The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-07-30

Assembiy. ut philadelphia. July 9th, were then
read. Among them was one Of such general
interestthst We reproduce IL in the hope the,
It wingbe read carefully and thoughfully con
siderea by all our patrons;
| -. Mr.. Jas. Lynch, President of the
Superior Council Of New York said: "There
are IN all the Eastern cities, but more especially
| rem, large proportion of whom are unfortun.
| ately Catholics Some of them are orphans
| others, the children Of parents who Gre drunk.
| ards, and who neglect them. They roam the
streets almost naked, depend on charity for
what they eat, eleep in slleyways, cellars or
convenient carts and trucks. Sometimes they
| orally they steal, pick pockets or, becoming
the pupils Of old thieves, are instructedin every
class and grade of crime, in which they are
apt pupils Sometimes the law interferes with
their course of criminality but if not they
generally graduate "a professional thieves and
go to swell the constantly increasing members
of the criminal classes.
Where the law does interfere they are gen.
orally given in charge to some of the numerous
charitable societies whose plan of dealing with
them is to instil into their minds hatred OF
succseded, to deport them to the West, linden
ture them to Protestant families, whose names
the children assume, and by whom they are
brought up to forget the race from which they
sprung and the faith in which they were born,
or to remember them only with scorn and
hate True, there are Catholic institutions
into which such waifs are received, but they
are entirely insufficient to meet the demands
that ara made ON them and, not having the
outlet that the Protestant societies have, they
are able to attend to the wants Of comparatively
few; Day afser day.. week after week, the
Children,s Aid Societies are picking up the
Catholic children of the East-not by units
but by hundreds. They have their agents
in every court, their emissaries in every street.
1t Is not rash to assert that two-thirds of
the children 30 disposed of are Catholics. If Pro-
testant societies can procure homes for these
children In the WeSssrn States, why cannot
Catholics do the samef There are now in the
New York Catholic Proteotory about fourteen
hundred boys, at least eight hundred OF whom,
IT they were at proper occupations, would be
able to earn their own living, and none of
whom would be q burden to any family In
which they might be received. Tho same
might be the case in other cities to greater or
less extent.
children there is not the least Uoubt. The
matter need only be brought to the attention
OF the Catholics Of the West to secure their
cooperation.
{" Il is then, for the Western conferences to
make an effort. Each member should canvass
all the Catholic families in his ghborhood
and whenever one is found able to take charge
OF one OF these poor waits, they should be
" Thus, vacancies would be created in the
institutions Of the East. which would be filed
from the ranks of those who are now falling
" Remember that each child taken off the
street is a sonl saved to God, and member to
The Church."
Rev. T. J. Abbot. CM., Of St. Stephens
Church, then addressed the meeting, dwelling
principally upon the necessity of active work
N behalf Of our poor boys. Here was the
Home, established for the purpose of rescuing
1riendless youths from idleness and vice,
Ind teaching them trades whereby, in q
ew years, they might become selE.support
ng. The Society had succes ded in purchas-
ng the building and grounds and had sup
ported, on average, 100 boys year for
} number Of years past, bat it had never
'een able TO establish work. shops. Now,
With few thousand dollars, the institation
'ould be developed upon the style of the New
FORK ProtectOry. where the boys were taught
IL trades such as shoemaking, experimenting,
printing, tailoring, blacksmithing, etc. In one
inc of business alone, he was informed, that
.pon an outlay of 90 500, after years APP
IRON ticeship, the boys would be. able TO make
.bont 81, 500 per annum. He thought that with
proper management and q small amount Of that
;eal which should characterize the Vincentisn,
he money could be collected, bot if donations
o that amount could not be secured, then let
t be borrowed. The Home, he thought, should
% made II not entirely at least partially self
Importing.