davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
Fifty Years Noble Work

The Little Sisters of the Poor. have
recently celebrated the fiftieth ami
versary of the foundation of their
home for the aged at Bonzareth,
Africa. The Archbishop of Algiers
availed of this occasion to pay testi-
mony to the noble work of the nuns
in this far-off land. In the course of
his eloquent address he also told the
interesting fact that at the present
time there are $4,000 aged poor
throughout the world under the care
of the Little Sisters, who number
about 5000. Since the foundation of
the Order $4,000 old people have died
within the walls of the asylums. The
Home at Bonzareth was opened in
1868, and was visited by Marshal Mac
Mahon at the very beginning of it's
good work 1t prospered at once, as
the aged poor in Algiers we're in a
very friendless condition when the Lit
tie Sisters arrived.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
ITALIAN PRISONERS
THANK THE POPE FOR RELIEVE
ING THEIR SUFFERINGS.

Once again His Holiness has re-
ceived a message of filial gratitude
from those whose sufferings his IA
therly care has relieved. This time
and it is not the first-it comes from
Turkey, from a group of Italian pris-
oners passing through Constantinople
from the lead mines, where they had
been compelled to work. Those,
who were sufficiently i'll, were to be
sent to Switzerland; the others to the
Turkish concentration camps. All
were too ill to be of any further use
as workmen. Mgr Dolei, the Apostle
lie Delegate, met them and they took
the opportunity of sending, through
him, to the Holy Father their message
of thanks for all he had done for
them, the presents of food and special
lY of clothing, without which they
doubted if they would now be alive;
and for the news of their families re
ceived through the Holy See.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
THE RIGHT OF SELF GOVERNMENT

of government and which give it the
right to make it's consent a necessary
condition of morally legitimate SOW
ereignty. We know that some peoples
are clearly incapable and that some
others are clearly capable of giving
such authoritative consent; but be-
tween these two classes there exists
a wide twilight zone" We can, how
ever, lay down few important gen.
eral principles. If a people has al
ready had some experience of self
government, either entire or partial,
that fact will of itself create a strong
presumption in it's favor Where there
is no moral certainty that the people
are incompetent to make their own
choice, they should have the benefit of
the doubt. Even though the popularity
established government should re-
main relatively incompetent for sew
eral years, it might in the long run
prove more beneficial to the COM
munity than an alien rule that was
more efficient technically. The repub-
lies in South America are apt illustra-
tions of this principle In certain rare
cases an alien rule. might be prefer
able for time, because it was seek
ing primarily the welfare of the sub
ject people, and striving honestly to fit
them for selfgovernment. The Fill
pinos under the, control of the United
States are a good example.
In general, however, we must bear
in mind that the art of self govern
ment is well worth learning by any
people, that it must be learned mainly
by intimate and painful experience
rather than by artificial instruction
from without or from above, and there
fore that the strong desire Of people
to determine their form of government
goes far to outweigh the technical
superiority of alien rule.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
ENERCIzINC DEMOCRACY

law, no matter what may be their sta.
tion, and care for those, who because
OF their circumstances in life, are
least able to care for themselves-in
a word "A benevolent movement in
behalf of the people" In this, too,
history teaches us that religion has
been effective, writes Archbishop
Hanna of San Francisco.
Christ when He came unto our es-
tate was born on the wayside; His
early life was one of exile in a foreign
land; His Nazareth home was among
the poor; He earned His bread with
the sweat Of His brow, and when He
came forth unto the light of public life
He astounded the world by His sim.
plicity of life; by His attitude towards
the rich and powerful; by His cham.
pionship OF the cause of the weak,
tie poor, the downtrodden; and
Continued on page 81
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
DUKE TORLONIA DEAD
INTERESTING EPISODE IN ROMAN
HISTORY BETWEEN TORLoNIA
AND cRISPl is RECALLED.

