CATHOLIC NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 25, 8 April 1892, Page 18

CATHOLIC NEWS.

(From the Liverpool Catholic Times.) The Rev, W. F. Chambers, for twenty eight years rector of North Kelsey, Lincolnshire, was received into the Catholic Church at Folkstone on the 11th inst., by the Rev. Francis J. Dennan.

The feeling of sorrow amongst the dockers for the loss of the Cardinal is deep and widespread. A contingent of delegates from each district branch of the Dockers' Union attended the funeral, and at Eensal Green they lined the route from the entrance to the gate. An eminent Locdon physicUn, lecturing a few days ago on the subject of suicide, told his audience that oat of every 1,000 people who die, five perish with tbeir own hands ; and that, on the average, every three minutes a suicide rushes into the presence of his Judge I It is an appalling thought, and Englishmen would do well to ask themselves why it is that tbe crime of despair is so much more com* mon in Protestant than in Catholic countries. Stlf-murder is least frequent in Catholic Portugal, most frequent in Protestant Germany. That this is no mere coincidence is proved by the fact that it is precisely in that German kingdom which is most thoroughly Protestant— Saxony— that self-slaughter is most prevalent. There ire in Saxony forty Protestants to one Catholic ; and for every Portuguese who takes bis own life, thirty .nine Saxons destroy themselves. Clearly, the fear of God is stronger in tbe Catholic country than it is in the home of Protestantism.

We are glad to see that at least one influential secular journal recognises the force of what we have always contended — that the Pope cannot be said to have an independent or secure position aa long as tbe Law of Guarantees is at the mercy of a majority in the Italian Parliament. If tbe Great Powers were to join in tbe Guarantee, things would be upon an entirely different footing. There might then be a prospect of peace between Church and State in Italy. Bat, as oar contemporary acknowledges, the difficulty is that the Italian Government takes up the illogical position that the Pope, though free and independent, must not acquire the support of any Power but Italy. At one moment she declares the Pope to be independent ; the next instant she resents indignantly any intimation that the Papal question is international, and not an affair for Italy to settle as she deems best. It is plain that so long as Italy maintains this inconsistent and indeed ridiculous pretence, there cannot be peace. Now that the Spectator has shown the way, we hope other English journals will recognise the truth of the matter, and that tbe Standard will no longer talk as if the Holy Father had everything he could reasonably desire, and had no just cauße of complaint against his ppoilers.

The Cardinal's acts of private charity might be recalled by the thousand, flere is a very characteristic example which may be new to our readers. Years ago some Anglican Sisters working in Hoxton came across an old man dying in poverty and solitude. On being questioned as to his previous circumstances, he kept repeating with tad persistence that if only his dear old master knew of his distress, he would certainly coma to his relief. The former master to whom the old man had been gardener was " Mr Henry Manning, of Laving* ton Rectory." The Sisters wrote to the Cardinal, and a few days later found their patient radiant with happiness ; his dear old master had oeen to see him, had sat and talked with him, had promised him every comfort, and had even wished to carry him straight away to his own carriage to some lodging nearer his own home. The visit was repeated not once, but day after day. It was some time before the old gardener could realise that the Mr Manning of former days was no other than the great Cardinal-Archbisbop of Westminster. When he did to, it is not surprising that he begged on his death-bed to be received into the Church, a last service which his former master had much happiness in rendering.