The Catholic Charities Conference by Frederick Bliss

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 27, 1910

The Catholic Charities Conference

By Frederick Bliss

FREDERICK BLISS

From September 25-28, Washington was a place of much interest to Catholics; for during this period was held the first national conference of Catholic charities.

We are glad to do this conference the justice of saying that it had a few delegates who manifested no sort of sympathy with the nagging at Protestants which was so noticeably prevalent with the rank and file. One such was Judge O’Doherty, of Louisville, who more than once told the conference that in Kentucky at least he found Protestants everywhere possessed of a splendid spirit of fair play and consideration. Another who put ringing emphasis on the same thing was Judge DeCourcey, of Boston. Expressions like these, we noticed, received none of the applause which is so characteristic of a Catholic audience when its own speakers are before it; but when a delegate said, “We Catholics can get anything we wish if we’ll just take off our coats and do a little hustling,” the hall rang with tumultuous hand-clapping.

In one of the most important cities on this continent, it was reported by a delegate, a judge having a peculiarly vital jurisdiction, that all the public institutions are conducted in a manner “entirely to the satisfaction of Catholics.” On the other hand, another delegate, speaking of a first-class city in a different part of the country, brought sighs to the gathering by reporting almost nothing to their liking, and telling them that the superintendent of the State school for boys, when approached in the interest of Catholic services in the institution, horrified them with the remark that “all religion there was Protestant”! In another great city the internal affairs of a large public institution were reported as “turned over to the sisters of charity.” Great applause greeted the statement of a delegate that a Methodist chaplain of a very important institution was so “liberal” that he took great care that the Catholic inmates had their catechism well learned against the regular coming of the priest to say mass, hear confessions, and perform other religious functions. That all Methodists were not so “liberal,” was emphasized by a delegate from another section, who found on a State board one of this persuasion who proved an uncompromising “bigot.” Many instances were reported of cities making per-capita appropriations to Catholic institutions on account of inmates sent them by civil officials; and probably every city where this occurs is in a State whose constitution forbids the appropriation of money to sectarian institutions and purposes.

That jealous vigilance is exercised by this church lest her people who become inmates of municipal and State institutions shall be in the least inoculated with the virus of Protestantism, will be revealed by the following questions, put into the hands of all the delegates, to be answered in open conference, and then go on file in the central office of the church associated charities for future reference:— “If there is a State board of charities, are Catholics represented on it? Are the policies and methods followed fair and just to Catholics? “Are the religious and spiritual interests of Catholics in public institutions interfered with in any way? “If there is a board of children’s guardians, are its methods and policies satisfactory? “If there is a State conference of charities, are Catholic charities represented? “Does the State conference of charities aim to affect legislation and to direct public policy? “Would a State organization of Catholic charities serve any purpose? Would it be practicable? What difficulties would stand in the way?”

In reporting Catholic charity work in cities, the percentage of Romanists in the same was incidentally mentioned in the case of some of them. Chicago was reported as having one million Catholics—nearly fifty per cent; Philadelphia, fifty per cent; Boston, more than sixty per cent; Pittsburg, forty per cent; Buffalo, sixty-six per cent; Troy, thirty-three per cent. Rhode Island—the colony of religious-liberty-loving Roger Williams—was reported as half Catholic.

Takoma Park, D. C.