The head of one of the princely Ro-
man houses has just passed away, in
the person of Don Leopold Torlonia,
at Frascati. He had all the comforts
of religion, his confessor having been
summoned from Rome Immediately
that the gravity of his condition be-
came known. The late Duke was we'll
known for his distinguished public
career, and also as a member of sew
eral charitable Institutes. He was
Mayor of Rome in 1887, and an inter
esting episode of Roman history at
taches to his tenure of that Office.
In 1887 preparations were being
made for the celebration of the Sac
erdotal Jubilee of Leo Kill, which
occurred on January /, 1888. On
this latter date Don Leopold visited
the Cardinal Vicar to express his own
congratulations and those of his fel-
low-citizens. The Government of the
time had for Premier the old friend
and associate of Garibaldi, francesca
Crispi, after whom one Of the streets
of Rome has in recent years been
named. The step taken by Sindaco
Torlonia did not please the Premier,
and he determined on having him out
Of the Office Torlonia had done moth.
ing more than show himself Roman
and a gentleman, but that, in the eyes
of the SiciIan eX-revolutionary was
sufficient to justify his being deprived
Of the office he held. The organs
which voiced Crispi's sentiments at
tackled the Sindaco, and he himself
was requested to resign. He refused
however, and declared that if he was
to withdraw it should be only under
public censure and with public
decree of removal. This declaration
as the "Osservatore" of the time ex
pressed it, irritated the nerves OF
Crispi, who was anxious for volun
tary resignation to avoid public feeling
and scandal a decree of deprivation
would cause Nevertheless, sectarian
animosity conquered in him, and a
ministerial decree deprived Torlonia
of the office of Sindaco. That is what
manifestation of esteem for the Su
preme Pontiff meant with the makers
of united Italy. 1t was high crime
for any public man to pay the homage
of Catholic and a gentleman to the
Head of the Church.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT

Disregard of the rights of small ma
tions has aroused spirit of righ-
teous Indignation which can never be
appeased as long as any nation holds
another in subsection. Subsection and
democracy are incompatible. In the
new order, national aspirations must
be respected; peoples may now be
dominated and governed only by their
own consent. 'Self-determination' is
not mere phrase"
In keeping with these words OF
truth, we hold that the right of Ire
land to "self-determination" is inn
measurably stronger than that of any
nation for which you have become the
advocate. Moreover, Ireland's claims
are a hundredfold reinforced by her
centuries of brave, though unayailing,
struggle against foreign domination,
tyranny and autocracy. The manner
in which the national rights of Ire
land will be handled at the Peace Con-
ference is a matter of deep concern to
many millions of people throughout
the world, and it is no eXaggeration
to say that the purpose of the United
States in entering the war, namely, to
secure worldwide and lasting peace,
will surely be nulliffed if large and
influential body of protest remains
everywhere as a potent source of ma
tional friction and animosity.
That such unhappy feeling may not
remain to hinder and embitter the
work Of the worlds political, social
and economic reconstruction, we ask
you to use your great influence at the
Peace Conference to the end that the
people of Ireland be permitted to de-
termine for themselves through free
and fair plebiscite the form of gov
ernment under which they wish to
live.
With most cordial sentiments of
respect and esteem, remain,
Very sincerely yours,
(Rt. Rev. THOMAS J. SHAHAN,
Rector of the Catholic University of
America.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
BETHLEHEM" A NATIVITY PLAY

gers that lie in the wake of the war
is that divine message that came to
mankind in Bethlehem, the word of
the Saviour. the Prince of Peace,
whose coming was announced by an
gels: GLORY to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men of good
will
The Church has not failed to urge
the Christian message to a thought
less and worldly age, and now that
the age turns anew to spiritual paths
her voice will find echo in many
hearts. We recognize that those spir-
itual principles, the high motives that
stir us in the holy Mass and in all our
moments of prayer, must also rule us
in the outward phases Of our life.
In days of old, before the spread of
modern materialism, when supreme
art was born of spiritual ideals, the
sacred drama was mirror of faith
and an inspiration of worthy life Ev-
cry effort to bring it back should be
hailed as good work in the best in
terests of mankind and sign Of true
progress.
No better example Of the Catholic
Nativity Play is to be found than Lau-
renee Housmans Bethlehem" The
author himself says that his purpose
has been to concentrate in symbolic
drama "all the love and delight and
wonder that has come to be associated
with Christmas" In its original and
elaborate performance in London, the
whole was rendered in music COM
posed by Joseph Moorat; and it's set
ting was one of the early triumphs of
Edward Gordon Craig.
The Guilds production of this play
will be directed by Mary G. Kellett,
who also directed the performance of
"The Upper Room" In spite of the
simplicity Of rendering required by
the limitations of small stage ID is
expected that the spiritual message of
the play will be distinctly expressed
and that Bethlehem" will convey the
lesson of Christmas time as "The Up
per Room" did that of the Passion.
The musical accompaniment will be
rendered by the Choir Boys of st.
Vincent's Church with Miss Loretta
Haas accompanist. The names of the
players viii again be withheld so as to
center attention upon the play itself.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
VINCENTIANy ANNUAL MEETING

