The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-03-10
Father Pipernis Appeal for the Distressed Christian
Children Of the holy Land.

Last week we published the letter Of His
Grace, the Most Rev. Archbishop of New
Orleans, granting permission to Rev. Father
Piperni, Assistant Superior of the Mission in
Bethlehem, to collect aims in this Diocese for
the charitable institutions of that place now
in such q destitute condition. These institu-
tions, which include an orphanage at Bethle-
hem, a normal school in Jerusalem and an
agricultural school in the vicinity of Jerusalem,
were founded in 1868, there being then no asy-
lum or educational establishment for poor chill
dren in the Holy Land. The money necessary
was collected in France, Belgium, Ireland and
Italy Pope Plus TX, of blessed memory, himself
contributing S1260 to the good work. Owing 30
the recent war between Turkey and Rassin
these noble enterprises which, till then, had
pIcspered marvellous!y, threatened with
destruction and the inmates of the several in
stitutions, as wen as the hundreds of destitute
children who daily apply for assistance, are in
imminent danger of starving. That there is
| no exaggeration in what We have said may be
seen by the following extracts taken from let
ters recently received from the Missionaries in
Palestine:
The condition of the nhsbitants of the Holy
Lard is really frightful. War has depopulated
the cities and the rural districts; there are left
no men 10 CutblVaL0 Lno SEOuuus " duG VI COh-
idence is such that the bankers of Jerusalem
have closed their banks. Money has disap.
peared; the price of grain has increased by
half some families who were in atA1ent Cir
cumstances before the war are now 50 impover-
| ished to be compelled to sell their household
effects to procure bread. The Patriarchate of
| that of the Orphans of Bethlehem, and the Con-
vent of the R. r. p. 2. FranciscaDs, are daily
| througed by unfortunates begging bread. The
| orphans are 30 numerous that it IS impossible
1 to o6roit hnT oil tn a 10 In CCh n
| charity has established in JerUs 8lem and also
at Bethlehem. However, the directors of these
charitable institutions work miracles of eccno-
my in order to furnish the necesssries of life to
| the largest possible number OF these poor
friendless children. The asylum at Bethlehem
| is 80 crowded that they have been obliged to
| transform the corridors of the house into dor
| mitories to accommodate some of these unhsp-
py orphans.
| "Our heart is wrung with grief !" writes the
Rev. Father Superior of the Asylum of Bethle-
whom we have been obliged to refuse admit
tance going away weeping. Each day we are
the witness of the most touching scenes. Yes.
terday morning, for example woman came to
inform us that an unfortun ate father, reduced
to the last extremity, Lad resolved to bury
alive his little child by the side of its mother,
deceased the day preceding, because he had
nothing to give it to eat.
1--WE were induced to go to the place, and,
trusting in Divine Providence, we took the
child to add it to our already numerous family,
heart shudders at the thought of being, per-
haps, reduced to the sad necessity of sending
away the poor children whom the good God has
confded to our care"
Father Piperni, who is now the guest of His
Grace, the Most Rev. Archbishop, will at once
commence the collection, as authorized by His
Grace in the letter published in our last issue.
During Lent he will also preach every Sunday
evening at $50 o'clock in the Italian Church OF
St. Anthony of Padua, Rampant street, corner
of Cont.