ST. JOSEPH'S BOYS' HOME.

OPENING CEREMONY. St. Joseph's Home for Boys, at Middleton, which is being conducted by the Sisters of Nazareth, was officially opened yesterday by his Lordship Bishop Brodie in tihe presence of a very largo gathering. ' The Home is a- two-stcried . wooden building, with accommodation for about 100 boys, who will be taught farming or other useful occupations. The property, on which stands the residence of Mr J. I>. Hall, consists of about 80 acres. Eight Sisters are in charge. Of these all except two, who came from Nazareth House, arrived last Christmas from London, under Rev. Mother Gertrude. About 80 boys are now living at the Homo, which will relieveth© tax on tho accommodation at Nazarctu Home. The ceremony of blessing + .hi building was performed by Bishop Brodie, assisted by Dean Regnault, S.M., Dean Bowers, Rev. Fatiliers Hanrahan, Admr., Seymour, S.M., Dignan, S.M., O'Hare, O'Connor, and Finnerty. On tho platform from which the speeches were made "were the Bishop, Ifean Regnault, the Mayov( Dr. Thacker, M.P.), the Hon. P. J. Nerheny, M.L.C., and Mr H. H. Lougjliuan. Tho Bishop apologised for the absence of Sir George Clifford, who was unavoidably detained in Wellington. Dean Regnault said that he desired to congratulate the Bishop on the opening of the Home, which was an acquisition to tJhe many fine buildings of charity in Christchurch. Tho Catho'iio Church, he said, aimed at planting religious education in the hearts of tho people. She erected orphanages and asylums so that her orphans might find in them a mother's care. This was ona of the finest features of religion. Wherever thero was poverty or suffering the Sisters were giving their services in tihe ca» of the afflicted. The secret of this spirit was love, on which Jesus Christ founded the Church. Tho Catholic Church in its works of. chnritv made use of iher great army of nuns. She told them to feed the hungry, clothe tho naked, and care' for the orphans. The works of charTEy had never been carried on better in any other part of the world than by the Sisters of Nazareth in Christchurch. Many a person whose life had nearly run its course found a haven of refuge . in Me home provided by the Sisters. and many an orphan found love and tender care with them. The children were also given the refinement and culture and religious training, without which no education was complete. This teaching was part . of what Christ brought to the earth. Tho speaker stressed the great necessity of such homes. The boys who resided in St. Joseph's Homo would be taugjht something to enable them to fiuht the battleof life. The Sisters of Nazareth were giving themselves bodv and soul to the care of the orphans. They had no silver or gold. Therefore it behoved Christians to assist the good Sisters with gifts of money. In the Nazareth Home there were' no fewer than 200 ? yB, Al r eadv over 560 children and about 500 aged men and women had passed through the institution, i h ?,. H011 - Mr Nerheny said for the last thirty years he had watched with interest the welfare of orphans, Catholic and Protestan>. He believed that creed should not count where the welfare of orphans whs concerned. In referring to the fedent burning of the Catholic orphanage at Auckland, he said that if the intention had been to destroy the institution a great mistake had been made, as at the meeting held a little later £SOOO was promised for the erection of a much more substantial building. He wished St. Joseph's. Home every success in the laudable work it would be engaged in. Mr H. H. Loughnan, on > behalf of the laity, said thafe it was gratifying to attend such a function, which was being held at a time when an attempt was being made to stir up feeling against the Sisters of the Church. From the beginning the Church had jjeen active in its solicitude for little children. Evidences of that activity were to be seen all over the world. The Sisters of Nazareth were to-day enlarging aid extending their benevolence so that they would he able to care for about •another hundred children. The speaker was present to assist the nuns in their great effort. The institution was not backed by Government finance, out so highly was it regarded that it was supported by people of all creeds in Christchurch. The Mayor said that he clesirad publicly to welcome the Rev. Mother Gertrude and the other nuns of thv Cvder to Christchurch as (jood ind do«irtble citizens. What he liked about the institutions of the Catholic Church was that they went on their --lay taking, no notice of snipers on the road. Ho paid a tribute to the good work of tho nuns, referring particularly to the-Lewi-sham Hospital. Everyone had tho greatest respect for'the blue S.sitrs. Tlie speaker ■ took the opportuuity to ask that they should be given a vote of thanks. This was carried by acclamation. Master Jack Jarvis,"one (f the hoys of St. Joseph's Home, here presorted ■his Lordship with an. address of