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Show IRISH HELP FOR IRISH NEED. A charity is just now brought befor2 the public for which we venture to bespeak be-speak a generous response from all Irish hearts and lovers of Ireland. We well know the aching heart with which an Irish priest sees any portion of his flock leave the "land of faith" for the colder spiritual atmosphere of a Protestant Pro-testant country. He knows the dangers dan-gers better than they do. , For a while, all may go well; work may be found und even be. plentiful, and things may promise fair. But in time the constant companionship with Protestants, or the indifferent, or it may be the daily contact con-tact with every form of sin, tells on the life. Then, perhaps, work grows tdack. temptations overcome them, and the downfall is easy; or, again, illness comes, death follows, and what of the children? From any of these causes, and many others, the little ones have a poor chance of retaining the bright, living liv-ing faith their lathers, or grandfather? brought frorii St. Patrick's holy isle. It stands to reason, therefore, that free orphanages and homes for such as are 1 left friendless, and who have none who can pay even the, small sum usually-required. usually-required. haVe a. real claim orithe alma of the charitable,, Wost especially at a time of special outlay such as li just arisen at St.'Mary's convent and free orphanage, Roehampton, London. XS.; W., maintained by the poor servants of the mother of God. More than thirty 1 years ago Mother Magdalen Taylor, I foundress of these sisters, devoted her- , self to sui h works, and amongst hen many labors, some years later opened this free orphanage for girls, in which they are trained to earn their own livelihood in domestic service or whatever what-ever position they seem most fitted for in the world. The orphans, the children of respectable parents and mostly of the poor Irish, whom the sisters come across in their visitations of the poor, have been,xtakeri from destitution and saved from' their perilous surroundings. Many vears ago Mother Magdalen, of w horn wc have already spoken, wrote of such as these: "And. Erin. I will ne'er forget The debt I owe to thee. But strive to save thy children poor, from sin's dread misery. When e'er in London's streets so vast I meet sweet 'Irish eyes.' I'll strive to save those little ones.' And train them for the skies." t The children have done well, and the sisters have had the consolation of seeing see-ing many enter other convents as lay sisters, make good Catholic marriages, or succeed in domestic sei vice. - That their education is well looked after will be ?een from the diocesan inspector's report. He says: "School classed as excellent. The girls give evidence.of efficient teaching, and passed a highly satisfactory examination. The instruction instruc-tion of those in the highest classes is complete and thirough. The children are happy, and of pleasing manners." Up to the present time, no appeal has been made for funis, but for some time past it has been evident that some additional ad-ditional accommodation must be provided. pro-vided. Both convent and orphanage were so overcrowded that no more children could be admitted, and now a rented houjse occupied by the ch'ldren can no longer be had, the owner requiring re-quiring it for other . purposes. This obliges the sisters to build an extension without delay. They urgently need "r5.000, the cost' being 7,000. of which 1,000 has already been subscribed. We think what has been said above will suffice to recommend the charity to all of whatever nation or creed, who love helpless little ones; but we may add that the poor servants of the mother of God are already known in Ireland by their care of the asylum for aged ladies at St. Joseph's, Portland row, Dublin: their works as matron and nurses of the infirmary of the Rathdown union, and' their school at Carrigtwohill. County Coun-ty Cork. Whatever our friends may do to assist this building fundt whieh the community themselves are utterly unable un-able to raise, .will entitle them . to a share in the special blessing given, by the holy Father to all who contribute to this work, and they will also be blessedly the daily prayers of the sisters sis-ters and the children. Contributions will be gratefully received; by Mother De Sales Croke, St. Mary's, Roehampton, Roehamp-ton, London, S. W. , |
