THE CATHOLICS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 150, 17 March 1876, Page 13

THE CATHOLICS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA.

The rumor that the Porte bad sent a note to the Vatican complaining of the conduct of the Catholics in the provinces which are the scene of the insurrection, and requesting the Holy See to interfere, is at first sight somewhat p zzling. We know that the Catholics of Herzegovina, following their Bishop, have all along held aloof from the movement, and have suffered not a little at the hands of the insurgents, who, being Greek schismatics, hate them most cordially. It is not, therefore, to any complicity of theirs in the insurrection that the alleged remonstrance could refer. But it is just possible that it may be based on other circumstances in another quarter. In Bosnia there is a considerable agitation in favor of the annexation of that Pi ovine c to Austria, and it is reported, and seems probable enough, that the Bosnian Catholics, whose pastors are Franciscans from the Diocese of Sirmium or Diakowar in Croatia, are by no means averse to the idea. It is quite conceivable, therefore, that the Porte might aslc the Holy See to use its influence to d tach the Bosnian Catholics from this movement, which, iiccovding to the ' Frankfurter Zeitun*,' has become very popular in the higher Court circles at Vienna *o popular that Count Andrassy, who is much opposed to it, is thought to be preparing for retirement from his office of Imperial Chancellor on the pretext of ill-health. But the whole story wants confirmation.