welcome from the boys, with an ass'uance of their love for him, and hope-that the day's function would alway? irn>am a happy memory to him. After returning thanks for the address, which he said had given *l)m great pleasure, and which tame as a surprise to him, his LurcVtiip said;— The ceremony at which we are assisting to-day is one which opens up a for consideration of the" problems which confront a bishop in the work of diocesan administration. St. Joseph's Home will be a home for orphan boys, and its purpose is not only to provide them with a. home but to thoroughly equip them for the battle of life-which is before them. It will be interesting to review the history of the development of our orphanage work. In the days of the Roman Empire ' pagan--legislation made no_ provision for the orphan; the Athenians on the other hand dealt with tho matter from a utilitarian standpoint, and for economic and patriotic reasons legislated for the guardianship of orphans. When Christianity. began to manifest itself one of its first fruits was charity; hospitals and children's homes began to multiply. Even in the Apostolic Constitutions we read "Orphans are always commended to Christian charity. Girls are, to be brought up with great care so aB to safeguard their faith, and boys are to learn some art or handicraft so as to be able to earn their own living." Such instructions were given that we would we were reading the enactments of present day synods. During the middle ages the monastries and convents preserved to modern times the notion of the duty of caring for orphans. St. Vincent de Paul was so devoted to this work of charity that his own enthusiasm inspired men of rank and wealth and noble ladies to devote their lives to the" sacred cause. The work has spread to such an extent that no diocese can.be said to be equipped which has not an orphanage or home-for orphan children. It may be well to refer to another system which is regarded even by Government authorities as a better system that our orphanage for the care of orphan chilI dren. This system is known as the , boarding-out system, or placing of ■ orphans with kind, affectionate people, who will show all the care which the orphans might have expected from their own parents. In theory there is much to commend this system, but when we come tQ reduce theory to practice we are immediately confronted with the difficulty that it is impossible to secure 'such ideal foster-parents: social and economic conditions have brought about such a change that there is now ft

general unwillingness to undertake tin responsibility of caring for tho orphan. cd children; in fact, we find that erea those parents who are spared to their children, and who have wealth to care for them, are forced, owing to stress of present social conditions, to place their children in colleges and boarding schools for their training and education. We are thus forced to admit that our orphanages nre a social and economia necessity, and they are at tho sanM time an avenue for the exorcise of oat .generosity and charity to help to provide orphaned children with a home and training which will compensate in some manner for-the loss tho children hav« sustained by being deprived of their parents. St. Joseph's Home is being entrusted to the cure of the Sisters of Nazareth, who devote their lives to the care of tho aged and needy, and also of the orphaned child: the conditions in England within the last eightv years induced tho Sisters to* extend their care to the orphans—their homes havo multiplied, and now wo find them not only in England, Ireland, and Scotland, but alaa in America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand; they havo brought to their work tho experience of many years, and have accomplished tho happiest of results with tho children entrusted to their care. St. Joseph's Horn* will bo for orphan boys: it has soma ninety acres of land attached, so that the boys may, aftor their school dars, learn agriculture in its various branches, and also trades which will enablo them to earn n livelihood when they approach the years of manhood. As Bishop of Christchurch I rejoice at ' tho ceremony of to-day; our city receives a valuable addition to its already * numerous array of religious and char!table institutions. I rejofco with tjje Sisters of Nazareth, who can now hope that their work in Christchurch for orphan boys will vio with their older houses in tho extent and success of tie results accomplished. Our assemblage to-day is an assurance of the interest which will be taken in the work of St. Joseph's Home. On behalf of the Sis- > ters T express their gratitude to th* people of Christchurch, kind friends of every denomination, who havo helped in the work of Nazareth Honse, fc and whose generosity has encouraged tho Sisters to undertake n further development of tho work for boys, a work which will har* fuller scope in tho spacious grounds at- j tached to St. Joseph's Home. |