FRENCH BISHOPS ON IRISH FAMINE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 372, 4 June 1880, Page 16

FRENCH BISHOPS ON IRISH FAMINE.

I have some reason to believe that his Eminence Cardinal Desprez, Archbishop of Toulouse, would wish to see reproduced his diocesan circular which has possibly not yet apjDeared in an English translation. It is an eloquent testimony of the feeling of Catholic France towards the sorely-tried and suffering Irish people. The appeals of the bishops and clergy of that great nation in favour of our suffering fellow-countrymen have borne good fruit. There is scarcely a rector or vicar iv France who has not contributed his mite. It would be useless to deny that very little succour comes from others. The rich financiers keep their purses closed. Deists like Victor Hugo give soft, cautious words, and Jews do the same. But they are chary of the francs. It will be seen in Ireland, however, how some of the most illustrious prelates of France and princes of the Church throw their hearts into the good cause, and it will also be seen how other warm emotions towards old Ireland, supplement the great cause of charity, by a perusal of the following feeble translation of the eloquent circular of his Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of Toulouse. — " My brethren, the public prints for some time past have been informing us of the frightful ravages of famine in Ireland. But, because of the exceptional charges which this season weigh so heavily on the budget of your charities v.-c have hesitated to recommend to you this new misfortune. Continued heart-rending recitals, however, as well as the numerous subscription lists opened by the Catholic Press, as also the cries of distress of the Irish Episcopate, the example of our venerated colleagues of France, the large alms of the churches of America, and, indeed, to speak the language of faith, the charity of Christ which seeks to save many suffering members of His mystic body in our Irish brothers — all urge us to throw ourselves into the generous current established in both hemispheres to bear aid to that unfortunate country. An English bishop thus writes at the beginning of winter—' The people have neither food nor clothing nor credit to buy them, nor work to earn them. Sad despair broods over the district, and the efforts of a few who in this locality give a little employment to the necessitous, are but as a drop of water in the sea of misery.' This moving description is at present below the reality. By reason of the exhaustion of the moderate amount of provision, the bad harvest of last autumn had to be permitted to be kept in reserve, the distress has increased as well as extended its area ; and now it i 3 no longer a province that suffers, but an entire people which is threatened with death by starvation. And this is a people which, always attached to the faith of their ancestors, is remarkable since the beginning of this century amongst the most brillinnt defenders of religious liberty. Let us give them, then, a little of our gold, since they have Ihemselves given us so grand and useful a lesson in teaching us that constant energy with which Catholics should put in practice all the means the laws allow to make the rights of conscience respected. May we not also call to recollection that in 1871 Ireland met and acclaimed a still-humiliated and defeated France, will all the sympathies and honors due to a victorious Queen ? Aud, again, when the terrible scourge of 1875 ravaged our Southern provinces, we spoke not in vain of our disasters to the country of O'Connell. She was as generous towards our distresses as she had been sublime in her own misfortunes, and it is because we received much through the benevolent intermediary of her bishops that we now authorise you to say that we should make her a large return, •whatever may be the rigour of our own season, Gratitude is an indefeasible debt to which well-ordered hearts always believe themselves firmly bound. But it is especially at the moment when our benefactors are unfortunate that such a debt is exigible, and that it should be acquitted without beiug deferred, the sufferings which require it not being themselves deferrable. We have already said, and we hereby repeat, that on the morrow of our own defeats Ireland seemed to forget they were such, in the reception, worthy of our most palmy days, which she gave to our delegates from France. Let us show in our turn, by an abundant offering, how much we esteem the life of this people, and what a place of honour we reserve for her misfortunes in the solicitudes of our charity. The Apostle Paul terminated one of his discourses on charity by promisiug the Corinthians the pious prayers of the afflicted they might succour. We do not fear to guarantee you a similar recompense on the part of the starving Catholics of Ireland. The sad future with which the Church of France seems menaced will not touch their hearts without exciting their faith. The recollection of your benefactions will encourage their prayers, and, by a self-evident preference, they will ask from Heaven for you those virtues they themselves practice to so heroic a degree in. combating for religion and liberty. Consequently a collection will be made in all the churches and chapels of our diocese in favour of the victims of famine iv Ireland.— (Signed), Florian, Cardinal Desprezj Archbishop of Toulouse." Monseigneur the Bishop of Lc Mans has also autbori&ed a subscription for Ireland to be opened in his diocese, heading the listhimself with a generous donation of 200 francs. Monseigneur Legnette, the venerable Bishop of Arras, has also addressed each of the parish priests of his ancient diocese, explaining the sufferings of Ireland, and adding—" It would grate upon your feelings, Monsieur lc Cure, as it would on mine, if our diocese remained backward in the praiseworthy movement, and did not repay some pait of the debt of gratitude due for the generous sympathy extended by Ireland to us in our misfortunes. It is true that much suffering requiring aid exists amongst ourselves. But Christian charity, like the Church of which she is the glory, is Catholic. She extends her aid to suffering without distinction of nationalities. But in this general relief to the necessitous, imposed by duty, unhappy Ireland should have the large part she so well deserves, and to which she has so many claims." — Exchange,

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