The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-08-19

bringing about the union presented many
serious difficulties. The representative
at the Philadelphia meeting concluded to
hold their conference in New York city.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1900, fifty dee
gates, representing fourteen societies.
met at che Fifth Avenue Hotel Henry
]. Fries, Erie, Pa, national presented
Of the knights of st. John, acted as
chairman, and John oRourke, Phila-
delphia, Of the Catholic knights of
America. as secretary A committee of
ten. with Thomas P. McKenna, Of Long
Branch, as chairman, was appointed TO
draft plans for federating all the Cath
olic societies and to report at a conven-
tion to be held in Cincinnati o.
about this time the Right Rev.
James A. McFaul. bishop Of Trenton.
n. j., became interested in the move
ment. He was the first prelate to take
up the work and to advocate a national
federation. He called TO his aid Bishop
$. G. Messmer, of Green Bay, Wis, now
the archbishop of Milwaukee These
two eminent churchmen lent their power.
full assistance to the Catholic laymen in
gathering together the units Of Catholic
fraternal. life They had the encourage
ment and counsel of several distinguished
archbishops.
a temporary constitution was draft
ed. and the name of the American Fed
ieration of Catholic societies was adopted.
The objects asistated in the constitution
we're:
@The cement ing of the bonds of fra
ternal union; the fostering Of Catholic
interests; works of piety. religion, edu-
cation and charity; study Of conditions
in our social life; dissemination of Catho-
lie truth; encouragement and spread of
Catholic literature and the aid of the
Catholic press.
The federation's first national con-
vention was opened on December 10
1901, at Cincinnati, with Henry J. Fries
presiding. About $50 delegates were
present, the large majority being from
the Middle West Governor Nash spoke
the welcome of the state and Mayor
Fleischmann that of the city The Most
Rev. Archbishop Elder and the Right
Rev. Bishops McFaul, Messmer, Hurst
mann and Macs. took an active interest
in the proceedings. Mgr NJ J. Lavelle,
of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Manhattan.
preached stirring sermon, and there
was liberal sprinkling of priests among
the delegates.
"The American Federation of Catholic
societies thus auspiciously beginning its
career, closed its first convention with
the inspiring words of our national an
them, America, on every lip.
1
''The second national convention Of the
federation was held in Chicago on Au-
gust 5, 8 and Z, 1902. AS liberal con-
struction had been placed on the invita-
| ton extended, many leeal societies sent
delegates, and there were nearly five
hundred in attendance. The difficulty
| of handling so great crowd was over
come by restricting the number of dele
| gates for future conventions. 1t was an
enthusiastic gathering throughout Rep
resentatives were present from eighteen
1 different fraternal and benevolent organ
izations, as we'll as many parish societies,
sodalities and literary unions.
The third convention of the Federation
was held in Atlantic City August to 8,
| 1908. The basis of representation had
been fixed at one delegate for each 1000
members of state leagues and county fed
erations affiliated with the National
| Federation. About two hundred de e.
gates attended. who represented 1,000.-
coo Catholics of the country Among
the delegates We're a number represent
ing national societies-one delegate for
each 10,00O Of their membership The
movement had then received the indorse-
ment of eight archbishops, forty-fve
bishops and hundreds of priests.
THE fourth national convention was
held in Detroit Mich. on August ?,
and 4, 1904 In the Official call for the
meeting President Minahan spoke of the
steady progress of the federation move
ment since 1901. He said it had not
been the mere enthusiasm of sentiment
but the well sustained. thoughtful pro
gress of conviction. Its power for good
had been felt in the church. the state and
the nation.
This was the most successful coAven-
tion held of the American Federation Of
Catholic schools and the Catholic edu-
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