“Grand object--the founding and providing of a Retreat and Home for Discharged Prisoners of the City of Philadelphia, and the State of Pennsylvania, giving employment and compensation for labor performed, and by moral and religious influences and surroundings to awaken in them an incentive to true manliness and good citizenship....” Last year 79 men were received in the Home who were supplied with board and lodging, and for services received some wages. They were assisted in securing situations for permanent employment. The State recognizes their good efforts by making an appropriation of $2500.00 per annum for maintenance. DOOR OF BLESSING, PHILADELPHIA. This Institution has been in existence about 11 years, and in that time has taken charge of 357 women and 30 children. These women and children come to them from either the State of City prisons. Many of them are forwarded to their homes, and situations for others are obtained in the country. Recently, through the Agent of The Pennsylvania Prison Society, they receive many children who have been arrested for vagrancy and petty offences, direct from the Magistrates, and they receive kindly attention until they are restored to their friends or have been placed in homes. AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR VISITING CATHOLIC PRISONERS. The 16th Annual Report of the American Society for visiting Catholic Prisons, just issued, shows that there were committed to the Eastern Penitentiary of Pennsylvania in the year 1911, as follows: Catholic convicts 107 Catholic convicts discharged 113 and that there were remaining in the Penitentiary at the close of the year (December 31st, 1911) Catholic men convicts 428 Catholic women convicts 6 ----- Total 434 The report states that “a committee of the society regularly visits these unfortunates and seeks to convert the criminals into good citizens,” and that during the past year 6256 visits were made. Rev. M. A. Noel, S. J., is Catholic Chaplain of the Penitentiary, and Mr. P. H. Spellissy is the President of the Society. PAROLE IN CALIFORNIA (Our good friend, Col. Griffith, of Los Angeles, sends to us the following account of splendid results achieved in California.)