An Extraordinary Story.

Hastings Standard, Issue 72, 20 July 1896, Page 4

An Extraordinary Story.

THE PRINCE OF WALES A CATHOLIC.

The American Citizen, of Boston, U.S.A., of a recent date, gives the following extract from a Soman Catholic Magazine entitled Art' Maria : The Freeman's Journal of Sydney, New Sooth Wales, has a correspondent who seems to know a great many things not generally known. He confides to us the secret that the Prince of Wales was baptised a Catholic, asserting that he has the testimony of an eminent Bishop that his statement is absolutely correct. It seems that when the time came for the baptism of Albert Edward, two dignitaries of the Church of England arranged to divide honors on the occasion, with the result that one poured the water while the other read the form of baptism. This was the perfection of Protestant politeness, bat all the same it was a blonder which made the baptism invalid. After the ceremony the Queen of the Belgians who had been an observant witness, spoke to the Queen privately, and pointed out thai the Interesting infant had not been made a Christian in the proper way. Victoria was much troubled and asked : " What caw I do ?" " Oh," said her Belgian Majesty, " it is easy enough," adding " I have here in the pate* * Belgian priest* my chaplain;

properly, and no one will be any wiser." The young Oueen of England, (whose mother by the way was a Catholic) at once jr." 1 ve her consent, and the Catholic baptism was fn\,r'n :d with only two witnesses. Apart from his baptism under circumstances over which he had no control, the Prince of Wales has always exhibited most sympathetic feeling towards the Catholic Church. He has befriended more than one Catholic sisterhood in England, was an ardent admirer of Father Damien, and he has on several occasions attended Mass. Cardinal Manning had no warmer champion and supporter than the heir to the British throne ; and it will be recollected that on a memorable occasion he placed the Cardinal 011 a Ro}-al Commission next to himself, and before the Premier and the Protestant Bishop of London. There was a "big fuss" about it at the time, but the trouble blew over and has been forgotten.