The Irish standard., 1900-09-08
his first Holy Communion and was
confirmed and Immediately prepared

In Rome he met James Roosevelt
Bayley, who died Archbishop of Balti-
more, but who then was young
Episcopalian minister anu whose
mind was all upset about the truth of
Episcopalianism, and who had gone to
Rome to seek the truth. He met the
right person in the new convert, Mr..
Haskins. So eager and so quick to
learn and to act was Mr.. Bayley that
in a few weeks he was baptized and
made his first communion and was
confirmed in the rooms of st. Ignatius,
at Rome. He was ordained IL priest
in Rome Il year later.
Mr.. Haskins spent Il year travelling
in Europe, visiting the cathedrals and
charitable institutions, and then en-
tered the Grand Seminary Of Paris,
where the present Archbishop of Bos-
ton, Most Rev. John J. Williams, was
also student for the priesthood at
the same time and who was ordained
in 1915, a year later than Father Has
kins. The need of priests in the
diocese of Boston was very great, not
more than thirty-one, including Bishop
Fenwicl, to cover all New England.
so Father IIaskins was hurried home
from Paris. and after some minor
ministiations in Providence and South
Boston, was finally settled as pastor
of st. Johns church OH Moon street,
ut the North End The church was
built OH the site of the house of the
famous Cotton Mather Here from
1916 to 1862 he became u part of the
daily life Of his people, personally
knowing and known by every one of
demonstrating in their homes interest
ing himself III their domestic life and
especially with the young welding an
incalculahle Influence for good. In
1862 his little church proving too
small for his fast growing congrega-
ton, he bought the North End Con-
grcsational church, and fitting it for
Catholic worship, had it dedicated to
st. Stephen. Here he remuined pas
tor till he died, in 1872. Willie he was
still pastor of st. Johns his Did hobby
the care of boys-began to take pos
session of him. In all New England
there was not one Catholic Asylum for
boys. = Not only were sC.i!ta.lic boys
i'll asylums or reformatories denied
the visits of their clergymen, but. as
Father Haskins knew from his own
experience. every effort was made to
snatch them from the errors and
superstltioEs Of pOpery." When
young Capt. Shurtlehf. son of Nath-
aniel G. Shurtleff, of honored memory,
who became IL convert and in his new
born zeal undertook charge of st.
Mary's Sunday school in Endicott
street, on one occasion insisted ON
entering Il Protestant sunday school.
in which lie knew some Of st. Mary's
children to be entrapped and detained,
he was arrested and marched through
the streets to Jail.
Father Haskins felt it was time
something was done for respectable
Catholic boys, who had no parents or
parents too poor to properly attend
to them, and who were being sent
to Protestant asylums and reformato-
ries. Father Haskins went to the
Bishop for leave to undertake the
building of q lone for boys. He was
allowed to appeal first in the Cath
edrll for help. Father Haskins' ap-
peal for homeless boys must have
been eloquent, for the collection that
followed amounted to $1,700, and in n
few months he had $4,000 good sum
for those days.
In 1858 Father Haskins, with the
consent of the bishop, secured the fine
site now occupied by the House of
the Angel Guardian on Vernon street,
in the Highland district.
The next year saw the building
ready for occupancy. The dormito-
ries fitted up with three hundred
beds. The refectory, where four
hundred boys could sit at one table;
spacious class rooms and broad stair
cases. and not the least, a magnificent
play ground; the chapel where q
thousand could comfortably hear mass
and throng Of boys eager to gain adj
mittance. The House of the Angel
Guardian was now firmly established
and all Father Haskins' desire now
was to secure religious brotherhood
to take charge of it. Belonging to
the diocese, with the bishop in control,
it still needed the systematic and I'm
divided attention that only a brother
hood could give it. He begged in
every country in Europe for Brothers
to take charge of the House of the
Angel Guardian, but no community
could spare any. Only after his death
were his prayers heard, and a band
Of the Brothers of Charity, headed by
the wise and pious Brother Jude, now
give their whole lives and undivided
attention to making the House Of the
Angel Guardian home and school
in the best sense, whence brave, use
full men-good citizens and good Cath
olics-are sent into the world every
year. Since its foundation the House