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OUR CATHOLIC
INSTITUTIONS.
A Great Social Work.
XIII.—THE CATHOLIC REFUGE,
NORWOOD.
In the three years' public ministry of
our Divine Lord, when every word and
every act was freighted with its own
special message, there are many lessons
to be learned, and to readers of Holy
Writ, who ponder these things in their
heart, the Divine teaching and example
will become clearer, and more clear until
the full import of each circumstance or
episode will become deeply impressed on
both mind and heart. There is, how
ever, one lesson which the most casual
student can hardly fail to learn because of
the unmistakeable and almost amazing
emphasis with which it is taught, namely,
the infinite compassion shown by Our
Lord for that special class of sinpers, for
whom the world, itself so sinful, turns
aside with scorn and contempt.
In the poor sinner whom the proud
Prarisees so exultantly brought
before Him for punishment, we find one
such example. When the accusers, made
conscious of the hidden guilt in their own
hearts by Our Lord, disappear one after
another from the scene, "Where are thy
accusers? Does no man condemn thee.
Neither will I; go now in peace and sra
no more." Such were the gentle, compas
sionate words addressed by Our Lord to
the sinful woman who knelt in fear and
misery before Him.
Again, when vesting from the noonday
heat, he waited at the well for the com
ing of another sinner, the woman of Sa
maria. and there, weary, and footsore,
and thirsty, as He was, entered into con
versation with her. teaching and explain
ing with such infinite gentleness and pati
ence. that her heart, touched with grace,
was changed from that hour.
But the most prominent instance which
the gospels record of Divine compassion
for the sinner, is that of Mary Magdalen.
The beautiful story is so familiar that it
needs no repetition here. That it is so
familiar, is due to the sacred injunction
of Our Lord Himself, who, anxious as it
would seem—if we may use the expres
sion—that the circumstance, and the les
son it conveyed should lose none of its
significance, instructed His Apostles to
make it known wherever the Gospel
should be preached.
If further examples were needed to bring
the lesson home with full force, it would
be found in the words of the beloved dis
ciple, when he tells us that "There stood
by the Cross of Jesus His mother. Mary,
and Marv the Magdalen." "This,' says
a writer on the subject, "was no chance
meeting. There was Mary the Immacu
late. on whose virginal soul the slightest
stain of sin never rested, and Mary, of
whom the evangelist speaks as being a
sinnner in the city. It was the estab
lishment of a new relationship between
virginal and penitent souls, of which the
two Marys are respective types. This
bond of love, cementing in a dissoluble
union a pair whose paths in life had been
so widely different, is blessed by the
Divine Victim at the most awful moment
time or eternity ever beheld. Hence, in
the Church, where Mary is honored as
the Queen of Saints, and imitated as the
most perfect model for those seeking per
fection, it is no wonder that theie should
exist a number of virginal souls who con
sider it a proud privilege and a sacred
duty to devote their lives to elevating and
reforming their less fortunate sisters. In
nocence and penitence meet hand clasped
in hand; every social barrier which so
called society would erect, is swept away
by the tide of all-conquering love, burn
ing zeal for the salvation of souls.
Into the hands of the Australian Sister
hood, the Sisters of St. Joseph, of the
Sacred Heart, has this department of the
healing ministrations of the Church in
South Australia been entrusted.
Almost simultaneously with the begin
nings made in I860 by the newly-founded
Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph, m the
eause of Catholic education, was provision
made for those unfortunate cases gener
ally to be met with in every community.
The Catholic Refuge was first opened in the
residence of the late Captain Finniss in
the west end of the city, Sister Bernardine
being first placed in charge. After some
time, seeking a more convenient and re
tired locality, the Sisters rented a cottage
at Mitcham, where the work gradually
took solid sliape, and encouraging pro
gress was made. Iii the course of time
it was found advisable to again change
quarters, and another move whs made to
Queen-street. Norwood,' in which locality
th6 Refuge has ever since been conducted.
The amount of good this institution has
done since its establishnient is almost in
calculable. Hundreds, nay, we do not
think we would exaggerate did we say
thousands, have sought its lcindly ska
ter in the;bitter hour of need, the majo
rity of these paving been brought to a
better life, leqying ihe' institution to fill
once again a Respectable position, iin
society. The doors ol the Refuge are
open to all denominations, and fre
quently when such children of misfortune
will submit to no rule, nor put themselves
under no influence which others may pro
vide, they will be found tractable under
the gentle rule of the Sisters, and sub
mit to their guidance.
