The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-02
PRAISES 81. VINCENT
De PAUL SOc|E TIES
s-ssrsss
Archbishop Ireland CompIi-
ments Them at Annual
Meeting

- Congratulations upon the extensive
relief distributed last year among the
poor of this city by the many local
conferences, or societies of ST. Vincent
de Paul, were rendered last night, at
the annual meeting of the societies in
Assumption hall, Exchange street, by
Archbishop Ireland The archbishop
f1onored with his presence the yearly
gathering of representatives of the
local conferences. held under the aus.
pices of the particular council or
local governing body.
Two hundred delegates represented
the several thousand Catholics of ST.
Paul. whose daily and unostentatious
repetition~of charitable deeds continues
"a world wide system keeping bright
the name of the great French priest.
Relative to the reports just present.
ed the archbishop said chat he was
deeply gratified to learn that the work
of the society, so excellent in many
previous years, had increased notably
during 1904. The object of the So
c1ety-tO aid the poor, Succor the un-
fortunate-was surely an epitome of
Christian principle. He approved of all
Catholic societies. Each did good,
without doubt, in its own way; each
served, moreover, to extend the chain
of brotherhood that should unite all
Christians
But he had felt that none among
these myriads of societies so directly
reflected the spirit, the object, the life
OF the church as the Society of ST.
Vincent de Paul; no society SO fully en-
ables each of its members humbly to
initiate the very founder of the church
by going about doing good"
Yet if the society had accomplished
much last year 1t had evidently not at
tafned the highest ideals of it's earnest,
active members in st. Paul. 1t could do
more, 1t would do more, the speaker
felt assured, in the year now begin
ming.
Suggests Other Fields
He would suggest as fields that the
society had either not entered, or had
not occupied adequately, the visiting of
various public institutions. Hospital
patients, men and women, partly iso-
lated, dependent, anxious, suffering and
often in the shadow Of death-these
might well attract the pious visits of
members striving to fulfill their VOWS
To one i'll in a hospital trifies would
be boons. A convalescent had orae
called the archbishop,s attention to
some flowers. They had been brought
to the hospital by young girl. mem
Der of charitable society. 1t was but
little gift, but manifestly it had
brought much comfort to the sufferer.
During all his future he would not fail
to remember the Christian spirit of the
giver, nor would he ever be Indifferent
to the influence, the principles of the
society that she had represented.
The prisoners at the JAIL the lonely
dwellers at the poor farm, would well
come the Society of St Vincent, and
would accept with gratitude their share
of the founders noble beneicence.
The archbishop would recommend
also that the soldiers at Fort Smelling
be not forgotten There were always
some soldiers in the post hospital, he
presumed, always some soldiers in bar
racks whose souls would be cheered by
the brotheriy interest of their fellows
in faith.
Favors Central Office
More specifically, the society might
well consider this recommendations
would certainly be of practical value
that some central office be established.
down town at convenient point.
where an agent of the society might
be permanently stationed. Through
this Office and this agent emergency
cases requiring prompt relief could be
reported, and relief could be extended
without the narrowing delays of need
less formality. Children, in particular.
would often be the subjects of such
sudden applications. The society
would then be brought into closer
touch with the very objects to which
it is devoted.
Judge John w. Willis, president of
the particular council, happily told the
satisfaction of the members and their
guests in the assurance that their work
was favored with the personal interest
and the direction of Archbishop Ire
land
The officers of the particular council
were appointed for an indefinite term
last year with the cooperation of the
archbishop, by the general council of
the society in Paris and the superior
council in New York.
They are Judge John w. Willis,
president; Nicholas HermeS, vice presi-
dent: c. j. Young, second vice presi-
dent; p. M. Maroney, secretary;
Michael Mandl, treasurer.