Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-11-29
Whatever Comes Into Their Pos
session Goes Out For
Helpless.
Preserve Integrity of the Home
and Prevent Family
Disruption.
HAS NO UNCONVENTIONAL LINES

The st. Vincent de Paul Society
is worldwide association of
Catholic laymen, the proximate
object of which is to relieve the
sufferings of the deserving poor.
Although but one of the many char
table institutions of the Catholic
church, 1t differs in a marked de-
gree, not only from all the rest, but
from all charitable organizations
whatsoever. With the winter comes
the season for its greatest activity,
and therefore its work and methods
may interest the charitably inclined.
The constitution of the society is
simple in the extreme. Any prac-
| ticing Catholic man is eligible for
membership, and every member
gives his services freely, with no
hope of perquisite or reward. Draft
ing as 1t does from all classes of
society, 1t is yet like the church a
vast democracy. All have an equal
share in it's deliberations, and all
meet upon common ground. A
worldwide organization such as
this must of necessity consist of
large number of units in cohesion.
The unit of the society is the con-
ference, which is attached to it's
parish church, and the field of
whose Jurisdiction is co-extensive
with the boundaries of the parish.
The officers consist of President,
Vice President, Secretary and Treas
urer, while the pastor of the parish,
or some clergyman delegated by
him, acts as spiritual director. The
conference meets once a week to
consider and discuss it's cases. and
to transact whatever business is
proper to it. All applications for
relief are made to the conference.
Upon receipt of such application
the case Is visited BY two members.
who. after providing for its imme-
date needs, report its circum-
stances at the next meeting. The
conference then decides whether or
not 1t is worthy of adoption, and If
so what shall be the measure of
relief. 1t is then placed in the
hands of two of the members, who
visit the applicant weekly, bringing
whatever sum of money or grocery
tickets the conference has seen fit
to grant. and reporting regularly
upon its progress.
1t Is the great aim of all confer.
ences to preserve the integrity of
the home. and il is tn that end that
the visitors bend all their efforts
when the family is in danger of dis
ruption. When such danger is
averted the efforts of the visitors
are directed toward improving the
case, so that 1t may eventually be-
come self-subsisting. In doing this
many exigencies arise which de-
mand the exercise of both tact and
Judgment on the part of the visitors.
There may be family of delicate
children whose parents are perhaps
lndolent or Incorporate. To what
extent do the claims of the children
on the society's charity justify 1t
in pauperlzing the parents? Again
there may be a wayward child
which the society Is reluctant to
commit to an institution, yet which
must, in some way or other, be cor
rected. It is for the visitor to de-
eide the means. Situations must
frequently be obtained for those
who are idle through no fault of
their own, or for those in delicate
health who are working amidst un-
favorable conditions; and in this
regard in times of panic or business
depression the resources of the con-
ference are often taxed to the ut
most. Few visitors fail to find
families in which one or more mem
bers are infected with tuberculosis.
They must be removed of course to
such hospitals as will afford proper
| fraQ atf fo % In
to meet with opposition, especially
on the part Of parents. SO also the
sick must be cared for-clothes and
shoes provided-especially in cold
weather, and those who are aged as
wall as infirm committed to homes.
All this is In the visitors hands, and
for the proper execution OF which
they are responsible TO the confer
ence.
Although the society never draws
the denominational line, but helps
freely the poor OF all religions as
well as those of no religious faith,
yet there are many distinctly spir-
itual works which it accomplishes in
| Catholic families. Many a child is
sent TO the Sunday-school through
its efforts, and many family
brought back. sometimes after an
absence OF many years. to the reg
ular and frequent observance of
their duties. The members of the
st. Vincent de Paul Society find
large and fruitful field for their
activities in the various hospitals
and institutions for all classes OF
unfortunates. The inmates of these
are personally visited, literature is
freely distributed, and not a few
are brought back TO the performance
Of their religious duties.
The individual conferences de-
pend mainly and In many cases en-
lirely upon the receipts from the
poor-boxes In their parish churches,
and as the great bulk of Catholic
congregations In the large cities are
themselves from the humber walks