Nor is it a life of idleness they enter
upon when they take up their abode with
in these walls. We recollect the late
Archbishop Reynolds, in an address given
by him urging the claims of this institu
tion on the public, drawing a picture for
his hearers of the hard-working life of the
inmates. "Most of you know what it is,*'
said His Grace, "to stand over a washtub
all day long," but when this work is con
tinued, not for one day, but day in and
day out, it may easily be conceived that
there is no pampering or encouraging of
vice in such an, institution.
The Refuge is in great part self-support
ing from the results of the labors of the
inmates, this being supplemented by pri
vate donations and Church collections.
Owing to the frequent depression and the
many other calls on the Catholic commu
nity, the Church collections do not always
realise the substantial aids hoped for, but,
on the other hand, work is plentiful, and
the institution has never had cause to
complain of the support accorded them in
this direction. The work is done well
and cheaply, and some of the best fami
lies have for years sent their laundry
work to the Catholic Refuge, amongst
whom may be mentioned Government
House, Mrs. Barr Smith, and Lady Way.
Lady Kintore has been a good friend in
the past both in supplying work to the
institution and placing girls of reformed
character in good situations. Mrs. Barr
Smith has also proved herself, in this in
stance, as in many others, most charitable
and liberal-minded. Like Lady Kintore,
besides sending the laundry work of her
none Help
The Catholic Refuge, Norwood.
II Mcuann, rnoco.
establishment to the institution, she fre
quently takes under her care girls who
have been recommended from the Refuge,
and over and above their kind offices, shl
for the past number of years contributes
a yearly gift of £10.
It would be a mistake to" think that all
the inmates without exception are of the
unfortunate class. Some find a tempo
rary home in the Refuge, who have for the
time being no means and nowhere else
to go; others who may have been re
leased from gaol, or who have been in
dangerous surroundings outside, and seek
there a shelter where the character
may be strengthened and the danger pas
sed. Others,, again, who have been well
brought up, and well educated, and other
wise respectable, have perhaps in a mo
ment of grievous temptation lapsed from
the path of virtue, are turned out on the
streets by parents or friends. To such
what a haven of refuge, with its kindly
open arms, is such an institution.
Every act that care and kindness can
suggest is brought to the healing of
these unhappy creatures. The very name
remains unknown, not only to the other
inmates of the Refuge, but to the Sisters
placed over them, with the exception of
the Sisters in charge of the institution, to
whom name and other particulars are al
ways given. Amongst all the others,
each inmate is known only by an as
sumed name, so that when she leaves the
institution she can resume her own name
without any stigma of publicity being
attached, and many of these now occupy
the best situations in the colony.
The inmates rise at 6. attend Mass,
breakfast quarter past 7, home duties be
ihg then attended to, the work of the
tkty beginning at 9, lunch tit 10, 12 free
time, 'quaVter past T- dinner!, 2 work re
sumed, 3 lunch, tea 6, 'and half-past 8 to
bfed: It ihi£ht sefem but a prosaic kind of
experience to visit an institution of girls
and women at work over the washtub or
at the ironing table. In reality, it is quite
the reverse, and we freely acknowledge
that there was an interest attaching to
our visit to this establishment, which has
not been surpassed by any visited.
The Refuge is favorably situated in
being so easy of access, twenty minutes
in the tram car landing us close to our des
tination. A few minutes' walk brought
us to the little entrance door in the high
corrugated-iron fence. An electric bell
brought one of the Sisters to admit us.
Within the grounds there is a bright and
well-cultivated stretch of garden,, with a
statue of St. Joseph and the Blessed Vir
gin placed on the pinnacle of a little
clump of blossoms. In the neat little
guest-room we met the Sister in charge,
Sister Annette. Sister Annette is
amongst the number of those who first
joined the Order, and for twenty-six years
she has held the position of Superior at the
Refuge. It would be difficult indeed to
find one better suited to the work; large
hearted, firm though kindly, and of a
placid, equable disposition, well suited to
the motherly duties she is called upon to
fulfil, and to the frequent exercise of pa
tience and tact which her position de
mands. All over the establishment did
Sister Annette conduct us, from the re
ceiving room to the sorting room, through
the washing apartments, and into the iron
ing department, where we were initiated
into the mysteries of "clear starching' and
"glossing," that art the acquirement of
which is so envied by housekeepers. A
pathetic interest was added by the pre
sence of so many little beings in different
stages of babyhood, contented and happy
looking for the most part, though here
and there some poor young mother had
frequent distractions from her work to
soothe and arrange her little charge.
