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Show ! 4 ! $ iy .. ,4. -J .4.' .;, 4, .4-. i, .J. ,? i : DENVER. Office of Iutermountain Catholic, 409 Charles Block, 15th and Cur- i tis Sstreets. 1 THE CATHOLIC MUTUAL BENE- 1 FIT ASSOCIATION. A Comprehensive Sketch of the Noble Order. To compile the history of the Catholic .Mutual 1-onofU Association is a pleasant task for one interested in any organisation organi-sation that supplies the many advantages advan-tages the C. M. 13. A. does, and which defines its objects in its constitution to be the improvement of the moral, j mental and social condition of its members mem-bers and the educating: them in integrity, integ-rity, sobriety and frugality, and to endeavor en-deavor to make them contented with their 'position in life, and to aid and assist members or their families in case i vl death. On Sunday, July 2, 1876. a meeting of ihe Catholic men of St. Mary's parish, Niagara Falls. X. Y., was held in the i school house hall pursuant to the rer tiuost of the pastor. Rev. P. A. Moyni- han. Tor the purpose of forming a society so-ciety which would bring ull his people together in one association, whose objects ob-jects would be charitable and beneficial. benefi-cial. A temporary organization was formed with Mr. John Clifford presid ing;, with John J. Mclntyre as secretary and James Martin as treasurer. Many meetings of this temporary organization organiza-tion were held during the months of Julv, August. September. October and November of that year, for the purpose of making the arrangements necessary , to perfect the organization. A committee commit-tee on preparing a constitution and code j of by-laws ha been appointed at thb September meeting such committee consisted of Joseph McKenna, J. J. Mclntyre, Mc-lntyre, John Clifford, James McGraw and Sebastian Geyer. At a meeting held Oct. 15. 1876, the committee on constitution, through its chairman, Joseph McKenna, submitted a draft of the proposed constitution and by-laws, in which the proposed society was Ftyled the "Catholic Insurance Society." So-ciety." and at that meeting the new constitution, as reported by the committee, com-mittee, was adopted. The pastor. Rev. P. A. Moynihan. assisted as-sisted by the Very Rev. R. K. V. Rice, president of the Seminary of our Lady of Angels at Suspension Bridge, X. T., were the moving spirits in the work of arranging the details of the plan of the proposed society. The matter was laid before the lamented Rt. Rev. S. V. Ryan, the bishop of the diocese of Buffalo, Buf-falo, who made a thorough investigation investiga-tion of the aims and purposes of the proposed society, and the result of this investigation was his hearty approval of the plan of the society, that it had his warmest support, as it gave satisfactory satisfac-tory guarantee of its future usefulness and efficiency. In the latter part of October, 3S76. the constitution, which had been adopted at the meeting of Oct. 13, was submitted submit-ted to Bishop Ryan for his approval. The Bishop carefully examined the constitution con-stitution submitted to him, and on Dec. 1. 1876, retTrrtfed the same to the 1 Branch, suggestiug several practical amendments, btst substantially approving ap-proving the plan of the constitution as a whole, except the name, and in his own handwriting erased the name "Catholic Insurance Society." substituting substi-tuting therefor the name "Catholic Mutual Mu-tual Benefit Association." The sug-; sug-; gemions made by the Bishop were ; I unanimously incorporated in the con- stitution ami by-laws, and on Dec. 1, S7t1, the constitution of the Catholic 1 Mutual Benefit Association was adopt ed. Thus it will be seen that the name ; we are so proud of, C. M. B. A. Cath- ; olic Mutual Benefit Association was given bv Bishop Ryan and adopted Dec. 1, 1S76. The Bishop showed his faith and be- , i lief in the new association by becom ing a member of Branch 2. Lockport, s X. Y.. Oct. 9, 1S77, there being no Branch at that time in Buffalo, his ca- : . thedral city. On Dec. 1, 1S76, when the new constitution consti-tution and by-laws were unanimously adopted, and the new organization was named the Catholic Mutual Benefit As sociation. it had a membership of fifty- ; seven and a beneficiary fund of $57 $1 frcm each member. This charter membership mem-bership consisted of Rev. I'. A. Moyni-' Moyni-' ban. John Clifford, Sebastian Geyer, J. J. Mclntyre. James Martin. Michael I Maloney, Patrick Glynn. James O'Bri en, Michael Power. James Xolan, Owen McCabc. John