The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-10-17
Continued from Page ~
PRISON REFORM.
in the fallen that will beget enthu-
siasm in his work.

lll0 WO1hs
Catholic ChapIains.
The part played by the priest in
effecting good among the legally con-
demned is so important that Catholic
chaplains are welcome in nearly all
state prisons. AS yet there are only
three priests in the United States
who are prison chaplains. These are,
Father Bowling of Waupun, Wiscon-
sin; Father Murphy of Charleston,
Mass. and Father Cashin of Ossining,
New York. Fathers Bowling and Muir
ply were delegates to the last Ma
tional Prison Conference. Both are
doing work that deserves special men
ton. The former is a tremendous
worker and has determined that his
part of the Lords vineyard will always
be well cultivated and produce abun-
dant fruit.
The Work of a Prison Chaplain.
Through chance, considerable facts
were learned about the work of the
Chaplain Of the Massachusetts State
Prison, and it is presumed they are
of interest to readers of The Catholic
Bulletin. Rev. Michael j. Murphy
was for three years Catholic Chaplain
of the State Prison of Charleston,
Mass. Four months ago he was made
State Chaplain and has taken up his
residence at the institution. Besides
his regular Sunday work, Father
Murphy is in daily contact with the
inmates. When new man is brought
in the Chaplain tries to gain his con-
fidence and endeavors to foster a
spirit that will result in his benefiting
from his Imprisonment. The Chaplain
has an Office in the prison yard and
is at liberty to call to him any man
at any hour of the day. AS he is
not restricted in regard to time, he
can accomplish much by this close
and friendly contact with one who
has avoided priests in the past.
Father Murphy is also free to make a
social visit to any man in his cell.
He takes advantage of this privilege
to become "big brother and a true
guide to those who need him most.
He strives to cultivate in them all a
love of good reading; and has sue
ceeded admirably in this line of en-
deavor. He notes the character of
the books received at the prison and
sometimes finds it necessary to put
aside Objectionable ones. In caring
for library of fourteen thousand
volumes, and distributing books to the
prisoners, he is assisted by three trus-
ties. Two books a week are allowed
to each prisoner; beside this he is
given standard magazines. 1t is
scarcely necessary to state that
Father Murphy makes special efforts
to secure the best Catholic books and
magazines. Permission is granted to
all to read until nine o'clock, and
some become very enthusiastic read
ers.
A love of manly games and a knowl-
edge of baseball gives him promi-
nent place among the men that some
times could not be secured otherwise:
Father Murphy is at times coach,
batter and base runner and again he
teaches his eager pupils how to curve
the ball. Baseball is the chief game
among the prisoners. Sometimes the
interest in contests takes upon it a
world-series character The games
between the Red Socks" and the
"GiantS'' (the two leading prison
teams) are SO strenuously played that
one might think the Braves and the
Athletics were fighting for a world
pennant.