LETTER OF AGGREGATION TO THE SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT OF PAUL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 245, 11 January 1878, Page 15

LETTER OF AGGREGATION TO THE SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT OF PAUL.

Dear Sir and Brother,- PiU ' is ' Sept 4th ' 1877 ' +h»tf»% QQ T ce ™ 1 C 7u Cil has com missioTOd us to announce to you that in its Session ot September 3rd, 1877, it has aggregated the Conference ot Wellington to vbe Society. This Aggregation has the effect of associating our fellow-members in a communion i prayers intentions, and good works with the other Conferences, and of enabling them to participate in the precious Indulgences granted totheSocietl by the Briefs ot January 10th and August 12th, 1845. AmongsttS spiritual favours, we particularly desire to point out to youthe Plenar v Indulgence that may be gained by the new members on the lav 3 the Aggregation of the Conference, which is the date of their admis sion into the Society. The General Council permits you to fix this" day, following your own convenience. It requests your most earnest attention to the recommendation, which follow. Acceptor 3SS SSSSSSr™ 1 " 100 ° Ur aSeCti ° nate devoteduess in our Lord Ad Baddon, President General of the Society. A. Dangin, Vice President General. Points op Recommendation to which the Conference should give particular attention. 1. Circumspection in the Choice <f Members of the Conference Nothing is more injurious to a Society than an imprudent selection of members. It is preferable to be less numerous and composed of members, possessing the necessary qualifications. If £ ™L tt admits within its bosom persons who do not fulfil the obligations prsenbed by the Church, and especially jthe Paschal ObfSfon the most solemn of all, it incurs the very serious risk of soon becoming but a work of purely human beneficence, and of losing Sght oHhf spiritual good of the poor. Besides this chief qualificltiof which is always required, it is desirable that the aspirant should hW a sin cere love for the Society, should enter it with a good will, be disnosed to love the poor, and have an engaging and benfvolent dispoSn 2. Assiduity in Visiting the Poor. JL This work forms the distinctive character of the Society It i<= most suitable to its needs, and the fittest to arouse the zeal of it! members. The Brothers of St Vincent of Paul, iv accultomfng Sem solves to sit by the poor man's fireside, and to come in contact whh his physical and moral wretchedness, learn all the better to love Tnd console him Bowles it is an easy task. A long nppronticVdiln nor if a?hrona ?hronn f f hme Whi , Ch T* C ° Uld not S P ai>e ' is rcqS fo . it. The Confcreuces should, as an essential point, hold to the visitation of the poor m their own houses, and especially to the practice of P " l i the^ hrist . iaTl s? 1 "' of , t^eir well-beloved patron, St vScent of Paul When, m visiting the poor, we are convinced 'that it is Jesus Christ whom we visit, it is easy to do it with an intelligent charity 3. angularity at Meetings and Cordiality among the Members It would be dangerous to n< gleet either of these two points and li ™ P Z re a l th6y Cl ° S . ely conaec te«i S fact, witCSguCty the meetings become wearioome, the members are discouraged the collections d.mimsh, and many undertakings which would [ oUierwfc beeasyarercndorecUmpossible. Moreover, withouT the meetings become painful and fatiguing ; members will attend ZmSv to fulfil a duty of conscience, but without that pleasure fett by bers of flourishing Conferences when they find themselves tieX No Conference has ever failed in 9rw » by permittgg ttlto

a sweet and; Christian gaiety' Many, on the contrary, have lost by not cultivating amongst their members, that cordiality which is an evidence of the union of hearts. 4. Frequent Communication with oilier Conferences. - The members of a Conference should clearly apprehend that they form a part not of one Conference only, but of the whole Society. Consequently, they should set a high value on an intimate communication with the neighbouring Conferences, with the Council on which they depend— should their Conference constitute part of the district of a Particular Central or Superior Council,— and lastly with the Crencral Council, the centre of the whole Society. To the present moment the spirit of union has constituted the strength of Conferences, and as long as it shall be perpetuated, we may be confident of their success. - ' n*l Vffenntial arid Respectful Relation with the Clergy. „ of « a^, he ab . ov i al^, our Societ 7 should esteem it a special honour to stand close by the Clergy of the parish and the Bishop of the dioSftL £™£ ? te U ?^ th v. the Church ' of which t^e benedictions ot the Episcopate and the lugh approbation of the Soverien Pontiff a nHi Pr ft Cl °n S *****"*?> is for th e Society of St. Vincent of Paul, as for all other Catholic works, an indispensable condition of permanency and the most necessary of duties. J ' 16. Perseverance and Resignation, in Difficulties. Necessity of Humility. „™f So ™r times *[» exercise of charity is marred by obstacles and contraditions, and the Conferences are not exempt from them anymore than other pious institutions. It is importing they do not' suffer themselves to be cast down by them-that, on the contrary, they'consider them a special -mark of the blessing of God. If, faithful to this counsel, they always endeavour to support contradictions with patience avozd all species of strife and contest, and await from -time and God their justification, their meekness will certainly be recomII a C i ' ° n J he confcrar y. G° d should bless their labours with success, they ought earnestly strive to place their progress under the IST^J!'** 80 '?? humility ' Th « ambers should L always beS in mind they are but unprofitable servants.