Voucher camp aig n tactics and claims criticized by bishops hile neither endorsing nor opposing the school voucher initiative on November 's state ballot, the Catholic bishops of California have issued a statement criticizing "exaggerated and unfounded claims on both sides of the issue," especially "negative assertions which imply that institutions such as Catholic See full text of bishops' statement on page 5 schools lack accountability or properly credentialed teachers." Made public Monday, the roughly 600-word commentary urged "that negative campaigning about Proposition 38 be recognized for what it is — the enemy of the common good and of the educational needs of all of California 's children." Saying that persons who vote in favor of the initiative — often called the Draper Initiative — could be said VOUCHER, page 5
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Visitors to the TaipeiMunicipal Museum in Taiwan view an oil painting titled "Chinese Saints". The painting by Taiwanese artist Le Chien-ping depicts the granting ojsainthood to Chinese Catholics executed as heretics during China 's Ching Dynasty. On Sunday, PopeJohn PaulU will canonize an additional 120 Chinese martyrs - 87 of them Chinese and 33foreignmissionaries.
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Overcoming hardships, Chinese Catholics enrich local Church By Jeffrey Burns , Ph.D.
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_X_ he terms "Catholic " and "Chinese" have not always fit together easily. Stereotyping and misunderstanding have made the terms seem incompatible, but Catholic Chinese have been present in San Francisco since the beginning of the Archdiocese. Though only a tiny fraction of Chinese are Catholic , their presence has deeply enriched the Church in San Francisco. Also see "Chinese communities prepare to celebrate Oct. 1 canonizations," page 11, and editorial , page 12.
An unidentified Sister of St.Josephof Orange teaches students at the Holy Family Chinese Mission School in 1955.In 1921, the Holy Family Chinese Mission was off iciall y established at 902 Stockton, the same year that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange arrived to staff the newly fo rmedelementary school.
Like everyone else, Chinese immigrants began arriving in California during the Gold Rush , numbering some 25,000 by 1852. Regrettably, the Chinese did not receive a hosp itable welcome from the City of St. Francis. From the time of the earliest arrivals, the Chinese experienced intense racial discrimination and hostility. Many Catholic San Franciscans were no better in this regard than their fellow citizens. In 1873, Jesuit mission preacher James Bouchard was guilty of a CHINESE CATHOLICS, page 10