During the past year 365 PERSONS
contributed the sum of $3,210.95. The
society has helped, during that period,
227 families, embracing 927 persons,
expending the sum of $3,9O9.63 for this
relief. In this service the members
made 1852 visits to the homes of the
poor. Permanent fund increased from
$2,750.00 to $4,1O0.00.
Following the reports the Rev. John
Doherty, City Missionary of st. Paul,
pleaded for a greater increase in the
number of friendly visitors. In other
words, he desired larger number of
parish conferences and more workers
in most of those now existing.
Very Rev. H. Moynihan met the
highest expectations of the audience
in an address that must ever be men,
orable. Whoever missed it sustained
a distinct loss. He made a powerful
plea that all earnest men, Catholics in
particular, pay heed to the basic truth
that God alone must and should be the
prime object Of their life, and their
fellowmen, especially the poor, should
be fostered for love of Him.
Judge Willis delivered a noble pane
gyric on Archbishop ireland, and Mr..
Charles H. F. Smith offered appropri-
ate resolutions on the late prelate's
death. The resolutions were adopted
by rising vote of the meeting. Other
speakers were, Rev. P. O'Neill, Rev.
Thomas Gleeson, and Mr.. A. E. Prem
dergast, President of the Particular
Council of Minneapolis.
! Rev. Lawrence F. Ryan, pastor of
the Cathedral, closed the meeting,
warmly thanking those present for
their encouragement.
The establishment of the central
Office in the Wilder Building has
brought the society into closer touch
with the needs of the poor. 1t has
proved to be a very wise move, as is
shown by the Presidents report. A
representative of the society is at the
Wilder Building every day from ten to
one o'clock.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
GUILD OF CATHOLIC WOMEN
WILL OFFER YEARLY PRoDUc-
TIoN NEXT WEEK-A FEW OBJ
SERVATIONS ON THE CHRIST
MAS MESSAGE.
(Communicated.)

On December Is and 19, the Guild of
Catholic Women of ST. Paul will pre-
sent at the Knights of Columbus Hall
Laurence Housman's beautiful Nativ-
ity Play, Bethlehem" This play was
presented by the Guild last year and
met with so much expression of high
praise that the ladies of the Guild
have decided to carry out the inten-
ton which they had in it's first pres
entation of making the Nativity Play
an annual feature of the Christmas
season.
The admiration expressed was not
only a tribute to the excellence of
this particular play but to the whole
idea Of reviving the sacred drama of
the great ages of Christian art. This
same idea was further illustrated in
st. Paul last winter in the production
Of Monsignor Benson's Passion Play,
''The Upper Room" The Passion
Play made distinct and remarkable
impression; both from the religious
and the artistic points of view 1t was
pronounced unique thing in the ex
perience of the city. 1t is now planned
to repeat the Passion Play in the
coming year and to bring to it the
largest possible audience.
In similar way, the Guild of Cath
olic Women wishes to celebrate the
Birthday of the worlds Saviour by
means of the Nativity Play as rec
ognized manner of promoting the di
vine influence of our Lord in social
and civic life. The experiences oi
the world during the time of war have
driven deep into mems souls the con
viction which we hear expressed or
all sides that our greatest need today
is that of spiritual regeneration. The
world-war is seen to have been the
product of materialism, of lust fol
wealth and power in defiance of jus
tice and honor and truth. We rec
ognize that the. foundation of lasting
peace and our salvation from the dan
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
RED CROSS NURSE
HOW THE K. OF c. SOLVED A
PROBLEM.

