CATHOLIC NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 4 August 1893, Page 13

CATHOLIC NEWS.

(From oar exchanges,) The German Empress has sent to Pith r Cz\ Luzz, librarian »t th« Vatican, through Herr von. Bulow, the Pru«sUn Minister to the Vatican, a ring containing twenty-four diimjndaand ihe imperial initials in brilliants and rubies. At a recent fire in Angers the bishop, Mgr Mathieu, attended by his two secretaries, was instrumental in. saving life. Wherever danger was most coaspicinus his lordship was present, and was amongft those who helped to carry un aged infirm person out of reach of tha flames on a mattreßß. Madame Pauline FTei vocke, a religious of the Order of the Ladle* of St Thomas de Villeneuve, has officially been granted a med&l of honour by the French Government, for her services to the sailor* and soldiers of the French army during thirty yeare. Cardinals die in groups of three. When Cardinals Giordani and Sepiacci passed away wi'bin a few d lys of each other, those who believed in the saying were wondering who would ba the third member of the Sacrud College to be summoned to the other world, that the tsrna might be completed in this case. Cardinal Zighara'a death ends the marvel. The Arniee Dominicaine for April says — Steps are now being taken for the beat-fiction of the Irish Dominicans put to death in the reign of Elizabeth. At tha beginning of that sanguinary reign there were 600 religious of the Order of 8: Dominic in Ireland, tod at the end of the same reisjn there remained but four. Nearly all hid Rhed their blood for the faith, The n^mea of 106 of theie martyn are known, and their cause has beon introduced »t Rome,

A London Irish priest writes to the Star: — "The Catholic Unionist? of EngHnd are trembling for the fute that awai'B the Church ia the sister isle at the handi of the Irish Revolutionary Honoe Bulers. M:Fs,and ecclesiastics. Allow me to remind t! A ose canting censors of an event in the history of the Church (lSib century). The constancy of individual members of the Church waß then tested ry bribery, threats, r.nd torture in England and Ireland. Who were guilty of the sacrilegious betrayal 7 The English or the Irish 1 It waß the English law Unionists who showed the white feather and sold the pass— ay, for a paltry mesa of pottage. The Irish — laymen and ecclesiastics — with the devotion of the martyrs of the early church, spurned the bribery, defied the torturer, and maintained their fidelity at the risk of life. Ye canting hypocrites, are the descendants of those Irish martyrs likely to have their heads turned now by the concession of Home Rule ?" Doctor Leonard Freeman, of Cincinnati, has been on a visit to Molokai. He spent two days in the leper colony, and in the course of a long account of his observations, be says :—": — " There are Beveral other churches in the colony besides the Me'hodist, including a Catholic church and a Mormon church; but the Catholics seem to be doing the most of the real work — the others take it out largely in talk. There are nine Sistera of Charity all from Syracuse, N.Y., and and two Fatkerß. Tie buildings in which they live are neat and clean, and are surronnded by gardens and bunana trees. These noble women are sacrificing their lives 10 a great and loving work under the most discouraging circumstances. How eweet, good, and gentle they were to tho lepers I Some have been in the colony five or six years without having odcc left it." The priestß are Fathers Conrardy and Wendelin. They have taken up the work laid down by Father Damien and are carrying it on with the same aids of divine grace to the same end, Dr Leonard Freeman, a leadiDg physician of Cincinnati, writing in the Enquirer of his extended travels, describes a visit be made to the leper settlement of Molokai. " I met on the Island," he writes, " a gentleman named Dakon, who h»d beea an officer in the United States army, and lived for a time at Cincinnati. He was formerly wealthy, and stood high ia the Bocial world. Five or Bix years ago he was converted to the Catholic faith, disposed of his fortune, gave up his social position and went to Molokai to devote the remainder of bia life to the lepers. I found him a good-looking and extremely intelligent man, with a pleaßiog address. Every morning this good Samaaitan puts on an old blue blouse and a pair of overaDs, and goes down to what he calls his ' workshop,' a small frame bouse with a verandah, around which are arranged a number of benches and some dishpanß filled with warm water. Miserable, decrepid lepers come hobbling in until the benches are filled and standing room is at a premium. Mr Dalton, witti true religious courage and sympathy bathes the leprotic sores in the pans of water and applies fresh salves *nd bandages." The missionaries of the Catholic Church penetrate everywhere, They do not stop to inquire whether the place is a comfortable one to live in and if the woik before them id easy, They go, willing to take all chances. A little volume giving anne accjunt of the work of the propagation of the faith h'ely d-.votes a paragraph to what the Church is doing oa the desolate island of Tierra Del Fuego. Charles Darwin epoke of the savages there as exhibiting " man in a lower state of improvement than in any other part of the world.'' Mr Mathewp, who had formed the project of trying to civilise them, Bfter stopping on shore a very sb rt time was so terrified by their aavageness and ferocity that he whs glad to return on board the Beagle. Dom Fagnano, of tho Saleßiau Congregation of Turin, Apostolic Prefect of Southern Patagonia, has takon the Fuegians in hand. He has founded at D.iwoon'u Island, on the south coast of' tha Straits of Magellan, the Mission of St Raphael, and so far has found the natives pretty docile and very willing to tako up tho habits I of civilisation, such as to we^r clothes instead of going nuked, and to eat food cooked instead of raw. Many of the young folks have picked up some Spanish and Italian, Yli has made divers excursions I in order to get acquainted with the natives, and bis endeavours arc now directed to get them to settle around the Mission of St Raphael. Eventually the light of the gospel will illumine this gloomy part of the world as well as others,

Cardinal Gibbons favours Sunday opening of the World's Fair, and so expresses himself iv an interview in tne New York World of June 12.

Sajß the Catholic: Advocate of Louisville, Kentucky :— " One of the most degraded denperadoes wbose infamies have disgraced our country is Abe Buzzard, of Pennsylvania. He has been recently let loose on. society from the poitals of the penitentiary. He could find no employment. Decent employers would not hire him ; decent employees would not labour in his company. He admits tbis and says that as no industry was open to him be became a preacher. His training for his new vocation was that acquired in his previous career. He in no* 'doing tffVctive work ' as a Baptißt evangelist." As Song as Mr Uuz/.aul — njgaesiive nume — does not pose as a " converted priest," tlsurt! is s me hope for him. This role, or that of the "escaped nun," hs in Mmgaret Hhepberu'n case, is usually the last Btep in tbe descent of Avcrnus.— Pilot .