Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1941-1945

Official Organ of the Diocese of San Diego, November 10, 1944 Blessed On Feast of Maternity of B.V.~·I.

Child Placement Serious Problem, Notes Catholic Welfare Bureau Here 150 Catholic Homes Needed For Foster And Day Care. Entails No Financial Outlay The Catholic Welfare Bureau again calls on our Catholic people for cooperation to meet a pressing need. During the month of October, the Bureau placed in foster homes fifty- two children of pre-school and school age. Quietly and efficiently it carries on this work of placement every day, and sometimes into the night hours. This work is a new burden parents. In exceptlonal cases, too, in addition to the regular work of children must be removed from the office. homes of unworthy parents by This problem, arising from war process of law. conditions, is with us. We must In general, such are the cases meet it, or suffer the odium con- accepted by the Bureau. It is an sequent on neglect of this duty. imposing responsibility, though We cannot solve the problem by loving one, that devolves on the saying the parents should take Bureau. The suciess of the Bu- care of their own children. Par- reau depends upon the cooperation ents, in the very great majority, of the Catholic people of this com- are ever solicitious about the wel- munity. That it may properly ful- fare of their children and are ever fil its responsibilities in this mat- ready, when possible, to fulfill this ter, it needs 150 Catholic foster Divinely imposed duty. It is un- homes for placement of children fortunate that the present war as soon as ossible. It is a privi- conditions have made it, in so lege for any foster mother to have many cases, physically or morally in her home, children on whom she impossible of fulfilment. Hence may pour forth her love and affec• arises the obligation of the Church, tion. It is a privilege, too, to have represented in part by the Bureau, the opportunity of protecting and to protect such children until nor- rearing these children for future fal times return and the parents citizenship in our nation. Such and children can be rehabilitated work will greatly contribute to in their own· homes. the home front victory. You can The Bureau does not accept chil- save children for Church and dren for placement, indiscrimi• country. nately. It enforces the policy of This cooperation on the part of keeping the children in the paren- foster parents will not entail any tal home under the care of one or financial outlay. They'will receive both parents. When adequate pro- a minimum of twelve dollars a. tection and care cannot be sup- week for the support of each child, plied in this way, it has no other They are not responsible for any recourse but to accept the chil- medical needs or insurance, and dren for placement in a Catholic the child will be removed from the home where the rights of the child home as soon as possible at their will be safeguarded until satisfac- request. tory conditions obtain for the This is an opportunity of doing child. a great work of charity without It is an axiom that the "moth- any added expense. Let me re.. er's place is in the home," but peat, the Bureau wants 150 Catho• each day reveals conditions where- lie foster homes now. It is a. in the mother must work to sup- pressing need. We are confident port the children. Perhaps her that you will meet it. husband is overseas, she cannot For further information, call the find a reliable housekeeper to Catholic Welfare Bureau, Franklin watch o,'fr the children while she 6361. is at wortt- These conditions nee- •---------- essitate U:4"'T"l 1't in e Catholic Immediately Cooperation

On the afternoon of the Feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, many mothers brought their children to St. Joseph's Cathedral for the blessing of the Most Rev. Bisho11 Charles F. Buddy. The ceremony, in vogue throughout the world since the institution of the feast, was the first of its kind in San Diego. His Excellency spoke to the assembled mothers on the custom of blessing children and mothers on the feast which conunem orates Mary's divine maternity and her spiritual motherhood of all those redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and then proceeded to bestow his personal blessing on each mother and child. The infants were also enrolled in the Miraculous medal. As- sisting the Most Reverend Bishop were the Rev. Dougla8 A. Moore, the Rev. G. J. Fader, S.J., the Rev. James S. Prulnsky, C.R., and the Rev. George J. Booth, S.P.M.

Otay To Be Made Resident Parish OTAY, Nov. 6.-Having grown from a small beginning to a large settlement, Otay is to be made a resident parish. Pla.ns have been completed by the Most Rev. Bishop Charles F. Buddy, nothwithstand- ing the acute shortage of priests in the diocese. A strip of land 200 by 150 feet in the center of tov.'ll is being ac- quired for th? erection of a church. While a.I present it is impossible to secure b"11ilding priorities, appli- cation !H>s b-aen made for t.he pur- chase of~ nEarby Navy barracks to serve a temporary church. Situate about three miles south southeast of Chula Vista, Otay has a pophlation composed for the most part of Mexicans. The pastor of the Chula Vista church, St. Rose of Lima, zealous to protect the Faith, offers Mass in a. private

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home, so that the children may grow up nPrmally in a normal home. The Bur~au must accept chil- dren from~ broken homes for the sake of the children, and they must accept children from homes where death has taken one or both I