The Irish standard., 1917-08-25

left unattended and uncared for.
Camps have been established in diff
ferent localities and no priest has
been present on Sunday or any other
day to give these men the spiritual
mintstration which is their only food
of life. We must always remember
that it is the Mass that matters-that
no Catholic is morally good for any
length of time unless he is faithful
at Mass, unless he is faithful in the
reception of the Sacramento.
Five Millions Of Dollars Needed.
1T has been said that $1,000, 900
would be sufficient to meet the prob
lem. The figures are absolutely in
adequate. They are born of the
shortsightedness that fears we could
not raise more. If we are to meet
these problems successfully it will re.
quire sum Of money nearer to five
millions than to one. When we real.
ize this we realize in very practical
way how, first, such a sum will be
raised only by applying to the whole
Catholic body of the country; second
~, that when raised it is a. fund that
belongs to the whole Catholic body,
and thirdly, that the immediate work
of every Catholic society, the most
practical help that it can give in the
successful meeting of the present
problems, is to bend all it's energies
towards the successful raising of such
fund. 1t will be necessary. not only
in the immediate care of our soldiers
at home, but in the care of our SOL
diers now in France, and of the hun.
dreds of thousands who will eventually
go there,
New Testaments Needed.
Father Burke stated that it is i'm
possible at the present day to procure
in America 500 copies of the Cath
Ollie New Testament, of which every
soldier and sailor should have a CODY.
Steps are therefore being taken to
issue an American pocket CODY for
this purpose.
4 --t.en.
Dependent Families.
Another problem that faces us as
Catholics is the care of the families
who are deprived of much of their
support by the men who have gone to
war. This is parochial problem-a
problem for such a society as that
of st. Vincent de Paul.
"Thourougness, promptness, fore
sight, should characterize US. And to
possess these fully means that we also
give thought to the problem that will
face US IT this war continues; II our
soldiers, as seems now most likely, 70
In great numbers into actual fighting.
The list of casualties will be great.
We should make provision; we should
do our share In the care of those who
will return wounded and half HELPLESS.
and think out now how they can best
be aided. We should be prepared. We
should meet the problem and not wait
until the problem meets us.
Ehicacious Unity Of Action.
"Out of our meeting must come
unity of action. care not what it
costs. 1t must come. Our different
societies, with their different aims and
purposes, their particular ambitions
and aspirations, must understand that
great as they are they are all much
smaller than Catholic unity. They
may all keep their social organization
which is their strength-they should
all be willing to use that strength, not
for their own glory, not to increase
their membership, not to add to their
public standing, but for the glory of
the Catholic cause"
In conclusion, Father Burke urged
not an academic or paper unity, but
sensible visible parochial efficacious
unity for the accomplishment of these
great purposes.
Father O'Hern's Address.
Rev. Lewis J. O'Hern, G. s. p, of
Washington, D. c., who represented
the Catholic Hierarchy in the consid-
GRAFTON of the subject Catholic chap.
lains by the government, delivered an
inspiring address dealing with the sta
tistics of Catholic membership in the
army and navy.
The following resolutions, which
were reported by committee of which
Rt. Rev. Mgr. Splaine of Boston was
chairman, were adopted:
Resolved, That it is the unanimous
opinion of this convention that the
Catholics of the United States should
devote their united energies to pro-
mote the spiritual and material well
fare of the United States troops dur
ing the war, wherever they may be,
at home or abroad, and that a nation.
al organization be created to study,
coordinate and unity all Catholic
activities incidental to the war, and
put into operation such activities.
MRasoluod Thot in ordor Ia offoo4