A little story, in which price tags
figure and that carries moral, told
by a Red Cross nurse, reciting the
difficulties she experienced in obtain
ing cigarettes, etc., for patients in a
Paris hospital, runs thus:
Now for the dear old K. of C. They
are wonders, and your chest ought to
swell every time you see the emblem
K. of C. was caring for number of
sick boys, and wanted some smokes
and candy for them. The Red Cross
gave me some French cigarettes,
which the boys don't like; another or
ganization wanted to sell some to me; j;
and the commissary department was
allowed to sell only ten boxes at a
time to nurse I finally told my
troubles to the X. of c., appealing to
them for assistance. Did | get it?
They gave me, absolutely free, 200
boxes of cigarettes, 20 boxes Of to-
bacco, 25 pounds of candy and sup
ply of rosaries, medals, etc. imme-
diately spread the tidings to all Red
Cross nurses, and now they know
where to ask for these things when
their patients request them
This story was sent to Mr.. John
F. Phillips, Receiving Ship Ellis Is.
land, New York.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
THE NEW CATECHISM
PoNTIFF PosTPoNEs UNIFIcA-
TIoN OF CATEcHETIcAL
TEACHINGS.

The Pope has decided to postpone
for a time, the length of which will
depend on circumstances, the great
work of the unification of catechetical
teaching throughout the Catholic
world The reason for this is that the
work is so big and of such distinctly
international character that it is con-
sidered advisable to allow time for
world conditions to settle down before
the necessary organization is started,
including, probably, the appointment
of an important commission, as in the
case of the Codification of the Canon
Law.
In any case, much preliminary work,
such as the collection and classified
ton of texts, has already been done in
Rome at the Pope's orders by Rev. Dr.
MeEachen, who now, finding himself
temporarily at liberty, proposes to
leave Rome soon and return to the
United States to take up his duties as
professor at the Catholic University,
Washington, D. C.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
A Venerable SodaIity
IT IS TO BE FOUND IN PHlLADEL
PHIA.

Almost half century older than
this glorious Republic itself, the
Blessed Virgin Mary's Sodality of
"Old St. Joseph's' Church, Vikings
alley, Philadelphia, celebrated its one
hundred and eighty-ffth anniversary
last Sunday, the feast of the Immacu-
late Conception of Our Lady. No 9TH
er sodality in that community can
boast of such a record, according to
available statistics.
In 1888, away back in the Colonial
days, before onr Union was born, a
little group of fervent Catholics gath
cred together in st. Josephs Church
and formed a Sodality of the Blessed
Virgin, the first in the eastern sec.
tion of this country From a meagre
beginning it grew and expanded into a
large and fourishing organization
which at one time. in its most pros
porous days, held the flower of the
Catholicity of Philadelphia.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
An Old Epidemic

In the year 1924, terrible epidemic
ragged in the city of Milan, Italy. In
four months $4,000 persons died of it
in that city. Later, in 1877, when st.
Charles was Cardinal and Archbishop,
of that city, a similar one ragged.
There died in the city 1900, and in
the rest of his diocese 5000. The
town was quarantined. A hospital for
the afflicted was put up outside of the
city. st. Charles visited it and gave
the Last Sacraments to the afflicted.
He instituted and personally led public
professions to appease the anger of
God. Milan at the time numbered
100000 souls. The health authorities
did not approve of the professions !;
st. Charles, nevertheless, conducted
them.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
CATHOLIC TEACHING HAS AL
WAYS FAVORED VIEW THAT
POWER COMES THROUGH PEo-
PLE-oPPosED TO A5soLUTISM
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
FOR sELF-GoVERNMENT.

