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Show CIRCULAR LETTER. To Our Beloved Brethren of the Clergy Cler-gy and of the Laity: Dearly Beloved" Brethren : The following fol-lowing telegram which came to hand this moment speaks clearly, and tells a tale or woe and misery such as has not been seen in this country for years: Houston, Tex., Sept. 11, 1900. night Ue Bishop Matz: "Oalveston ruined by cyclone. 20.000 people homeless: IX'00 dead; Churches, .Schools, Hospital and Orphanage destroyed. des-troyed. We appeal for immediate aid. (Signed), BISHOP GALLACHEH." Bishop Gallagher of Galveston is a personal friend of ours: we were fellow students in the Seminary. Were he and his desolate, flock utter strangers to us we should fly to their assistance with all possible speed: but when they arc fellow-countrymen; our own brethren In the Faith, nothing should Ptand between us and those dear Brethren whom a most dreadful calamity calam-ity has overwhelmed and ruined. Our hearts should go out to them and noth-I noth-I lug that we can do to relieve them in f this their dire distress, should be left i nn.ione. It is our bounden duty. "Re ligion clean and undefiled before God and the Father Is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation" tribula-tion" St. James, i. 27 v. And St. Paul tells us that if we have nctt charity we are but sounding brass and tinkling cvmbal. Here we have 20,000 people homeless: one thousand known dead. This number num-ber may be multiplied by five before the full extent of the ravage done by the cvclone is known. St. Mary's Hospital Hos-pital and the Orphanage are among the ruins; in all probability the number of those who found death in the ruins will be numbered by the score. As Americans, Ameri-cans, Christians and Catholics let us arise and meet our desolate brethren with whatever we can afford towards their relief. Only a few years ago, in our own distress we appealed to-the ' Catholics of the Cnited States and Mexico for assistance and we met with a generous response. The fate of Galveston, as you see, is for "immediate aid." Wherefore Where-fore we order a collection to be taken up in all the Churches of this Diocese on Sunday, Sept. 23rd instant. Pastors will please send same without delay to 1he Chancellor who will forward it to Bishop Gallagher. Given in Denver, this lllh day of September. X. C. MATZ, Bishop of Denver. In some of the Churches this collection collec-tion was taken up last Sunday in order to send assistance as soon as possible. In others of the Diocese it will be taken up next Sunday, Sep'. 23rd. At the Hi"h Mass in Logan Avenue Chap' l K'"-v. rather Casey, after reading read-ing the Bishop's letter, delivered an eloquent sermon on bearing one an-oiIkt.s an-oiIkt.s burdens. The 'Reverend Father cited many beautiful instances from Scripture where such "sweet charity" was reward.-l by oui Divine Savior. In conclusion he snoke of the opportunity brfore us X" show mercy to our un- Ifortunat countrymen and gain the merit which our Dord promised when he said : ' BVssed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy." |