The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-07-29


rolled in Our Lamy Army every
month, 1t is not to be wondered
at, that not a few ask the ques-
ton: "Who is Brother Philip" For
the enlightenment, therefore, of
those who are not familiar with
the story Of John Reid of Reid
vile, Conn.,, we submit the short
sketch which follows.
It was "a years ago when John
Reid made his first Pilgrimage to
the Mount of the Atonement. He
came unheralded, just as hundreds
Of men have come before and
since. We thought him at first to
be well nigh as penniless as our
usual Brother Christopher guests,
but although his clothes were
more or less threadbare, we read
lily recognized him as a gentleman,
and gave him hospitality at the
Friary instead Of at the st. Chris
topher's Inn. It was on the oc-
casion of his third visit (Decem-
Der, 1910 that we made the happy
discovery that we had entertained
an angel unawares;;" or, If not
an angel. a wonderful Benefactor
in disguise.
Idea Suggested
About this time the Father
Founder of the Society of the
Atonernent was much exercised
concerning the Union That-Noth-
ing-Be-Lost. On st. Thomas Day
seven years previous, G904) upon
awakening in the morning, he
had found present in his mind
the command given by Our Lord
to His Disciples after performing
the miracle Of feeding five thou
sand people in the wilderness on
five barley loaves and two small
fishes: Gather up the fragments
that remain that nothing be lost"
This suggested to him at that very
moment the idea of founding a
Missionary Society based upon the
practice of economy and self
denial. If the Christians of Amer
lea could be persuaded to give
the support of the Missionaries in
"the Field Afar" what they squan-
dered through extravaganza or
threw away in careless waste the
problem of financing Home and
Foreign Missions would be- solved.
Only the week before the Edi-
tor of The Lamp had mailed to
Bishop Cusack, then the Auxiliary
to the Archbishop of New York,
the Constitution and Rule of the
Union-That-N othing-Be-Lost, re-
questing His Lorship to sanction
and bless the same. The jealous
Bishop said in his reply that he
hesitated to bless and approve the
rule, because it was so perfect he
feared the Friars of the Atone
ment would find nobody willing
to live by it, and consequently it
would bring very little support to
their missionary labors.
Disappointed and bit crest
fallen at this reply of Bishop Gu
sack, the Father Founder made it
the subject of special prayer at
Mass the following morning and
while holding the Consecrated
Host in his hands, said to Our
Eucharistic King: Lord, the
thought Of this Missionary Union
has been in my mind for seven
years. If 1t is matter purely
Of my own imagination I would
like to get rid of the thought al
together; but If it really came to
me as an aspiration from Your
Divine Majesty, please give me
some practical evidence to that
effect"
Prayer Answered
The answer to the prayer was
this Third Visit of John Reid to
Grsymoor. On his two prior visits
he had arrived towards evening
and gone away the next morning.
This time he tarried for two or
three days, until finally one of
the Brothers came to the Father
General and said: Reverend
Father, Mr.. Reid seems to have
something of Importance which he
wishes to communicate to you and
feels somewhat hurt because you
are so much occupied as not to
give him the opportunity he
Graves. n lew ullIluIeS dICer-
wards Mr.. Reid was ushered into
the private office of the Father
General.
He opened the conversation by
saying: II have read in The Lamp
about q Mr.. Potter, a convert to
the Catholic church, who has es-
tablished an asylum for orphan
boys in London. I have written to
Mr.. Potter, asking him to send two
Of his boys to America and prom
Using to educate them for the
priesthood"
The reply of the Father Min
lister was as follows: "Mr. Reid,
you do not have to send over to
vOTJR EAVO