"NO NEW THING"

Shannon News, 6 November 1928, Page 2

"NO NEW THING"

CHARITABLE AID IN AUSTRALIA.

"Catholic women's work is no new thing," said Archbishop Duhig, in opening the Catholic Women's Conference in Sydney. "It-began," he ad' ded, ''in the time of our Lord." This work, the Archbishop explained, continued through the days of persecution, when the -women of the Church were first and foremost in aiding the Apostles. It was carried further in the days of hospital nursing in the Catacombs and elsewhere, and' to-day the good work was being carried on by the nuns, who worked in schools, in convents, on the battlefield, and whereever .suffering humanity needed help. But women's Catholic work was so great that it could not all bo left to the nuns. Therefore other Catholic women's organisations had come into being to give service where help was needed, and' particularly where it was needed by their own sex. There were different bodies in different States, he "said, and he thought that what was wanted now was unity. He therefore favoured a central body for the whole of Australia. A Suitable Name. In Queensland the woman's organisation had changed its name to "Catholic Daughters of .Australia," w r hich he thought was a very good name. Y r oung girls did not like to be called women, because the word carried a suggestion of years, and the name of "Catholic Daughters" attracted many who would not ;jo?h the "Catholic Women." Mrs. Barlow, president of the Catholic Women's Association, traced the history of the Association from its foundation b} r Mrs. Tooncy and Mrs. Minahan, and said it now had 4,000 members. The Association, she said, could not change its name, because it was registered, but the initials C.W.A. which were the same as those of the Country Women's Association, did not seem to cause confusion.

She described the work of members, and remarked that the Association had never refused to undertake any chari< table work suggested to it. Its activities included hospital work, relief of poverty, educational work, assistance to sailors and soldiers, help to mothers, and many other fields of usefulness.