CONVERSION OF ENGLAND.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 17

CONVERSION OF ENGLAND.

A ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION, Tho work of the missions for non-Cattolics as it centres about tho Apostolic Mission House in Washington received a special blessing and commendation from tho Pope when he recently received Father Ddyle, Rector .of tho Mission House, in .. private audience. _ \ "1 impart my blessing to tho Apostolic Mission House/' said the Holy Father, Vto all tho missionaries who havo gone out jof it, and to all who have co-operated by their gonerosity. in carrying on tho work of missions for non-Catholics. May God fosjer this apostolic work and so mako it flourish that it will not be long befaro every diocdso will have its hand of missionaries, and tiic great work of tho conversion of America to .the true Faith will bo an accomplished fact." The Pope, states the "Catholic Times'," expects great things from America in the next decade of years. Father Doyle had presented to him the story of the inception, progress and'completion of tho Mission House, and the -work of training tho nearly oho , hundred, priests who havo followed tho lectures during the past few years, and the wonderful work these missionaries are now doing in all parts of tho . United i States: and lie spoke of the hope of tho futuro and what may not be done if the Catholics in tho United' States continue to support the work in the futuro as they havo done in the past. The Pope approved most cordially of the system as it was explained to him. Father Doyle was also granted an audience with Cardinal Merry del Val, tho Papal Secretary of State. ■ Tho Cardinal has followed tho progress of the work in America with the keenest interest, and bo seemed to sco in its, ultimate .success tho conversion of the English-speaking people to tho Church. His interest has been quickened by tho reccnt action of. Archbishop Bourne, of Westminster, in sending the Rev. Hcrbort Vaughan, D.D., to the Apostolic Mission House at Washington with the ultimate purpose of establishing a mission house on similar lines in England. He considered the "question box" as used in tho missions in tho United States an'admirable way of getting in touch with the minds of non-Catholics. He thought tho time particularly ripe for an active'propaganda among the English-s]>oaking people in England as well as-in the United States. Many observant non-Catholics, whose study of the religious situation had forced on'them the conviction, , had'.told him that lish-speaking people were quite ready to . accept tho teachings of the Catholic Church, did they but'know them as they werd', /"In fact, the religious situation;, was., such: oiitsido tho. Church that - religious', .souls'were: yearning. for some teacher who.'would''.speakwith authority. Moreover, .tho. Catholic Church .would solve many' of: tho problems that vex the life .of modern people. • When Father Doyle mentioned the recentaction of Archbishop Bourne "in sending. Father. Vaughan to tho mission house. to: prepare for the ,work in England,the.'.Cardinal said: "Yes, I have_ read in the English papers of what Archbishop Bourne has done, and, the project commends itself to mo as a most feasible and practical way of putting a new life into the movement for the conversion of England. The choice of Father Vaughan for tlio work is a most happy one. I know hipi well, and ho has all the qualities that are the most apt to secure tho best results." ', Tho "Catholic, Times" conjectures that the Pope will issue a document commendinp to the Bishops of the English-speaking world the work of giving missions to non-Catholics, and that the movement for tho conversion' of England will thus receive a fresh impetus.