The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-12-27

regularly attend mass on Sundays and
holidays. Whatever else the bank
has done in our parish" writes the
cure, "it has effected results for
which any priest might be grateful to
God and to the originators of the
scheme"
AIIotments.
In 1896 the Able Cruel and friend
founded in Brussels the "Ligue du
Coin de Terre." A local branch of
this league will buy or rent certain
amount of land, divide it into lots of
five "ares" (about 900 square yards)
and make these over to the poor gratu-
itously, thus giving them a start in
life. The allotted portions soon pro-
duce, if not enough to enable the oc-
UPPER to purchase the property for
himself, at any rate enough to live on.
For the first four years of it's exist
ence the league disposed of 600 plots
and assisted more than 5000 persons.
A Social Program.
The above instances are selected
from multitude which might be
quoted. A list of the more important
social works to which the Belgian
clergy have devoted their attention is
supplied by the Programme of So
cial Works." drawn up by congress
of diocesan delegates held at Malines
in March, 1896, and sent round to the
clergy by Cardinal Goossens with a
letter in which the following passage
occurred:
"You will herewith find the list OF
the works which have received the
unanimous approval of this Congress
and which have seemed the best
adapted to promote the common good
and to benefit employers and work
men alike
1--WE earnestly desire that each one
of you, according to local circum
stances, vote every endeavor to the
establishment and the maintenance
of these works. You will find in
them ample scope for the exercise OF
your zeal, and at the same time, q
favorable opportunity for promoting
the spiritual well-being of souls"
The Programme which deserves
careful study, runs as follows:
1. The formation and development
of workmen's clubs and the economic
societies which are connected with
them
2. The formation and development
of all those associations which aim al
completing the education and profes
sional instruction of the working
classes, particularly "patronages" and
schools of domestic economy.
8. The formation of trade unions
(the lines of which are specif1ed).
4. The creation of societies for pro
noting thrift, insurance against sick
ness, accidents and unemployment;
old age pensions and in particular co
operative societies.
5. The creation of societies which
aim, by private enterprise or public
assistance, at improving the housing
Of the working classes; particularly
those which seek to enable the work
ing man to become the proprietor O.
his own house.
6. The creation, so far as may bt
opportune, of factory committees OF
arbitration boards.
Z. The establishment of temper
ance societies and the furtherance Of
the temperance propaganda.
8. Employers of labor and those
who share their influence or their re
sponsibilities, such as directing man
ayers of industrial concerns: company
directors and shareholders will SCI
themselves to procure, by the means
indicated inthe joint Pastoral of the
Bishops, an Improvement in the mora
and material conditions of the work
ing classes.
| 8. The support of the popular press
and the formation of social study
clubs.
10. Besides the works indicated
above, in order to assist the rura
population, encouragement will BIZ
given to the formation, extension ant
completion of the various agriculture
syndicates. Especial mention is made
of Raiffeisen Banks and Cooperative
Societies) Such then, is the spacious
field in which the social activities Of
the Belgian clergy are exercised with
so much success. But we may point Out
at once how completely the words Of
Cardinal Goossens have been realized
The clergy of Belgium have, indeed
found that their social work provides
"a favorable opportunity for promot
ing the well-being of souls" BY sys
tematic and concerted social actor
they have proved once again that the
Catholic Church is the friend of the
people; and the people have in turr
shown that they appreciate such gen
erous efforts for their welfare. They
are bound to their priests by the
closest of bonds, and they find in the
devout practice of their religion {
social benefit far more precious thar
even the net work of social organi
cations with which their priests have
covered the land.