Roman Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 48, 4 September 1891, Page 3

Roman Notes.

The career of Cardinal Dunajewski, Archbishop of Oracow, who received the red hat at the late consistory, has been of more than ordinary interest. Early in life his Eminence became involved in the political troubles of 1840, and as a Polish patriot and revolutionist was imprisoned by the Austrian Government at Lemberg. Owing to charges preferred against him by fellow-prisoners anxious to make better terms for themselves, he was removed thence to the muchdreaded fortress of Spielberg, of which Silvio Pellico has left such grim records. Here he remained for some years, until the amnesty of 1848, when he was set at liberty. His Eminence did not enter the priesthood until he was advanced in life, having been first destined for the profession of the law, and he has now, at the age of seventyfour, received the rtd hat. A great uproar has been made regarding a reported mal-adminis. tration of the fund derived from the payment of Peter's Pence, and wild rumours of peculation and fraud have prevailed. The explana" tion, however, is simply that Monsignor Folchi, Vice-Camerleogo of the Holy Boman Church, and in whose hands the matter lay, had been injudicious in making some loans without sufficient security. The loss baß been trifling, and Bteps have been taken to prevent anything of the kind from occurring in the future. The hostile Press necessarily made as much as possible of the matter in hope that the fea^s aroused might prejudice the collection, and impair the influence of the Holy See by hampering it financially. The Catholic world, however, will know better than to be so misled, and will be no less liberal in their offerings than before, Indeed, they may learn the value of their contributions by the opposition shown and the devices employed by the enemies of the Papacy, and this ought to encourage them to increase their efforts and be more liberal still. The spirit of the age continues to give proof of its nature in Borne by the prevalence of crime. Suicide in particular is rife reaching a percentage too high to be easily credible. In every walk of life, public or private, the effects of the war against religion are making themselves notable throughout tne country. So palpable is this lamentable state of things that acknowledgments of its existence are made even in the most unexpected quarters. The community of nuns popularly known as the sepolte vive, or buried alive, has been dispersed by their ecclesiastical superiors, acting by permission of the Pope. The comnounity was that at Naples concerning which some little time ago such groundless accusations were insisted on. Although these charges were disproved an 1 their falsehood fully established, it seems to have been felt that, under the circumstances of the times, no institution concerning which exceptional mystery was supposed to prevail, should be permitted to

exist. The nuns were ladies who of their own accord had withdrawn from other convents of their order for the purpose of secluding themselves completely. But as was made clear to the public, when, on their distribution among other houses of their order, their convent was thrown open to all who chose to visit it, their accommodation wassuffi ient for all their wants, and none of the dungeons or other means of torture spoken of were connected with it. The building has been converted into a school. Tne seventieth birthday of the famous archoaologist and savant, Commendatore de Rossi will be celebrated next February by the erection of his bust in one of the buildings standing above the catacomb of Callixtu9 on the Appian way. This well-desirved tribute will be paid to the illustrious scholar by the Accademia of Christian Archaeology and the Society for the Veneration of the Martyrs. The cause for the canonisation of Joan of Arc is understood to be making favourable progress before the Sacred Congregation of Bites. Some a Iditional documents are said to have been recently received which throw a fuller light on the life of the heroine, and serve more clearly to illustrate her sanctity. A movement is on foot for the celebration in May 1892 of the centenary of the birthday of Pope Pius IX. The project has been formed by some Boman citizens, to whom the memory of the late Pope is especially dear, and the reigning Pope has given it his cor* dial approval. A series of earthquakes has recently occurred causing alarm in many places and in some instances doing serious mischief. The country around Verona was especially affected. Possibly connected with this, and certainly of similar interest, has been an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The progress of the period is marked by an official announcement that henceforward an entrance fee will be charged to those who visit the Colosseum. Hitherto the great monuments of Borne had been regarded, as what indeed they were, the heritage of the whole world. But those who have had a part, either actively or by sympathy, in giving their custody over to a petty and particular State, cannot reasonably complain if a private right of property in them is asserted. The Papacy understood and honoured the claim of mankind ; the usurpation denies and sets it at defiance. But, at least, consistency deserves acknowledgment. They who have plundered religion may well levy black mail wherever they can.