ST. RAPHAEL'S SOCIETY

St. Raphael's Society was founded at the Catholic Congress in Mainz, Germany (1871), by Peter Paul cahensly, an outstanding Catholic layman, merchant, and member of the Prussian Diet. Its purpose was to advise prospective emigrants, to protect them while they were in transit from the port of embarkation, and to help them upon their arrival in the country of their choice. The society had its representatives in every major port of Europe, North and South America, and Africa. During the 1880s and 1890s it was criticized for its alleged exclusive interest in German nationals. Strong opposition developed to its advocacy of settling immigrants in colonies to preserve their language and faith and its insistence on obtaining pastors of the same nationality as the colonists. To make its real scope better known the society broadened its base of operation and organized daughter societies, the first of which was in the U.S. (1883) with Bp. Winand M. wigger of Newark, N.J., as first president. Similar organizations were established in Austria (1889), Italy (1889), and Spain (1913). World War I interrupted emigration and the work of the society; after the war only the American and German societies resumed operations. In New York, Leo House, a hospice for immigrants established earlier, moved to a new location nearer the piers. In Germany, George Timpe, SAC, began a reorganization of the society and served as its secretary general until 1930. After World War II the work of reorganizing was continued by the new secretary general, Friedrich Fröhling, SAC.

Under Church auspices, the society is now guided by a board of directors, made up of clerical and lay members, the president of which is a member of the hierarchy. The president of the German society is always the bishop of Osnabrück in whose diocese the headquarters at Hamburg are located. The president of the American society is always the archbishop of New York. Information offices in all the major cities of Europe and the U.S. carry on the advisory work of the society. In 1964 more than 18,000 persons received help and advice from these offices. In the course of time the society's work shifted from the countries of immigration to those of emigration. It is supported by free-will offerings and contributions from the hierarchy and international funds.

The society was instrumental in improving conditions on the ships carrying immigrants and it helped to preserve the faith of many Catholic immigrants. In the mid-20th century its purpose was to remain an effective instrument in the hands of the Church for carrying out papal suggestions concerning immigration.

Bibliography: c. j. barry, The Catholic Church and German Americans (Milwaukee 1953). g. timpe, Raphaelshandbuch (Hamburg 1921).

[o. a. boenki]