The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-06-17
CAMPAIGN FOR HOUSE OF
GOOD SHEPHERD.

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raise 100000 for the House of
the Good Shepherd, st. Paul,
would be undertaken in the
autumn. The preliminary prepa-
rations for the campaign will be-
gin early in September under the
direction of Charles Jerome Shelf
field of Cleveland, Ohio, who con-
Quoted the successful campaign
for the Catholic Orphan Home in
Minneapolis last fall. 1t is the
first time that the Sisters Of the
Good Shepherd will make an ap-
peal to the general public for a
sum sufficiently large to make pro-
vision for an addition to their in
stitution and improvements which
will enable them to carry on the
work they are otherwise so well
qualified to do. Very few peo-
pie, even in st. Paul, have any
adequate idea of what has been
accomplished by the House Of the
Good Shepherd during the forty
eight years Of it's existence i'll this
city: and fewer still seem to real
ize the possibilities for social up
lift enshrined in the ideal which
animates the community.
The House of the Good Shop
herd is one of the most deserving
institutions in the Northwest as
an agency for the educational
training and moral reformation
of hayward young women and
children who, for one reason
or another, are deprived of the
salutary home training so nee
essary for their future wei
fare. 1t is primarily an in
stitution for the reclamation Of
women and girls who, following
the allurements of the world and
the inclinations Of a weak moral
nature, go astray from the path
of virtue and at length find them
selves engulfed i'll the quagmire
Of habitual vice whence they are
poWerless to extract themselves
without the aid of a helping hand.
This is extended by the Sisters of
the Good Shepherd whose protect
i've garb of purity and charity
safeguards them against the dan
ger of being dragged down to the
mire from which they would res
cue their perishing proteges. To
this work the Sisters of the Good
Shepherd in st. Paul and else
where devote their lives, their
talents and energy, as well as
whatever fortune Providence may
have endowed them with.
Two classes of girls come under
their influence, namely, those who
are i'll danger Of falling from
virtue but have not yet fallen, and
those who have already lost their
virginia. innocence. These two
classes are never allowed to in
terlningle with one another in the
institution. Between them there
is no communication that would
render possible the contamination
Of those who have not yet sinned.
These classes are known as the
"Preservates" and the "Peni-
tents" The former is made up
Of children who have been de-
prived, by death or otherwise, of
one or both parents, or who be-
long to homes i'll which the father
and mother are not fit guardians
Of the young. Some Of them are
placed under the care Of the Sis
ters by priests, others by their
relatives or guardians. They are
taught all the ordinary branches
Of a common school education as
we'll as the catechism and in addi-
ton they learn how to do house
work, to sew, embroider, etc.
They are asked to do no work I'M
suited to their age and strength.
They are clothed, fed, housed and
educated by the Sisters without
one cent of remuneration. When
they reach the age Of sixteen or
seventeen they are placed iii good
Christian homes where they be-
come upright and intelligent mem
bers of society.
The Penitents are composed Of
young women who have fallen by
the wayside, whose moral ideals
have been shattered i'll their con-
tact with the world. Some of
them are placed under the care
of the Sisters by the court; others
are brought by friends; while a
few come of their own accord.
All, except those sent by the
court for a specific time, are free
to 60 whenever they wish, al
though the Sisters exhort them to
remain until their reformation is
complete. They are subject to
mild discipline and under the
kindly influence of the Sisters
sentiments Of respect for law and
order are aroused and they are
taught to love the. higher things
of life. The younger ones attend
school at certain hours every day.