The Irish standard., 1906-12-01
..WOMAN'S MISSION
What She Has and Can Do Where
Gentleness, Pity,
Patience and Love Are Needed
st to Achieve Success.

E,NSiS' dye kAeeeHtS us hlSE!o1!iS !SA
solution, as. we'll as it's enemies to bat
tie with and its difficulties to over
come, SAYS Katherine F. Mullaney in
the Boston Pilot.
This is the age OF Socialism,: the
dwelling Of social barriers either by
pulling down the rich and powerful, or
Hy. uplifting the poor and weak. With
the latter movement only Is the writer
concerned and identified, it being
largely won1an's special work, as 1t is
her privilege TO be chosen by Divine
Providence for every mission where
kentleness pity. patience and love
e,ust be the influences to achieve sue
cess. :.
Foreign misrule and our own bene-
tieent constitution have combined to
aeod the country with tide Of emf
sration that has forced upon us the
helpless driftwood, so to speak, of its
foreign sea Of population. The result
is a social congestion in our big cities
that Is appalling in its need of SAM
tation, morally and spiritually as we'll
as physically. AS the vast majority
Hebrews--are Catholics. the problem
facing us, as: their spiritual brethren.
iee one of urgency. demanding cxpedi-
tious attention If we would save them
to the Church Of God.
Professionalism is no longer a relig-
ions system with its adherents; but
many Of its earnest workers with lofty
minds and generous hearts, are seek
ing comfort for their souls longingS-
in striving to benefit their fellow men,
whose habitations are the awful slums;
and whose pitiable conditions appeal
fofoibly to their humanity. Hence we
f1nA In every big city manifold settle
rnents. clubs; guilds and missions for
the social uplifting of the under
world" while the numbers of energetic
workers are legion.
We know many of these earnest
persons and we know their motives
are worthy, their zeal untiring. their
efforts admirable. Their activity should
be to us stimulus unto like efforts.
as their methods are an inspiration
we do we'll to follow. Among them are
bigots, of course, narrow minded and
bitter hearted towards the religion Of
the people whom they labor to benefit,
hut the great majority are libersSS,
1oelonging: to no particular denomina-
tion; and aiming only at the social
and. educational betterment of their
protAgese So
Many have tried the religious .in-
fuence, but frankly confess their fail
tire. the honester ones abandoning all
attempt in that direction, contenting
themselves as we have said, with So
cial Euccess. Whilst stating this as
ain incontrovertible fact, we are vet
aware that the wealthy congregations
are supporting powerful mission or
parish llouses"--where the main OBJ
iect Of attainment is that of rroselyt-
izing but. after all The vast expendi-
ture Of money and effort. the result is
only the making OF bad Catholics: the
mission pews remain but haphazardly
filled: and then only when some other
attraction.
The despair Of those devoted mission
workers has often made us smile, COM
*niseratingly, as we endeavored (not-
without suecess) to convince them that
their very admirable abilities might
be better: employed than in stealing
sway. the Faith of the souls under their
influence!
They cannot hold their own people
and their illusions regarding success
with ours are fast disappearing In the
same direction: Social benefits: even
in some large church mission house,
are no longer dispensed only as the
reward for a betrayal of conscience.
The tactics now are less aggressive
and the :esult is negative success.
They must needs be content now with
the knowledge that their Catholic
1,enehciaries have become, like them
selves, a. non -churchgoing contingent.
and this brings us to the great oues-
tton. What are we Catholics going to
do about this great fact that is staring
us iii the face? While it is magniti-
Gently true that our churches are filled
to overlooking at every Mass of the
Ave and six Masses on every Sunday
IN every parish, it is also true-too
true-that the slum districts are stag
fiant moral pools, where tens of thou
sands of our Catholics are living with
out God, without religion, without
moral activity :of any kind Social
settlements: with their reading rooms
their entertainments, their innumer-
able material benefits, have appealed