CHINA
677
CHINA
matter is nol so simple in this case on account of the
relations between the Italian Government and the
Holy See. These claims have no practical effect on
the protectorate of France-, which, with the Missions
Etrangeres of Paris, the Lazarists, and the French
Jesuits, has the lion's share in this immense field of
evangelization.
Hierarchy. — An important imperial decree of 15 March. IS!)!), established on an official basis the rela- tions between the Catholic clergy and the local au- thorities of China; the bishops were placed on an equal footing with the viceroys and the governors, the vicars-general ranked with the treasurers, provincial judges, and Tao-t'ai, priests with prefects. This de- cree was signed at the suggestion of Bishop Favier of Peking, but its wisdom has been much disputed.
Present State of the Catholic Missions. — On 27 April, 1879, the pope gave his approval to a resolution of Propaganda dividing the Chinese Empire into five ecclesiastical regions.
First Region, including the following vicariates Apostolic: In the Chi-li province: (1) South-Eastern Chi-li, erected 1S56; under the care of the Jesuits, res- idence, Chang-kia-chwang, in the prefecture of II<>- kien; Vicar Apostolic Henri Maquet, appointed titular Bishop of Amathus in 1901; 49 priests, 20 native priests, 62,454 Christians, 8030 catechumens, 332 churches and chapels. (2) Northern Chi-li, erected 1856; under the Lazarists; residence. Peking; vicar Apostolic. Stanislas Jarlin. appointed titular Bishop of Pharbsetus in 1900; 43 priests, 54 native priests, 1(15,170 Christians, 20,000 catechumens, 456 churches and chapels. (3) South-Western Chi-li, erected 1853; under the Lazarists; residence, Cheng-ting; vicar Apostolic, Monsignor Brugniere, titular Bishop of d. 1907): 19 priests, 22 native priests. 44.500 Christians, 6530 catechumens, 344 churches or chapels. I I) Eastern Chi-li, erected 23 Dec., 1S99: under the Lazarists; residence, Yung-p'ing; vicar Apostolic, Ernest Francis Geurts, appointed titular Bishop of Hhinocolura in 1900; 9 priests, 1 native priest, 5S23 Christians, 1000 catechumens, 25 churches and chapels. In the Ho-nan Province:
(5) Northern Ho-nan. erected 1S69; under the priests of the Seminary of Foreign Missions of Milan; resi- dence, Wei-hwei; vicar Apostolic, Giovanni Meni- catti, appointed titular Bishop of Tanis in 1903; 12
. 2 native priests, 5432 Christians, 3827 cate- chumens. 70 churches and chapels. In Manchuria:
(6) Southern Manchuria, erected 1S9S; under the
Of the Seminary of Foreign Missions of Paris; residence, Mukden; vicar Apostolic. Felix-Marie Choulet, appointed titular Bishop of Zela in 1901;
32 priests, 8 native priests, 20,628 Christians, 6950
catechumens, h irchi and chapels. (7) Northern
Manchuria, erected 10 May, 1898, under priests of the Seminary of Foreign Missions of Paris; resilience,
Kirin; vicar Apostolic, Pierre-Marie Lalouyer, ap- pointed titular Bishop of Raphanese in 1898; 25 priests, 8 native priests, 15,823 Christians, 8725 catechumens. 93 churches and chapels. In Mongolia: (8) Eastern Mongolia, erected 21 1 >ec, 1883; priests of Scheutveld, Brussels; residence, Sung-tsoei-tze; vicar Apos tolic, Conrad Mbels, appointed titular Bishop of Lagania in 1897; 39 priests, 9 native priests. 17,466 Christians, 7 1 < M ) catechumens, 47 churches and chapels. (9) Central Mongolia, erected 21 Dec., 1883; priests of Scheutveld; residence, Si-wan t.-e; vicar Apostolic, Jerome Van V >i elaer, appointed titular Bishop of Zarai in 1898; 17 priests, 23 native 6244 catechumens, 125 churches and chapels. (10 South-Western Mongo- lia, erected 21 Dec. 1 SS3 ; priests of Scheutveld;
residence, San tao-ho-tze; vicar Apostolic. Alphonse Bennyn. appointed titular Bishop of Stratomcea, in 1901; 17 priests, 1 native priest, 11,430 christians, 4091 c 7i itches and rhapels.
Second Region, including the following vicariates
Apostolic: (1) Northern Kan-su, erected 2] May,
I.X7S; priests of Scheutveld ; residence, Liang-chou;
vicar Apostolic, Ubert <)tto, appointed titular Bishop
of ASSUT in 1S91; 20 priests, 1 native priest, 2702
Christians, 233 catechumens. 23 churches and chapels.
