large Industrial School on the Reservation under the direction of five
Franciscan lay Brothers and eight Sisters of St. Joseph. “A total amount
of $7,500 is needed for carrying on the work of the mission,” writes
the Rev. J. A. Selbach. “As reported last year, our school suffered a
loss by fire amounting to nearly $20,000. The building has been rebuilt,
its re-erection and equipment running the missionaries into heavy debt.
Besides, a new church was sorely needed at Little Oconto and has been
built at great expense on the part of the Franciscan Fathers, as yet it
is not completed. A very necessary work is the building of a new church
at Kinepowa, calculated to be finished during the coming summer, if the
necessary means can be gotten for the same. The two old buildings wherein
divine service has been held so far, are in ruinous condition, and so
small that not more than half the respective congregations can find room
therein during divine service. They have to attend outside, the doors
being left open. It is needless to add how hard and difficult this is
for the poor people, to be thus exposed to the inclemency of the weather
especially during the long winter season. As for the Oneida Reservation,
there is a little frame church which has to be brick-veneered. An
addition ought to be built to this church and also a school house
constructed, at least, in course of time. The Government does not help
in the least; on the contrary, these (Oneidas) Indians having been
Protestants before, made all difficulties possible. The Rector of Freedom
Congregation, heretofore attending to the Oneida Mission, is hardly able
to do so any longer, as his congregation claims all his time, and he is
certainly unable to do full justice to the enterprise of converting many
more Oneidas. Wherefore it is absolutely necessary that a priest be given
to the Oneidas, having care of them alone. Such a priest would, without
the least doubt, convert many, for the Oneida Indians are favorably
impressed with the Catholic Religion.”