The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-23 00:00:00

CATHOLIC BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the members and subscribers to
this society, was held last night, in St. Nicholas's School,
Copperas-hill, Rev. Mr. SHERIDAN, in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN after briefly stating the objects of the
society—namely, to assist their poorer brethren, particu-
larly at this festive season, said that much cruelty was prac-
tised towards their poor by the poor law officers. He
thought that the society should take up this matter, and
should furnish the priests with a condensation of the law,
that they might know how to act when visiting the sick and
impoverished. If their poor were entitled to the law's pro-
tection, they should receive it, but unless the society took up
the quarrel they would continue to be denied their rights.
The Chairman particularised one instance in support of his
statement.
Mr. SHELL then read the annual report.

Mr. CORBALLY, treasurer, submitted a statement of the
accounts. Balance since last year, £lO 18s. 9d. ; donations,
£l2B 16s. ; subscriptions, £BO 3s. 6d. ; church collections,
£79 Is. 6d. ; Catholic ball, £lO 15s. 6d. ; total, £309 14s.
2d. Distributed to the clergy for relief, £267 lOs ; adver-
tising, &c., £6 6s. ; postage, &c., 15s. 7d. ; collector's com-
mission, £3 16s. 7d. ; balance in hands, £3l ss. 10d.; total,
£309 14s. 2d.

The Rev. Mr.CoLLYNs moved the adoption of the report.
In doing so he observed that he entirely sympathised with
the chairman, in all that he had said concerning
the distresses and wants of the Catholic poor of this town.
No one who had the slightest acquaintance with
the poor distriets of Liverpool could doubt for a moment
that there existed throughout them the deepest distress.
which called for the moqt netivo cxe, Lion. of uhristian charity
to 'alleviate it, and to give to the sufferers that comfort which
it was their duty to afford them as members of the Catholic
church. They could not doubt that if there was any ob-
ject which, above all others, was worthy of the attention of
Catholics, it was that of giving relief to the destitute poor.
(Rear, hear.) It was not on behalf of those who made a
trade of begging that they appealed. No, they spoke on
behalf of the deserving Catholic poor---in behalf of those
who, by unfortunate circumstances, had been reduced to
distress, and whose virtue and modesty forbade them to put
their claims before the public. They spoke in behalf of
those poor who were found by the sisters of charity and
mercy who visited them in their cheerless homes, and there
beheld the wretchedness of the living, and the absence of
every comfort that could soothe the dying. (Applause.) It
became the duty of the society to put those claims before the
public, and by doing so earnestly, they might rely on suc-
cess. (Rear, hear.)
Mr. JAMES GIBSON seconded the resolution, which was
unanimously adopted.
Mr.SHEIL proposed the next resolution, which was to the
effect that the society, on behalf of the sick and destitute
poor, tendered their grateful acknowledgments to the many
Men& who, during the past year, had generously contri-
buted towards their funds. The speaker briefly, but forcibly,
urged the claims of the:society on the Catholic public.
Rev. Mr. DUTERRE seconded the resolution, which was
unanimously adopted.
Mr. GERARD LYNCH proposed the next resolution,
namely, " that they endeavour, by active and strenuous
exertions, to increase the funds of this society, and thereby
extend and enhance its influence." Mr. Lynch observed
that no Catholic institution in Liverpool deserved greater
support than this society, and urged all Catholics to support
it by their contributions and advocacy.
Rev. Mr. SUTTON seconded the resolution, which was
unanimously adopted.
On the motion of Mr. THOMAS DALY, seconded by the
Rev. Mr. AYLWARD, the officers for the next year were
appointed.
On the motion of Mr. FRANCIS ROCKLIFF, seconded by
the Rev. Mr. I:arm/480N, the thanks of the society were
given to officers for the past year.
At the conclusion of the meeting, which was far from nu-
merous, a collection was made, and Mr. JOHN YATES, jun.,
the secretary, announced at the close that it amounted to
4148..