The dining-room was in readiness for the
mid-day dinner, and here all was plainly
but decently and neatly arranged. The
Sisters' dining-room is not one we can ex
patiate upon, being only a very rough and
poor apartment, with nothing but its per
fect neatness and cleanliness to redeem it.
Upstairs are the sleeping apartments—
very limited to space it is true—but per
fectly fresh and neat, every bed having its
white coverlet and pillows, with wire mat
tress. No litter of boxes or clothing is
permitted in these apartments, special
rooms being set apart for such purposes.
One of the Sisters superintends this de
partment, a tiny sleeping apartment be
ing partitioned off for her use. There
are many little pious pictures and sta
tues about, giving encouraging evidence of
the good spirit that prevails in the Refuge.
The kitchen, as may be supposed, is of
fairly liberal dimensions. An introduo
tion*to that important personage in every
establishment—the cook—took place
when we were informed the same person
had filled the position for fourteen years.
Bright-eyed and wholesome she looked
after her years of faithful service. ,
The religious aspect of the work struck
one most forcibly when side by side with
the poor young mothers stood and worked
some of the young Sisters in all their inno
cence, yet in this modest, humble mien,
unconsciously exercising a beneficial in
fluence on these less forainate ones.
Sister Annette, always alive to all that
forwards the good work, was more than
usually elated at the prospect of being
able to increase the usefulness of the in
stitution at a very early date. The little
children belonging to the inmates Have
not, she considers, a fair chance. Aftey a
residence of—it may be six months, a
year, or two years—the mqther'.)eShr& .the
institution, placing out her child 93 best
she can, wfte^she herself takes a situation
to supportherself And it. ''In $he gene
ralify of cases the children are placed wifth
unsuitable people, and eventually grow up
without the faith or preparation for the
Sacraments. With Sister Annette the de
sire of her heart has always been to make
provision for both child and mother, and .
when the time comes when the mother
has to leave the institution she may leave
behind her in care of the Sisters her little
one, until it comes to an age for the re
ception of the Sacraments, being in the
meantime educated and instructed. Suchi
a happy arrangement is likely to be ar
rived at. His Grace the Archbishop haH
recently purchased a convenient block of
land at Fullarton, consisting of liy, acres,
and already plans of the building have
been drawn out by Mr. Woods. The
plan is so perfect that to attempt the
erection of a part would be extremely
difficult and inconvenient. Arrangements
are included for separate apartments for
the Sisters, the adult inmates, and the
children. All the latest improvements
in laundry work will be procured and set
up, and. above all, the institution hopes
to Ge able to extend its help to the cases
which is now unable to provide for, and
also for the little helpless children, who,
through no fault of their own, would
otherwise be doomed to a darkened- neg,
leeted existence. The estimated cost of
the new establishment is about £7,000,
but if £5.000 were available it would war
rant the Sisters in making a beginning at
once. It is the prayer and hope of the
Sisters that some charitable person would
perform the good work of lending
£5,000 without interest, the land and
building standing as security for the loan.
They intend also for the same charitable
purpose to establish "St. Anthony's
Bread" for the poor, that pious work
which has become so widespread of latie
years. The building when completed will
be called St. Joseph's Home.
Such are the plans and hopes for the
future of the good Sisters who have for
so many rears devoted themselves to this
work, peculiarly difficult and trying at
times, as our readers may easily imagine
Of this most charitable work we have
tried to give our readers an account to
show the good work done, and to make
the Refuge more widely known. In many
instances when trouble comes the poor
victim can, hardly bethink herself where
to turn, and £hus she is in danger of fall"
ing into unscrupulous hands or taking re
fuge in undesirable places, while had the
ltefuge, with its open doors to all deno
minations, been better known much sor
row and trouble would have been averted.
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