Catholic Young Men’s Society

New Zealand Tablet, 3 July 1913, Page 53

Catholic Young Men’s Society

Apropos of the opening of the forty-second annual conference of the representatives of the Catholic Young Men s Society in Liverpool in the early part of May, the London Universe gives the following account of the founding and rise of the society:— C.Y.M.S. was founded 64 years ago by Dean O’Brien in a humble cottage in an insignificant street in Limerick, with a membership of 24. On May 19, 1849, when the society sprang into being with two dozen members—men brimful of zeal and enthusiasm, captained by the devoted and earnest Dean O Brien —no one could have foretold that in twelve months afterwards the membership would have increased to over 2000. But so it was. In 1852 the founder established a branch in Cork, and there the membership soon reached 1000. Gradually the movement continued to spread and the membership to increase, and the first conference of the organisation was held in the city of its birth on its tenth anniverify* In 1860, 1861, and 1862 Cork, Drogheda, and Kilkenny were the places of conference, and, then for some reason, a retrograde spirit crept in, and the membership in Ireland commenced to decrease. But in

England the movement acquired vitality and vigor from the time when, five years after he had founded the society in -Limerick, Dean O’Brien established branches in connection with the missions of St. Marie and St. Vincent in Sheffield. The second branch in England was founded in St. Augustine’s parish, Granby row, Manchester, and St. Mary’s, Liverpool, was the third branch established by the Dean. The missions of St. Mary’s, Newcastle, and Gateshead then combined to form a branch. In 1855 the first society was established in Scotland at Paisley, and in the same year a society was founded at Kilmarnock. In May, 1855, Dowlais and Merthyr combined to establish the first society in Wales. ’ Steadily, yet surely, the interest in the work proceeded, and branches were formed in various points of the kingdom. In 1857 the membership in Liverpool alone was 2000, of sufficient strength 'to justify the establishment of a district council, which commenced .operations in May of that - year. .In the same year Dean O’Brien delivered an address at Waterford, in which he stated that the membership of the society throughout the kingdom was 45,000.. In 1859 the first conference in England, was held in Sheffield, when the total membership was 100,000. A proposition to hold the gathering once only in every four years seemed to have the effect of weakening the organisation, for neither in 1874 nor in 1878, when conferences were due, did they take place. In Liverpool the vitality of the work was never permitted to lessen, but in many other centres there was a marked decrease in zeal and membership, until in 1880 the conference in Birmingham aroused widespread enthusiasm. The membership was then reported as 4680 for 40 branches. In 1890 there were 60 1 branches, with a membership of 7960, and towards the close of 1899 the membership totalled 12,366. Steadily tire branches and membership showed an upward tendency, and at the close of last year there were 184 branches, with a membership of 21,000, Liverpool occupying a distinguished position, with 41 branches and between 7000 and 8000 members.