Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-25
BLESSING OF 1,5oo PALMS
 AT ST. PATRIcNs CHURCH
For Distribution Yesterday, Palm Sun
 day-Rishop Niian's Letter Regard ing Diocesan Charities Read.

About 1,500 heads of palm were blessed for distribution before the high mass in St. Patrick's church yestAt- day, Palm Sunday, by Rev. Peter J.. Cuny, who sang the mass, reading in Latin the lengthy gospel for the Sur day, which was St. Matthew's narra- tion of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, xvi. xvii.
 The same narration was read in English from the pulpit by Rev. Myles P. Calvin, who also commented upon the national and diocesan order to adopt the new time system by setting day night. Father Calvin read the following circular letter from Rt. Rev. John J. Milan, bishop of Hartford dio- cese, regarding the customary Easter offering for the charities of the dio- cese.
 Bishop NiIan's Letter.
 March 19. 1918. Dear Father:
 The annual Easter collection for dio- cesan charities will be taken up in all the churches of the diocese Sunday, March 31. The amount of the collec- tion last year was $3s,526.73. a consid- erable increase over that of the preyi ous year, which was $32, 2,796.71. The expenditures, however, increased eveti in larger proportion. There was eX pended for dependent children, s35, = 600.e9; for dependent aged, $1.7S0.35; i; for deaf mutes and others, $1.077.2 .26; for St. Thomas seminary, s6.900. Three thousand dollars was contributed to 1 the building fund of the Little Sisters of the Poor, leaving an unexpended balance of $168.54.
 I We appreciate the very generous re- 1 sponse to our appeal of last year and we are very grateful to priests and people for this evidence of active in- 1 terest in the great problem which con- fronts us, especially in the case of children exposed to want and to the i peril of being reared in ignorance and vice. The most efficient way to meet this difficulty seems to be by means of institutions conducted by religious who have broken the ties of kin to become foster parents to those who have no home
 All our institutions during the past year have been taxed even beyond their capacity and some applicants Iwere regretfully refused admittance because there was no room. War con- ditions not only presage greater de- Imand on our resources the coming year but they also make the question oi enlarging the present buildings ex- tremely difficult or well-nigh impossi- lble. The cost of maintenance has in icreased to such an extent that to pro- vide for our family of nearly a thou
 sand homeless children will require even more than the amount contribut
 ed in 1917. If families of moderate means would consent to receive into their homes even temporarily childre1 l VIyh otzn
 not only be a great relief to the asy.
 lums, but the future of the childrei
 would be more promising under the in
 fiuence of family rearing. The supe
 riors at the different institutions or tn diocesan visitor, who may be reachtt
 at the office of the Catholic Transcrip pt 6e State street, Hartford. would b l delighted to place in homes boys o : girls of any age from infancy up. 1t is pleasing to note that a goodI e number of the waifs of the St. Agne @ home have found protection in goo r families where they now bring chee to homes that were lonely In thi : connection it may be remarked ,tha h the disposition and character of a chil d improves by association with childre ), in the same family and children C 6 various ages by their mutual helpful e ness Tighten parental care As was t . be expected, the infant home is a Iarg
 item of expense. The number in tn
 home at present is PCT; 195 new case
 were received during the past 1 6 months and since it's opening1It ha q given shelter to 800 infants. This
 satisfactory, as showing that the nee
 lof such a work was by no mean
 imaginary. On the other hand. tn n cost of baby foods, medicine and othe
 necessaries, not to speak of light an
 fuel has increased in even greatf proportion than the number to t o cared for The present cost of main V tenance of the institution is $10o a da,
 The effort to collect for the support ( s the children from those responsible
 mot always successful and many ir
 lfants must be taken absolutely free ( ' charge.
 ri For obvious reasons we must nc d this year contract debts for new cor l, lstructien. We have confidence. how e ever, that the appeal of those in miser a and distress will not remain unar n swered nor our institutions of charit ,-I do less efficient work through lack ,
 funds. God in His providence has nt :. left the care of the unfortunate to il y chance of sentiment or to the goo Y pleasure of the benevolent. The la srl of charity is placed to furnish foe
 for the hungry, protection for u =Iweak. The .favors received from u s- divine bounty are to be shared vii lo others less favored; mercy to those suaiot ic Q port of IA, c,<,.,~~1;.