Fr. Girardey, writing from St. Alphonsus' Church, has noticed in the last number of the Freeman's Journal that Father J.J. Duffo S.J. is mentioned as the only priest who survived the epidemic of Shreveport, Louisiana in 1873. Father Ferec, a secular priest attached to the Cathedral of New Orleans, went with Fr. Duffo to Shreveport and took sick in the midst of his labors. Ferec recovered and returned here New Orleans but unfortunately he drowned the following summer 1874 in Lake Pontchartrain. The Howard Association has been doing noble work and so far, has made no discrimination because of race and color. The group has received more money through donations than it will need. Girardey has no idea how it will use the surplus, but believes that Catholic widows and orphans should receive their share also. The Peabody Subsistence Association, of which many of the members are Catholics, has also done a great deal. In the beginning the group honored the requisitions of Catholic societies for relief, but now it is principally managed by some sharp Presbyterians and the indigent Catholics receive but a small share of what is due to them. There are other Protestant and infidel associations but they will not consider the claims of the poor Catholics. If the Diocesan authorities had consented in time, if the Catholics could have been the first to organize the to aid the sufferers and could have collected in excess of $100,000., but this was not done, so the Catholics will get but little. After the epidemic there will be a great many widows, orphans, and convalescents to provide for but there will be little Christian charity for them unless we provide it. Girardey believes that charitable institutions will be overflowing in seven or eight weeks, with debts and expenses greatly increased, but with revenues diminished. Our Catholic Associations would do well to lay up funds to meet this emergency. Had all of the Catholic Charity of N. Y. Been sent to the Catholic Associations in the suffering cities, it would have been easy to cope with the epidemic, but instead the fault lies with the ecclesiastical authorities here. For over 3½ years Girardey has labored to maintain St. Alphonsus Orphan Asylum, which is the youngest Catholic Asylum in the city, and he asks McMaster to aid him in his work by using his influence. He begs that no publicity be given to himself, his letter, nor the orphanage, because of reasons which he cannot readily disclose. He asks if Alphonsus McMaster Jr. Has intentions of becoming a Redemptorist. :: I-2-c A.L.S. 4pp. 12 mo.