Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-11-14
vincentians Freely and Gener-
ously Aid Sufferers of All
Religions.
Stands without a Peer Among
the Societies Composed of
Laymcn.
THEIR. ! WORK DONE QUIETLY

The winter season brings its obli-
CATIONS. The various charitable or.
ganizations must now begin the real
hard work of the year. First among
them, as in all good things, is the
old Mother Church. Sometimes
complaint Is made that the Catholic
church is not active in work TO the
poor. The explanation, says our
neighbor, the Indiana Catholic, may
be found in the fact that the church
does not have a publicity bureau.
The founding asylums, orphanages,
homes of the Good Shepherd, hos
pitals and homes for the aged, con-
Quoted by Catholic sisterhoods, are
doing more real charity than all the
other philanthropic institutions in
the country. Their work is done so
quietly that you seldom hear OF 1t.
III statistics of the charity they
are doing were published it would
surprise those who are not familiar
with Catholic charity and might
open the eyes of some of the enemies
of the church.
Winter will mean extra work for
all these charities. 1t will be par
ticularly hard on the st. Vincent de
Paul Society. This society has no
endowment from which to draw
funds. 1t must depend on the free
will offerings of the people and 1t
is worthy of every assistance. There
are many organizations in this
country founded for the purpose OF
auspices of the various churches and
some of non-sectarian character.
The st. Vincent de Paul Society out
ranks them all. 1t has virtues that
none holds in common with 1t.
While the first visible work of the
society is to visit the poor and re-
lieve their sufferings, the Vim
centians are profoundly convinced
that Christian charity has wider
and broader field than temporal
relief. AS men of deep religious con-
victions, they view the present life
on the background of the super
natural. To the relief of the suf-
ferings of the flesh they add the
consultations of the spirit. They
know that material assistance is only
half the work of charity. Their OBJ
ject is to permanently improve the
conditions of the poor. To accom-
plish this they impart that interior
peace and consolation which is the
product of religious faith.
The society never draws the de-
nominational line. 1t is not open to
the slightest suspicion of being a
proselytizing organization. 1t freely
and generously helps the poor of
all religions or of no religion. Yet
there are many distinctly spiritual
works that it can do only with those
of its own faith. Through the st.
Vincent de Paul Society visitor many
a Catholic child is sent to the parish
school. Many families are brought
back to the practice of their relig-
ion. BY this intimate knowledge of
conditions as we'll as the good will
and gratitude which follows kind
ness in time of poverty or sickness,
he can frequently accomplish results
which even the pastor could not
hope for under other conditions.
Far above all the virtues of the
st. Vincent de Paul Society is the
motive that prompts the members in
their work. 1t is not a philan-
thropic society. 1t is not a species
of altruism or Humanitarian effort.
II is a society based on a real con-
ception of the charity OF Christ. The
motive of the work is supernatural.
To the Vincentian this is not a
sentiment but a living reality. He is
never allowed to forget II, is never
unconscious of it. While his inn
portant object is to help the poor II
is done solely for the honor and
glory of God. In the poor he sees
Christ. II is for Christ he works
and to Christ he ministers. He ex-
poets no word of praise from his
fellowmen. He wants no compensa-
tion in this world. When ingrati-
tude or failure is the only response
to his efforts he Is not worried. He
remembers that II was work for God
and he is willing to await Gods
verdict.
This is the character that indi-
vidualizes the st. Vincent de Paul
Society. II is an organization work.
ing with natural instruments but
with a motive and an end that
transcends the natural order. II Is
linking the human with the Divine.
That such wonders have been accom-
plished by II is not surprising when
one knows it's character. II Is GER
tain no organization based on purely
natural motives. no matter how
worthy or exalted. could accomplish
what this society has accomplished
In the eighty years OF its existence.
II stands without peer among the
societies composed OF laymen. There
is none either In the church OF out
OF II that can SO properly expect the
support OF the people. Its members
and officers serve without salaries
or perquisites OF any kind. Every
dollar contributed to the society ID
expended for the purposes for which
Z II Il given.
The st. Vincent de Paul Society
vii probably bs forced soon to ash