A GREAT CATHOLIC ARTIST.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 21, 20 February 1891, Page 5

A GREAT CATHOLIC ARTIST.

(Sydney Freeman's Journal.) Mr. Charles Santley must be by t is time back in London. The great singer did not go direct to England from Australia. He " did " the Bast, and spent a considerable t.me in the Holy Land. Father Vincent Grogan, of the Passiomsts, who has just arrivict in Sydney received a letter from his old friend before he left England. Mr. Santley, at the time of writing was in Jerusalem, and he gave Father Grogan (his old confessor) an interest'ng account of hi<? travels in the Holy Land, during which he wa? offered the hospitality of several of the well-known monasteries. The great Catholic artist was to receive a splendid welcome on his return to London, a demonstration in hia honour in which the leading lights of the anistic and social world joined heartily having been prepared. In well-informed quarters it is thought that Mr. tiantley. who has already been knighted by the Pope — he is a commander of the Orderof St. Gregory — will shortly be the recipient of some special mark of Royal favour. It iB well-known that he is one of the Queen's favourites, and the Prince of Wales is one of his warmest admirer?. Her Majesty has knighted Sir Jules Benedict, Sir Charles Halle, Sir Michael Costa, and Sir Arthur Sullivan. Why not Sir Charles Santley / The famous baritone has never been in any sense a toady, but the very reverse, and if benour comes to him in this form it will certainly not be of his own seeking. He is, however, independent of any decoration the Queen can confer, for be stands pre-eminent as an artist ; he is a firm favourite, and above and beyond hia art and his popularity as a public performer, he enjoys the confidence and esteem of the people cf England, Ireland, and Scotland, besides counting by thousands his friends and admirers in America and Australia. An impression has got about that Mr. Santley was not of a religious turn of mind till he entered the Catholic Cmnrh, ot which he has been since the day of his reception, some thirteen years ago, such an extmplary member. This is uot correct. Mr. Sant.ey was brought up a Unitarian, and almost up io the time of h>s conversion he devoted himself to Sunday school teaching. Long before he " turned Catholic " it used to be said of him that his little speeches in presenting prizes at musical ins'itutions or at mus'cal competitions were " Bimply sermons." Ho always showed a strong religious spirit, and m addressing the young folks who were following his own profession, he invariably pmnted a moral by impressing upon them the obligation of showing their gratitude to God tor their vocal or musical gifts by dedicating their talents in some way to God'a honour and glory. For many years before he followed the " kindly light " which led him into the Church, he assisted in Catholic Church choirs and at Catholic concerts, and this generosity of his was indirectly the means ot hia conversion. Mr. Santley has been twice married, jind one of his sons— a Catholic — >s a banister in London. By his second maniage he has been blessed wilh one child, .1 httlo boy, who is now blossoming m his tlm<l Himnvi.

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