(2) Southern Kan-su I Pref. Ap.), erected 28 April, 1905;
priests of Scheutveld; residence. Ts'in-chou; prefect
Apostolic, Evrard Terhtak; 12 priests, 3 native priests,
1106 Christians, 626 catechumens, 13 churches and
chapels. (3) I-li or Kuldja (Mission), erected 1 Oct.,
1888; priests of Scheutveld; residence, I-li; superior of
the mission, Jean-Baptiste Steeneman; 6 priests, 300
Christians, 2 churches and chapels. (4) Northern
Shen-si, erected 1S44; Franciscans; residence, Kao-
lin-Men, near Si-ngan-fu; vicar Apostolic, Athanasius
Goette, appointed titular Bishop of Lampa in 1905;
11 priests, 26 native priests, 24,100 Christians, 5000
catechumens, 203 churches and chapels. (5) Southern
Shen-si, erected 6 July. 1887; priests from the Semin
ary of Sts. Peter and Paul, Home; resilience. Ku-lu-pa;
vicar Apostolic, Pio Giuseppe Passerini, appointed tit-
ular Bishop of Achantus in 1895; 16 priests, 2 na-
tive priests, 11,489 Christians, 6305 catechumens, 56
churches and chapels. (G) Northern Shan-si, erected
3 Feb., 1844; Franciscans; residence, T'ai-yuan; vicar
Apostolic, Agapito Augusto Fiorentini, appointed
titular Bishop of Rusaddir in 1902; 15 priest-. 16
native priests, 18,200 Christians, 7302 catechumens,
174 churches and chapels. (7) Southern Shan-si,
erected 17 June, 1890; Franciscans; residence,
Lu-ngan, vicar Apostolic, Albert Oderic Thinner,
appointed titular Bishop of Drusipara in 1901 ; 26
priests, 6 native priests, 14,316 Christians, 7926
catechumens, 133 churches and chapels. (8) North-
ern Shan-tung, erected 1839; Franciscans; resi-
lience. Tsi-nan; vicar Apostolic, Ephrem Giesen,
appointed Bishop of Paltus in 1902; 26 priests, 19
native priests, 23,568 Christians. 15,735 catechumens,
1S7 churches and chapels. (9) Eastern Shan-tung,
created 16 Feb., ISO); Franciscans; residence, Che-
f n ; vicar Apostolic. Casar Schang, appointed titular
Bishop of Yaga in 1X91; 26 priests. 5 native priests.
9000 Christians, 1500 catechumens, 153 churches
and chapels. (10) Southern Shan-tung, erected
22 Dee., 1885; priests of Steyl ; residence, Yen-chou;
vicar Apostolic, August Henninghaus, appointed
titular Bishop of Hypsepa in 1904; 46 priests, 12
native priests, 35.301 Christians. 36,367 catechumens,
131 churches and chapels.
Third Region, including the following vicariates Apostolic: (1) Che-kiang, erected 1696; re-estab- lished 1845; Lazarists; residence, Ning-po; vicar Apostolic, Paul-Marie Reynaud, appointed titular Bishop of Fussola in 1884; 30 priests, 16 native priests, 25,126 Christians, N633 catechumens. 153 churches and chapels. (2) Southern Ho-nan. erected 28 Aug., 1882; priests from the Seminary of Milan: residence, Nan-yang: vicar Apostolic, Lngelo Cat t a lie. i, appointed titular Bishop of Hippus in 1905 13 priests. 13 native priests, 12,000 Christians, 6000 Catechumens, S3 churches and chapels. (3) Western
Ho-nan (Pref. Ap.), erected 22 Jan., 1906; Congre- gation of St. Francis Xavier Of Parma; residence. Siang-ch'eng; prefect Vpostolic, Lodovico Calza; 8
priests, 1055 ( 'hrist ians. 201 10 catechumens, S churches and chapels. (4 i Southern llu-nan, erected 1856;
Franciscans ; residence, Sean-sa-van, near Heng-chou;
vicar Apostolic, Pellegrino l.uigi Mondaini, appointed titular Bishop of Synaus in 1902; 15 priests, 6 native
priests, 6499 Christians, 1000 catechumens, 22 churchei
and chapels. (5) Northi rn Hu nan, erected 19 Sept .,
1879; Augustinians; residence, She men. near l.i-chu;
Vpostolic, Lodovico Perez y Perez, appointed titular Bishop of Corycua in 1896; 24 priests, 2 native priests, 2677 Christians. 3317 catechumen
churches and chapels. (6) \orth-\Yestern Hu-pe,
