CATHOLIC NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 28, 29 April 1892, Page 15

CATHOLIC NEWS.

(From the Liverpool Catholic Times ) The Empress Augusta Tiotoria U recovering from her attack of iniaeoza. Her Majesty baa the good wishes of all German Catholics, for she has always shown a kindly feeling towards them. The Marchioness of Bute, who some time ago purchased tbe old hospital at Ayr, has now turned the building into a refuge for orphan children, managed by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. The editor of the Devonpert Independent advises Catholics not to advertise bigots who howl about convents by noticing them, but to allow them "to stew in the juice of their own slanders." They delight, he says, to call themselves Protestant, and they are certainly more Protestant than Christian. The misery in Borne increase day by day. M«ny princely families are rained. Tbe poor are dying of sheer hunger. The brigands and housebreakers are growing bolder and bolder. The streets are a source of terror to all after tbe Ate Maria has rung. Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth (for tbe Remans are all rdbbian) are heard on all sides. According to tbe Pitdmontete Gazette the Holy Father ha? expressed to Cardinal Bampolla a wish to see at Rome, during bis jubilee fetet, a congress of Catholic bishops discussing social problems . He would like that a sort of catechism on tbe subject should be drawn up for the benefit of woikingmen throughout the world. Acting on the instructions of the General of bis Order Father Bennett, Provisional O.SS.R., leaves Claphatn on Ash Wednesday i>r Australia, for the purpose of making a long-deferred visit to the Redemp'orist houses there. Father Bennett will be accompanied by Father O'Laverty, C.SS.B., rector of Clapham, who is not yet sufficiently recovered from his illness to be able to resume bis duties, and whose only hope of perfect restoration to health is in a long sea voyage. Father Bennett will return to Clapham, via Rome, in July or Augost. Mr Orby Shipley, who entered the Church through Cardinal Manning's instrumentality, contributes a " Memorial Sketch " to the Catholic World. In the coursa of it he says :—": — " If it were felt to be of obligation to condense into a single adjective the Cardioal's chief characteristic, no single word could ne found co entirely to cover his memory as the title of great. ... He was a great man, less because he was gifted and graced by any one ability or virtue of surpassing power and merit, than beousa he possessed many virtues and much ability of a very high order and in an unusual degree. . He was great in the instinct he was given to foresee tbe future, to grasp the situation, and to decide on immediate and suitable action. Once again we warn our readers to be on their guard against the false, and frequently ridiculous, information published concerning the Holy Father's health. Several news agencies have built up perfect romances about the grief of the Pope at the death of Mgr Boccah. According to these omnipresent scribe*, Leo XIII. gave way to his sorrow to such n degree that bia health, already co feeble, has considerably suffered. Most certainly the Holy Father was profoundly grieved. He has lost bis most faithful friend aod trusted collaborator. His great heart could not be but sadly afflicted by such a loss being added to so many others. But from this to the phytical and moral weakness so talked about, there is a wide difference. Toe Holy Father's grief was Christian and resigned, and the exaggerated statements of those knights of the pen may be considered as flights of imagination. Leo XIII. is well in mind and body, thank GoJ. Colonel John McDonald, who died on the 16th iost, was the uncle of two bishops and three priests, anl his brother, the Rev Donald McDonald, is pastor of Glenflnnan. He was a younger son of John McDonald, and great grandson of Angus McDonald, of Borrodale, in whose bouse Prince Charles Edward slept at the commencement of his ill-starred attempt to gain possession of the Crown of forefathers. Col. McDonald joined tbe East India Company** service at an early stage, and was for many years an officer in the 66th (old) RegimeDt of Goorkhas. P>y his dariog, promptitude, and decision of character at Umritzir Colonel McDonald quelled tbe first movements of a Sepoy revolt, and saved tbe Europeans from general massacre. For this service Sir Charles Napier gave him the command of a regiment of irregular cavalry. He retired on half pay shortly after the mutiny. He married a Miss M >rgan, daughter of the late Mr E. Morgan, by whom he had two daughters — one of whom is dead ; tha other is a nun in Ireland. Hia wife died ia India. For fifteen years of his life he lived with his nephew, the R j v JEoeas Chisholm, at Binff, and his niece, MUs Sarah Chisoolm. On the removal of Fatber Chisholm to Blairs College, Col. McDonald went to Aberdeen with his niece— who died shortly after— to be near bis two nepbews, the other of whom is th« Bishop of Aberdeen. His remains were conveyed to Glenfinnan, and laid in the family vault beside his dau^h er and relatives. France is not anti-Catholic, but it is >.nti-monarchical. It might become, however, for an uncertain length of time anti-'Jatholic if it were rendered difficult for tb>> eiFc'on to v>t ■ r.a C\-A "I c- w.thout

rating as monarchist? . The country want* no more subtleties such h the famous Conservative Union endeavoured to practlee upon It— no more hiding of the true flag and sailing under false colours ; no more Bonlangisui or any other " ism " to pave the way to publio convnlsions that may brir g about oivil war. The people want safety, and , rightly or wrongly, they have got the idea rooted in. their heads that the safest Government for them is a Republican one. Bat between this conviction and the desire to trample out the religion which is so intimately woven up with their family traditions, with all the solemn and respectable thoughts surroanding baptism, marriage, and death there ia a gulf. If Catholic politicians will go to work discreetly and also frankly, they have it in their power to save the Church from the further attacks of Radicalism and Atheism ; but if they should blunder at the next general election, which is not far off, as they have before, there is a strong probability that the most dangerous kind of Republicanism will become triumph int.