The Washington herald., 1913-08-25
PASTORS DEFEND
Home FOR GIRLS
Work Of Sisters Of the Good
Shepherd Praised by
Catholic Clergy.
RESULT OF CONFERENCE
Congregations Urged to 'No Longer
Tolerate Insults Directed
Against Nuns"

Lauding in the highest terms the work
Of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in
this city and denouncing efforts to dis
credit the institution. the pastors Of
practically all OF the local Catholic
churches, in sermons delivered yester-
day. called upon their congregations to
demonstrate their influence in the com
munity.
The Rt Rev Mgr. William T. Russell,
D. D., of st. Patrick's Church; the Rt.
Rev. Mgr. James F. Mackin, OF st.
PauTs: the Rev. Eugene De L. McDon-
nell, s. j., Of st. AIoysius'; the Rev.
Eugene A. Hannah, Of st. Martins; the
Rev. Ignatius Fesly, of St Joseph's
the Rev. F. A. Cassidy, Of st. Stephens;
the Rev. Clarence z. Wheeler, of Holy
Comforter; the Rev. Joseph F. MCGEE,
Of Sacred Heart, and the Dominican
Fathers, of st. Dominic's all sounded
calls to Catholics TO tolerate no longer
the insults directed against the Sisters
OF the Good Shepherd"
Mgr. Russell characterized the Sisters
as devoted, earnest workers in a noble
cause. Father Mcdonnell, who preached
at each Of the six masses in st. Aloysius'
Church. urged that the 1900 men, who
form the Third Sunday Brigade of his
parish, take immediate action toward re-
senting unfair attacks. All OF the SER
mons delivered on the subject were the
result of q conference of local clergy
men, held on Saturday.
One of the most notable of the tributes
paid to the Sisters was that Of the Rev.
Eugene A Hannah. of ST. Martin
Church, VINO for ten years was chaplain
of the Sisters institution in Baltimore.
Speaking Of the influence of the nuns
over erring girls sent TO the home, he
said:
Father HannaI's Defense.
The loss OF what the erring girl con-
siders liberty, removal from her home and
separation from those whom she loves in
her own way, arouses in her strong nat
ural inclination TO resist TO the utmost
efforts made for her good. She rebels
at the thought of being placed under any
restrictions, no matter how beneficial 10
her. and when she is compelled to enter
the House Of the Good Shepherd she goes
in a rebellious mood.
In a bad frame of mind and with
repugnance for religious direction She
passes through the portals of the insti
tuticn to which she belongs. In very
short time. however. a wonderful change
has taken place. This results from her
meeting with the highest type OF woman
kind She comes under the influence OF
one so pure that merely meeting with
her is a moral stimulant The unfortu-
nate girl came as a rebel; she is soon
10 be a contented dweller in this refuge
for sinners. In some cases it takes only
a few minutes TO change the waTpel
mind and soften the hardened heart"
Father Hannah stated that while chap
lain OF the Baltimore house he had So
sued a standing invitation to the city
grand jury to visit and inspect the insti-
tuition at any time. This invitation. he
said, was accepted by the jurymen num-
Der of times and that on these oc-
ca sions the jury membership, composed
OF all creeds. had unanimously praised
the methods and management of the sis
teTs.
Several Of the preachers yesterday de-
Clared that many of Washington's lead
ing citizens, including nOn-Catholic clergy
men and a large number of Hebrew busi-
ness men. had pledged cordial support
to the Catholics in resenting further at
tack.