The Republican journal., 1916-12-14

| NC muSt nave taken the boat leaving
me ABOVE mentioned town on Friday
AFTERNOON. This steamer, which was called
Cue fatent, coming by way of the
00ranperry Isles and Castine, was due in
Deiiast on Saturday afternoon, Did the
Bishop spend the following Sunday at
6eifast! Shea in his History of the
Catholic Church in the United States"
would seem to answer yes. for in Vol
H. p. lo9, after giving most interesting
"DETAILS OF the Bishops visit in Belfast.
M me author expressly states that the
DDisuop then proceeded to Indian Old
Town oy way of Bangor" where he evil
gently spent the following Sunday.
p 10 TAKE up In detail Bishop Fenwick' s
nrst visit to Belfast on the supnosition
mat he arrived in the town on Saturday
afternoon. After having selected his
hotei, and there were several in Belfast
at this time, the most natural ouerv for
tne BISHOP to make of his host was. do
you know whether there are any Catho-
lies In town or not?' Receiving a mega
1--WE reply, the Apostolic Fenwick decided
to investigate for himself. A Journey
10 the lower part of the town along the
waters edge, brought no results. Re-
turning to the hotel for the, recitation of
the DIVINE office and dinner, the Bishop
directed his footsteps toward the upper
part OF the town, and had not gone far
ere he met lady carrying a small child
IN her arms. Something about her Seemed
to appeal to the Catholic shepherd in
search of his wandering flock. That
mutual recognition, that expressive bond
OF sympathy which not unfreuuently
leads US to half suspect the truth of our
suspicious, led Bishop Fenwick to ask
the woman to excuse him, but to kindly
tell him at the same time if she were a
! Cathollc. The question had perhaps
| often been asked of her before, and she
might well hesitate in giving a direct
answer to one who had approached her
as perfect stranger, but about whom
nevertheless there appeared much to
assure her that his motives were the
best.An affirmative answer led theBishop
to ask her whittier she was going ITO call
at Mr.. McGann' )" was the ready replv.
Requested by the Bishop to show him
the way to this family she demurred, un-
til finally treasured that the stranger
meant no harm, but simply wished an ep-
portunlty to give the Catholics little
good advice on the Sabbath day, she
pointed the way to house down near
the wharves. Il Immediately went
thither," continues Bishop Fenwick in
his memoirs. "On entering room of
this house, | behe!d on every side but
objects of poverty and wretchedness, a
sex woman groaning in corner of the
room, two other women with very poor
clothes seated on the floor, eight or ten
children punched around, and only one
man, and he also poorly clad. | soon
learned from him that he and another
had just arrived at Belfast with. their
families, that they had been able to get
but little work since their arrival, that
almost all of them had been, and some
of them We're, still sick, and that they
were all perishing for the want Of the
necessarles of life. Seeing so much
misery, | Immediately informed him who
| was, gave him money. and directed
him to go without delay and purchase
tea, sugar, bre ad, butter and milk, If ne
could find 1t at that hour of the day, and
afterwards | should enable him to pro-
cure other provisions. AS he went out |
called him to purchase some gingerbread
for the children who appeared very hun
cry. After this | approached the bed
where the poor sick woman lay and spoke
to her In manner suited to her circum-
stances, and at the same time Informed
her that should leave her and return in
a couple of hours, to hear her confession
as well as the confessions of all the 9TH
ers in the house. The poor woman was
greatly overjoyed, and with abundance
of tears expressed gratitude to God for
having sent her a priest at so critical
time in foreign land. In short time
the man returned with the tea, sugar,
and other things sent for. / caused the
tea to be Immediately prepared and given
to the sick woman. l next distributed
the gingerbread among the children. A
total change Immediately ensued. Gloom
and almost despair were succeeded by
joy and hope | then acquainted them
with the nature of the country into
which they had just arrived, the favor
able prospects it held out to the sober
and Industrious, and concluded by OBJ
serving to them, that in my opinion
Whitefield would be far more suitable
country for them, as number of their
countrymen had already taken farms
there and were doing well. | requested
them as | was about withdraw to give
notice to other Catholics who might be
in town, that should return in a couple
of hours to this house for the purpose of
giving them an opportunity Of going to
their confessions, for added |, 1T is
important you should make a good be-
ginning in this country of your adoption,
and besides you know not when you may
enjoy another opportunity of seeing a
priest
"About this time the woman whom
had met in the upper part of the town
came in. AS soon as she had entered
and seated herself, staring all the time
wildly at me, there, said l jokingly, Is
an Irish woman and Catholic, who
when asked by stranger to show the
way to friends house, refused to do it.
She cannot be true born Catholic. ,
And surely it was because | thought it
was no good you were after, she replied,
continuing to gaze around. Whist!
Whist! said one of the women present,
mind it is to the Bishop you are speaking
all this while could not forbear laugh
ing at the peculiar tone in which this
was expressed, in which they all joined.
The poor woman seemed much disconcer-
ted for while, but when | assured her
! that | viewed her conduct on that oc
casion as an act of prudence on her part,
and that l commended her for it, she
soon recovered her spirits. No, nc,
said she, it is not for the likes of me to
behave amiss to my own clergy when
know them.
Upon this left the room and return
| ed to the hotel, greatly pleased with the
discovery | had made. After an interval
of two hours or thereabouts, returned
| according to promise to McGann's where