A NEW MARTYR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 178, 25 August 1876, Page 14

A NEW MARTYR.

(From the ' Messenger of the Sacred Heart/) Fob some time attention has been directed to a land which, with its people, seemed well nigh forgotten j what sufferings endured with, heroic patience could not do, bloody and violent insurrection has brought about. For years the greatest cruelties had been exercised by the Turks on the Christians of the Herzegovina ; the diplomatic body of Europe had not a word of blame for the tyrants, nor of consolation for the ill-used people. Now, however, wh«n they strive for themselves and prefer to see their country laid waste rather than longer submit to the disgraceful yoke, European diplomacy can speak of them : the question is, whether by their efforts they will and can bring a tardy assistance to these illtreated people. At any rate, the Catholic faith in these unfortunate countries enjoys triumphs which recall to our minds the most flourishing periods of the Church's existence. Last year a Franciscan father bore testimony of his faith to the Church by his death. In the Herzegovina all the priests are Franciscans, and the circumstance may well be considered as the reason that the faith is still found there, for it has required all the energy and devotedness of this seraphic Order to labor in this country for the salvation of souls. The difficulties are so great that the whole life of a priest may truly be called a continual martyrdom. Fifteen years ago there was only one Catholic church in the Herzegovina ; in many places divine service was celebrated under a tree in the open country, and in the caverns of mountains ; there was no prospect of anything better, as all the Catholics of the country were in extreme poverty. Since the year 1863, by the help of alms collected by the three Franciscans, some little chapels and a seminary for priests have been built. The martyrdom of one of the Franciscan fathers will give us some idea of the immense sacrifices which are required for the protection and promotion of the faith in Herzegovina. On the 20th of July, 1575, Father Lawrence Karavla had gone to the church of St. Elias, to celebrate the feast of this saint, the patron of the whole of Bosnia. The people had assembled from all sides to receive the sacraments and to listen to tho word of God. Towards evening the father left for his convent which, however, he was never again to enter. When he reached a lonely part of the road he was attacked by a band of Turks and cut to pieces. Next day his corpse was found, the skull cloven, and the whole body dreadfully mutilated. " The late venerated Father Karavla," says the ' Dalmatica Cattolica,' " was distinguished amongst his brethren by the great influence he possessed over the people and the amount of good he was able to do. He had devoted his whole life to the poor Catholics of Herzegovina, to protect them by every possible means from the violence of the Turks, under whose yoke they suffered much. When the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria came to Sini and declared himself the protector of Catholicity in this country, Father Karavla went to him to express his loyal attachment, and recommended to him the interests of the Catholic inhabitants of Bosnia and the Herzegovina. It is believed that the fanatical Mussulmans could not forgive him for this, and on this account his blood was shed." This good father's death is an irreparable loss to the Catholic people, who deeply mourned for him. May not this violent death have contributed to let loose the spirit of wild revolt, or to hasten the outbreak ? Father Karavla had always used his influence over the people to impress upon them the duty of obedience to lawful authority in spite of all oppression, and by his persuasive eloquence he had constantly exhorted them to patience. He had placed himself at the head of those societies which made it their aim, by prayers, representations to the authorities, petitions to the Sultan, and similar lawful means, to put an end to their unfortunate position. When he was no longer there, and the people had no leader, they gave themselves up to their sorrow and desire of revenge, for the very man who had always exhorted them to keep the peace had been torn away from them by the enemy, and they rashly entered on the path of violence. Whether the measures of intervention, in which Russia, who in her own kingdom so cruelly persecutes her Catholic subjects, plays the chief part, are likely to inspire the Catholics of the Herzegovina with great hopes of an improvement, is not a question very difficult to answer ; certainly they have much more faith in the prayers of the martyr, who in their own country and from their own enemy has gained his crown.