Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1912-03-02
Fathers AckermaD, Donoh"e
and Deepen Address Great
Gathering.
st Vincent de Paul Society ~
Doing Much For
Charity.
GAINS DURING THE PAST YEAR

The quarterly meeting OF the
Louisville conferences OF the St.
Vincent de Paul Society was neld
sunday afternoon In the hall OF the
Knights of Columbus on Fourth
street. with an attendance OF about
700 members. Though the weather
was rather disagreeable every con-
terence was well represented, many
coming long distances. A most graf
ifving feature OF the meeting was
the solemn blessing bestowed by the
Rev. Father Oscar Ackermann, pas
tor of st. Philip Neri's church, with
a relic of the patron saint OF this
grandest of all Catholic charity or
ganizations.
President John J.-Caffrey occupied
the chair and was elated with the
presence Of so many earnest men. He
had presented to the Holy Cross Con-
ference the papers and official notice
of its aggregation from the Superior
General in Paris, France. Secretary
Thomas Bohan read the reports,
which showed an active membership
of 1,015 and 1853 additional sub
scribers on the roll, the net increase
being 1852. The Vincentians made
1881 visits and furnished relief to
1924 persons, expending in char
liable work the sum of $4,354.12.
The work of the st. Vincent de Paul
Society is performed quietly and
without ostentation, and therefore
few people realize what 1t is doing
for the poor and unfortunate OF this
city.
All the conferences received holy
communion at their respective
churches in the morning, and at the
afternoon meeting each submitted its
quarterly. report. giving In detail an
account covering the membership
and what had been done during the
winter.
Rev. Father Oscar Alderman, d.
c. L., delivered the principal ad-
dress, which was listened to with the
closest attention from the first to
the last sentence. All our actions,
he said, should begin and end with
God, who is the father of all. DWELL
ing upon the life and works of st.
Vincent de Paul, he explained that
the real motive when We do charity
should be for the honor and glory of
God and the sanctification of our
souls, and without such motives men
win fail to obtain the results they
desire. In, concluding Father Acker-
mann told his hearers that the true
Vincentian should be frequently for
titled by the sacraments and thereby
titled with grace. Such man will
be noted everywhere and WELD a
powerful influence for good among
those with whom he mingles. His
words left their impress and drew
forth many expressions of approval.
Rev. Father Donahue, of the
Cathedral, Spiritual Director of the
vincentians. followed with short
address that contained much good
advice and number of timely sug-
gestions. He was pleased with the
meeting and the results achieved
and spoke most encouragingly to the
combined conferences. Rev. Father
Deepen. whose interest In the ST.
Vincent de Paul Society is always
apparent, was called for and re-
sponded with a few remarks that
were happy and appreciated, in
which he said that he believed the
spirit of their patron saint pervaded
the meeting and Its proceedings.
During the past year there has
been a marked increase in the growth
and work OF this society. and 1t will
be the object of each conference to
make still \etter showing one year
hence.