"ADVANCE AUSTRALIA!"

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 13, 28 July 1893, Page 20

"ADVANCE AUSTRALIA!"

(Bpecial correspondence of the Pilot.) Rome, May 28. The purpose of growth and progress indicated in what may be called the national motto of the great land of the Southern Seas— "Advance, Australia 1 "—has been amply borne out in Rome during the past week. All roads, as we know, lead to the Eternal City, and the long highway of the seas from Sydney to Naples is no exception to this rule. The Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney, his Eminence Patrick Francis Cardinal Morao, reached Naples on Saturday, May 20, at six in the morning, after a sea journey of 42 days exactly. A f«w hours afterwards the Irish-Australian Cardinal left the bright city by the sea at the foot of Vesuvius, and reached Borne in the •vening, taking up his residence at the Irish College of St Agatha, in which he passed bo many years of his life. In my letters to the Pilot I have related, five years ago, the incidents and details of the Cardinal's former visit to Rome. It was the time of Leo XIII's sacerdotal jubilee, and reports concerning tbe relations of Irish prelates to the British Government, and io the Plan of Campaign and boycotting, were Bpread with malicious spiiit and intent. Some readers may remember the fearleße, outspoken words of Cardinal Moran on that occasion. Then also it was that the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney related to me, in my frequent visits to him many touching incidents of the faith of the early residents of the vast diocese over which he rules, and how their souls longed for the sight of a priest, and for that of a chapel or church with the cross upon it. He told how when the tveniog came on, and when these poor Irish Catholics were far away from any sound or siga of religion, they wonld turn their eyep, filled with tears, to the constellation of the Southern Cross, and in that direction, and before that sscred symbol, they would offer up th^ir sighs and prayers to Heaven, hoping that they might be spared to see that holy sign one day rising over the spire of a church. He was then collecting these evidences of faith and following up the chain of eventB — so recent, and yet so far away, 80 like the infancy of the Church— to mould them all into & complete history of the Church in Australia. On« of the most important items, in a certain sense, of information furnished to me by tbe Cardinal a few days ago in a lengthy conversation, waa that concerniug the pursuit with which he was so keenly occupied at the time of his former visit. On the 31at of March last he confided to the publisher his work on the History of the Catholic Church in Australia, It will form a voluminous record) occupying no less than 1500 pages quarto. He seemed to feel that he could not well begin his journey to Rome, which was also to take the character of a rest after a considerable spell of over-work, unless he had finished this labour. Those who know Cardinal Moran 's previous writings will anticipate in this new work clearness of statement, completeness in detail, a large grasp of the general tendency of lines of thought or movements, and a pleasing, attractive literary style. The large philosophic view will be presented also, for the Cardinal hap during the last five years, delivered several discourses on historical subjects that were animated by the highest qualities of the scholar and philosopher and logician, that see through the subleties, and that penetrate and dissipate sophisms. On Monday last the Cardinal was received in special audience by His Holiness Leo XIII., nnd afterwards the Pontiff gave audience to the secretary of his EmioeLce. tbe Very Rev Dr O'Haran, who has come with him from Sydney. On that occasion the Pontiff received him with most marked benevolence. During the private audience the Pope said, and repeated it afterwards to tbe Cardinals assembled at

tbe Maltese Pi'grimage, that while he was delighted and felt great joy in receiving the pilgrims that for the last Bye months have been coming to him from all lands under heaven, yet he felt the greatest satisfaction of all in receiving this eminent pilgrim who had come a journey of over 14,000 miles by sea, and that he welcomed him "with the most cordial effusion of heart." The Cardinal waa itvited br his Holiness, after the aadience given him, tc assist at the receptidl of tbe Maltese pilgrims. •- Several addresses were presented by His Eminence to Leo XIII. First in dignity and importance was that sent by all the bi«hops of Australia and New Zealand, expressing their affectionate devotion and filial obedience to tbe Sovereign Pontiff. It waa, as was to be expected, written in choice Latin. The Holy Father was deeply gratified aad declared hiaintention of sending a apecUl reply to it in this sense, and at once. Another address presented by his Eminence was that of the Hibernian Society, which was sentia the name and with the signatures of over 11,000 men. This is a very clear indication of the progress of Catholicity in this new Continent, and the title of the Society londly declares from what mother nation the Christianity of Australia is chiefly recruited. The Young Men's Society of Melbourne, and all the Catholic young men of Australia, as well as a special group of young men in the diocese of Brisbane, have sent their respective addresses to the Pontiff by the hands of the Cardinal. The Sisters of Charity of St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, and th© children of the schools of the Sacred Heart in the same city, have also sent addresses of love and devotion to His Holiness. A very pretty and appropriate gift was seat by the latter. It consisted of a fish formed of threads of gold, and enclosad in a very beautiful case. When this choice work of art was exhibited to the Pontiff, and be had expressed his admiration, the Cardinal took a pocket-knife and cut the fiah open. It was discovered to be full of sovereigns of beautiful yellow Australian gold ! The gift of St Peter's Pence brought by the Cardinal amounted, excluding that contained in the fish, to the sum of 11,250d015. This is a generous contribution, and tbe more so as at the present time a monetary crisis is prevailing in that country. There was also a beautifully and richly illuminated address presented from the Superiors and students of St Patrick's Diocesan Seminary at Manly, Sydney. The Holy Father was particularly strnck by the photographic view of the college which was introduced in the illumination ; and also with the picturesque village of Manly, with tbe blue waters of tbe ocean and of the harb>ur on either side. Thursday morning the few Australians in Rome, and tbe students from that country studying for the priesthood in the colleges of the Bternal City— chiefly the Propaganda and the Irish College— were received in audience by the Holy Father. The Pontiff has determined that pilgrimages will not be received after May 25, until September next, so that no other place could be given to the Australians save that of accompanying the seond group of Hungarian pilgrims, numbering 250, who were received on that day. It is reported that another pilgrimage, on its way before the Papal determination waa made known to the directors of pilgrimages abroad, will be received to-morrow, Great disappointment was felt among the Australians, and others who were admitted to the pilgrimage, amongst whom I had the privilege of being one, at the enforced absence of Cardinal Moran. He was obliged to remain at the Irish College the victim of a slighj attack of influenza, which, though of no danger, required care,