The Irish standard., 1886-07-10
MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL. SATURDAY. JULY TO- 1886

APOLIS AND ST. PAU
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cietles for the orphans, societies for the
sick, societies for the ignorant, socie-
ties to gather in the outcasts Of the
world, and such has ever been the his
tory of the Catholic Church, and such
is our record to-day the world over.
The Catholic Church is q great work
house Of charity, q great agency OF di-
vine charity: and what is the motive OF
all this charity, OF all these sacriflces2
Simply this. that ia serving our fellow
men we serve God. We don't mind
their defects, their Deficiencies; we
mind Gods love TO ourselves, and we
evidence our love to him by our love TO
our neigbbor. II we had merely human
motives it would last so long as it were
easy to give our money, but when it
would come to the long run Of our
lives, we would find then weakness in
human motives; we would need the
love Of God that would give the
strength OF God without the thought OF
any possible reward on earth. II we
were to look for the reward on earth,
we should not, could not, find it. and
charity would dry up. Very often our
motives in the cause OF charity are mis-
understood and criticized. What's that
to us? Tt isn't for the sake Of men, it's
for God, and God will not forget it.
Now, my dear brethren. among the
great appeals Of Christian charity 1
know of none SO strong as the appeal of
the little chi|d--the orphan. Some
times it may be through the faults Of
relatives it is left to the cold care OF
the world, no one by natural existence
caring for it. What is the little child
to do? Unless tender souls come for
ward to help it it will die. In the Holy
Scriptures Almighty God declares that
he is especially the friend of the orphan,
therefore recommending the orphan to
us as an especial care for us. I can
then easily imagine, my dear breth-
ren, that because Of the purpose
to which this building is to be
consecrated, the smiles Of heaven rest
upon MS this evening. God approves OF
our work; it is in his honor, fol- his
love, and the angels Of charity hover
around us. The orphan is left to u.s.;
he is our Wald, QUE child. Certainly
there is no Catholic charity in him who
tlmns away from the orphan. Woe to
him who turns away and says, he is not
my child. God, in the last day will say
to him, you refused to lake care Of my
child and what can you expect from me
5hrough all eternity? But blessed is he
who cares for the orphans. He can say
on the last day: 20, Savior, saved
the orphan for thy sake, now help me,
and because of charity that Christian
shall be saved. Charity covereth q null
titude Of sins. Those that lead others
unto the Lord shall shine in eternity.
See that they are instructed to make
them self-supporting men and women,
and contribute to their support. 1t is
often said, we have read it, we have
heard of it, that there is no need of an
asylum. Those who speak this way
speak without knowing all the facts.
Homes cannot be got for the orphan.
There are no doubt instances where
Christian men and women, through
pure motives, adopt an orphan child
and bring him UP as their own; and
when such homes are found, we gladly
place in them our orphans, when we
are sure that they have the true spirit,
that the orphan is safe. But these
homes are few and far between, and
we have the orphans by the hundreds,
where homes cannot be found. have
met them by the tens and the twenties
where selfish people have offered to
take care Of the orphan only to make it
their slave. And we have to investi~
gate most carefully before we commit
orphans to families who are willing to
adopt them. If we were not to
discriminate we would be exposing
them to be ruined, soul and
body. Put away snch notions, Catho-
lies of Minneapolis. Be assured Of it
that when there are good homes found
you are relieved Of the support Of Or
phans. And say that nineteen out Of
twenty who come to us for orphan
children, l would rather see the child
in the grave than to give it into their
charge. The question with them is:
Is How much can we make the orphan
do to save our own children. When
there are no children, then The hearts
of the husband and wife will so out to
to the orphan, but when there are other
children the orphan is locked upon as
the slave of the other children. Moth
ing then remains but to maintain or
phan asylums, 80 that they are true
schools Of practical industry. You
have had an orphan asylum established
in your city, you have supported It,
but your city is growing, the needs,
consequently, are increasing, and now
you come forward with generous hearts