Sullivan. Michael Quinn, Charles Mc Donald. Patrick J. Moakler. William Dinan, Patrick Butler, James : McGraw, John Collins. Jo.t-pn McKen na, Thomas Stapleton, Thomas Kennedy. Kenne-dy. Patrick Curry, Thomas Crehan. Robert Ferguson, jr., Thomas Xeville, ': Dennis Sullivan, John O'Rourke Mar- i ' tin Mclnerney. John Hayes. Thomas Durkin, Owen O'Brien, Daniel Barrett. Philip Reitz, Martin Connolly, John Murphy, Patrick Walsh. Jacob Poetz, William Fehily, John J. Reilly. Patrick Graham, John Caffrey, John Flaherty, John Donnelly. Patrick Whalen. Patrick Pat-rick DoJan, Dennis Culln, Anthony j ' Biron, Joseph Girard. Patrick Fleming, Tames Lenehan. Cornelius Burns. John Clune. Henry McBride, Patrick Conroy, i Jamc IfannoiT. Patrick Henry, all be- I ing residents of the village of Xiagara f Falls. X. Y. The Association at that J inci ting proceeded to elect permanent ! officers pursuant to the provisions of the constitution just adopted. The result re-sult was the election of the following officers: President Daniel Barrett. Vice President Michael' Powers and James McGraw. i Treasurer Patrick "Wals.h. j Recording Secretary J. J. Mclntyre. i Assistant Recording Secretary Thomas Durkin. Financial Secretary Jacob Poetz. Marshal Owen McCabe. Guard Dennis Cullen. Directors John Clifford. Sebastian Geyer, James Martin, Patrick Curry 1 and James Ilannan. I ; The charter members who are yet liv- ing are -us follows: Jr.hn Clifford." Sebastian Sebas-tian Geyer, James .Martin. Patrick Glynn. John Sullivan, Charles A. Mc-i Mc-i Donald. Patrick J. Moakler. James Mr- ' : Graw, Joseph McKenna, Thomas Cree- han. Robert A. Ferguson. Thomas Xeville, Xe-ville, Philip Reitz. Jacob Poetz. William Feeheley. John Flaherty. John J, Reil-ley. Reil-ley. Patrick Whalen and thirty-s?ven c harter members who are now dead. On Dec. L.7. 1 ST'J. at Xiagara Falls, ri Grand Council wac. formed, being the first Grand Council, ar.d was named the "Grand Council of Xew York," to which all branches subsequenUy instituted would be subordinate. The elected officers of this first Grand Council were: Grand Spiritual Adviser, Rev. P. A. Moynihan. Grand President. Daniel Barrett. G .and Vice Presidents, John Clifford, Sebastian Geyer. Grand Treasurer, James Xolan.' Grand Secretary, Joseph HcKeiina. Grand Marshal, Michael Powers. Grand Guard, Dennis Sullivan. Directors, John Clifford, Sebastian Geyer. James Martin, Antoine Biron an 1 James McGraw. Branch 2. Suspension Bridge, and Branch 2. Dockport. were instituted in the rnmnxh of March, 1S77, ani Branch I, at Titusville. Ua., June 1, 1$77. On Feb. 14. 1S77, the Grand Council of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Associa- lion was incorporated under., the General Gen-eral law of the state of Xew York for the incorporation of societies with the , following incorporators: Antoine Biron. John Clifford, Sebastian Geyer. -James J Martin and James McGraw. This was approved by Hon. George Baker, supreme su-preme court judge, April 16, 177. i j The first annual convention of the I Grand Council was held at Xiagara j Falls during t-ie last week in October, ; 1S77. Four Branches were represented, ! viz: Branches- 1. Niagara Falls: 2. Sus-j Sus-j pension. Bridge: 3. Lock port: 4, Titus-j Titus-j vil'e. The grand officers elected at that i convention vcre: j Spiritual Director, Very Rev. R. E. V. Rice. Giand President, Daniel Barrett of Xiagara Ialls. Grand Vice Presidents. Lawrence J. Mc-Pariin of Lockoort and Dr. M. C Dunnigan of Titusville, Pa. Grand Se.-retary, Joseph McKenna, Xiagara Falls. Grand Treasurer. Patrick Walsh, Xiagara Xi-agara Falls. ... Grand Marshal, Michael Powers, Xiagara Xi-agara Falls. Grand Guard, James McGraw, Xiagara Xiag-ara Falls. At this iesflon it was decided to create cre-ate what was called "a Supreme Grand Council," which provided for organizing organ-izing Grand Councils in states where five cr more Branches existed, and a separate beneficiary for state councils upon certain conditions. TC.cn it was that entrance to the city of Buffalo wa? sought by the promoter.-? of the young and growing Association. During the month of December, 1877, meetings were held in the Holy Angel 3 and St. Bridget's parishes, which resulted re-sulted in the institution, on Jan. 24, 1878, of Branch 7, in the Holy Angels Par-iih. Par-iih. with a dharter membership of forty-nine, and on Jan. 28, '187S, of Branch 8. in St. Bridget's- parish, with a charter membership of twenty-nine. At the time the membership of the entire en-tire Association was about 232. |