FRANCE REGENERATED. PETER'S PENCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 34, 20 December 1873, Page 9

FRANCE REGENERATED. PET ER'S PENCE.

(A. northern Correspondent) A coititESPcir&ENT of the ' London Catholic Opinion,' writing from France, says Unit; the reoent revivial of religion among tli3 people in this country is something leinarkable — mirneiuous in fact. Well, I suppose it is with nations as it is with .inclivi lua's : whom God loves he chastises, an I adversity is the best school of wisdom. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. When once the fear of God takes firm hold of the French natior, happy will be that day for the Catho* l;c Church, and for the su.jrome Head on earth. Wioh a God-fearing France, and England and America, like France, well nigh all Catholic, what may our children not live to see? I am glad to see Peter's Pence is to be collected liere. I often wondered that was not done long ago. If the sum given were ever so small, even literally only " one penny' a head, it would still be a proof of our filial love for our faith. The smaller the sum contributed by each aud the mora numerous the contributions- so much the better. Let no one have an excuse for saying they " cannot alford" the oiloring. Catholics could surely be got to collect the sums regularly. It would be the means of bringing Catholics into personal contact. Many of them do not know each other, except by sight at prosent. Tne pence of the poor even in Ireland ha 9 amounted to large Btiin3 of money for religious purposes in that country ; what might not the pence of the poor aud rich of the whole of the Catholic world do for tho same cause ? Many littles make a heap. Look to the pence and the pounds will look to themselves. I think if we could gt*t a continuous stream of pennies for any religious purpose whatever, it would bo better than haviug comparatively large sums from only a few donors, and atLnger intervals. A penny a week from 1,000 people amounts to a considerable sum in the year ; and if a penny be worth having, it is worth asking. Many would give a penny cheerfully on being individually asked who would uot volunteer to give it unasked. Sometimes people hai to bo asked,or asked at a general collection.