President Wilson has many times
declared that the terms of peace must
recognize the right of all nations,
large and small, to choose their own
form of government and their own
political rulers, writes DR.. John A
Ryan, in the Catholic World. The
same demand and principle has been
sanctioned by Allied countries, and by
certain important elements in Austria
and Germany Here in the United
States, substantially the whole popu-
lation accepts this doctrine as
automatic, and would have done so in
the absence of any statement by the
President We still subscribe, as We
always have subscribed, to the
statement in the Declaration of mde-
pendence, that governments derive
their just powers from the consent of
the governed
To what extent is this political doc
trine in harmony with the principles
of the Catholic Church? Has it ever
received anything like formal appro-
baton? May Catholic apply this
democratic principle to the case of
those small nations that are denied
the right of self-government by some
of the European powers?
To sum up the historical situation:
down to the nineteenth century, Cath
olic moralists and jurists, with the ex-
ception of certain adherents of CALI
canisrn, were unanimous in holding
that the consent of the people was re-
quired to make the position of ruler
morally legitimate; and the majority
of them maintained that the people
had right, not only to select the rul-
ing person, but to confer the ruling
authority.
We have to admit that the tradi.
tional doctrine is very attractive to
the believer in political democracy II
seems to provide simple and obvious
means for refuting the pretensions OF
autocracy. And it immensely en-.
hances the dignity of the people, by
making them the depositary of a most
important moral prerogatiye. 1t is
particularly pleasing to Americans
and above all to American Catholics
For the resemblance between it and
certain well-known clauses in the Vir
ginia Declaration of Rights, as well as
in our national Declaration of Inde
pendence, is obvious and striking
These documents declare that govern
ments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed, and that
the people have the right to alter OF
abolish any political rule that be
comes destructive of the true ends OF
government Suarez declares that il
the power Of the ruler be not proxi
mateiy or remotely derived from the
people and community it is not just
and that when the monarch converts
his government into tyranny, the
people can revoke the grant of au
thority.
Obviously it is impossible to define
in exact terms those qualifications
which fit people to choose its form
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
FOR MARTYR DEAD
SOLEMN REQUIEM SERVICE FOR
RELIGIOUS VICTIMS OF
PLAGUE.

For the repose of the souls of the
priests, Sisters, Christian Brothers and
students who died during the influenza
epidemic, Solemn Pontifcal Mass of
Requiem was celebrated in the Cathe-
draI in Philadelphia last Saturday.
One of the largest congregations that
ever assembled for divine worship in
the Cathedral was present.
From every parish in the city and
surrounding suburbs came the faith
full to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of
the Mass, and to offer their prayers
that eternal rest may be to those mar.
tyrs who SO willingly gave. their lives
in the service of God and for human
ity.
Archbishop Dougherty pontifcated
and the Rev. Joseph NJ. Corrigan, D.
D., of ST. Charles Seminary, Over
brook, delivered the sermon.
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-14
ST. PAUL PARISH CONFERENCES
NET LAST SUNDAY EVENING IN
CATHEDRAL HALL-REPORT OF
WORK ACCOMPLISHED - THE
PAST YEAR WITNESSED A graf.
flying GROWTH OF THE So
CIETY.

The annual meeting of the Parish
Conferences of the Society of st. Vim
cent de Paul was held on Sunday even
ing, December 8, at o'clock in the
Cathedral School Hall.
Immediately after the opening pray.
er by the Spiritual Director, Rev. L. F
Ryan, the president of the Particular
Council, Mr.. James C. Nolan, in a few
words paid tribute to the devotion OF
Archbishop Ireland to the cause Of the
poor and the faithfulness with which
he was ever present at general meet.
ings. Concluding his remarks, Mr.
Nolan said: 'As over and over again
while among us he blessed this work
and every one having the least share
in it, can we doubt that tonight from
his high place among the chosen OF
God he looks down on us in joy and
benediction. Let us then, so long as
life and health are spared us, continue
to do this holy work: striving each
day, each passing year, to do it little
better than before, drawing our in
spiration from the tender memory OF
him whom we all so loved, and who
in closest imitation of our Divine Mas
ter, so loved the poor"
The reports of Conferences and
those of the Particular Council were
given in brief summaries, the printed
report being at hand. A copy was
given to each one present. This neat
booklet, bearing on it's front cover a
most excellent likeness of Archbish
op Ireland is now being mailed tc
those who each year make contribu
tion to the funds. We give some items
from it.