CATHOLIC NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 47, 23 March 1894, Page 5

CATHOLIC NEWS.

(Prom Contemporaries.)

THfi Slarquiiot Bald has intimated a donation of £1,000 towards building a new chancsl in the Edinburgh Cathedral.

The cause of the beatification of Jeanne D'Arc was considerably furthered on Saturday, January 28, when an extraordinary sitting of the Congregation of Ri'es was held for tbe purpose of considering it. It is expected that tbe bea' ification will shortly be promulgated. We have already given intimation of ths great general mission which is about to take place in London. About 150 preachers from the various religious houses in the United Kingdom will give a simultaneons mission in London. The movement is creating a good dsal of stir in the secular Press.

Since the opening of this year three new journals have appeared in Rome to advocate the interests of the Church, viz., the Moniteur de Kerne which is revived, the Memorial de Rome, and L'Albm ; the two first are in French, the last named in Italian.

With the approval of tbe Pope, Father Martin, General of the Jesuits, has written to the German Emperor a letter of thanks for the progress of tbe Bill of Bepeal of tbe May Laws. Father Martin promises that the members of tbe Society will devote themselves to Catholic education, and to the training of the missionaries who shall carty the Gospel and tbe Cross to the colonies of the Empire.

An interesting ceremony was celebrated at Madrid lately, in the church of San Marcos, where an English boy named Sydney Chadwick, the son of Protestant parents, was baptised according to the rites of the Catholic faith. The little King Alfonso acted as sponsor. and presented his first godson with a valuable medallion. His majesty has also promised to defray the expenses of his education for a profeesional career. The Bishop of Havana officiated, and there was a large attendance of the clergy attached to the Court and of other ecclesiastical dignitaries. The boy received the names of Alfonso Francis Eobert.

The Right Bey Ignatius F. Horstman, D.D., Bishop of Cleveland, O , has confirmed within the past sixteen months, 30,000 born Catholics and 900 converts ; and tbia within a territory •mbracing less than one-third of the State of Ohio. Such a happening, as oar esteemed contemporary, the Catholic Universe, truly remarks, " tells the story of that silent procession Bomeward which is gradually, but with certainty, changing the religious face of the country." And as it fnrtber says: "Tbe ultimate conversion of America can only be delayed by the failure of Catholics to fully comprehend the nature of their terrible responsibility."

The vacancy in the important position of Lord Abbot of tbe Cistercian Monastery, Mount Melleray, caused by the lamanted death of the Bigbt Rsv Dr Fitapatrick, has been filled by tbe election of Fatacr Farrell, who baß discharged the duties of Prior for the last 30 years. Tbe Abbot-elect is a native of the County Longford. His eminent abilities were early recognise J and during his long tenure of the Priorship he had to act as first superior and representative of the late Lord Abbot.

Roman Catholicism, as we (St James's Budget) know, is making considerable headway in England, and we are reminded of the fact by a statement made at the dedication of a new chapel at Dunbridge, near Ttftnes, which has been built by Mrs Robert Harvey, and dedicated to Bt Kose of Lims, tbe patron saint of Pern, Mrs Harvey's native country. Tbe Bey Father Hamilton, who preached an eloquent sermon, said that the number of Roman Catholic churches in Great Britain was 1736, and that as many as 1500 of these bad been built within the last CO years— certaiDly a remarkable evidence of energy and enthusiasm of Roman Catholics all over tbe country. This particular church is built in tbe early English style, and comprises a nave and an apse,

On Tuesday, January 9tb, an old and belovtd member of the Sisters of tbe Host Holy Cross and Passion passed away to her eternal reward— Blster M. Ignatius (Stuart), youngest daughter of the late Charles Edward Stuart, Count d'Albaoie. In 1855 the Countess Clementina Bfuart entered tbe noviciate of tbe Order, which was then at Button. Bis»er M. Igoatus was ons of the three Sisters who were chosen by the Superior-General, at ths request of the Passionist Archbishop of Bucharest, tbe late Most Bey Ignatius Paol i, to carry the badge of the " Cross and Passion " to the schismatic country on the shores of the Danube. After years of heroic patience and untiring zeal, to which tbe health of two of the Sister* Buccunob^d, Pie'er M. Ignatius returned to England. After her return to tha mother province Bister Ignatius'* health gradually declined, and a sever* attack of broucbitis •veotoally brought to a close the earthly life which was devoted to the love and ear vice of Him who was " her God and her all." The JB#fV&*tt> Mass for the repose of her soul was solemnly sung by the Passionist Fathers at Bnttco, where the loved remains were laid to test.

In connection with the Bacred Heart Bodality a religious ceremony took phc? at the Curragh on Suntoy, January 28

The Bey Father Dunne, chaplain, Ratbmines, accompanied by a large number of the military from the Dublin garrison, who were to take part in the ceremony, and they left the Kingsbridge for the Curragh at 9 a.m. On the arrival of the contingent at Newbridge, an escort from the Curragh branch of the Bodality was in waiting and conducted the visitors on cars to the East church, where they attended at the holy sacrifice of Mass. There was also Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament at 3 p.m. Major-General Lord Balph Drury Kerr, commanding at the Ourragh, with Lady Kerr and family, as well as many other distinguished worshippers, were present in the church. At th« conclusion of the religious ceremonies the visitors were entertained in the chaplain's apartmant. The Bey Father Dunne, in eloquent terms, returned thanks to the members of the Curragh Sodality for their kind hospitality, and tbe Bey Father Delaney responded in a warm and hearty manner. He said he thanked God for His goodness in bringing Catholic soldiers together as they had been bronght that day. The acts of worship and devotion which they had witnessed were calculated to bind Catholics s«rving in the army and their clergy in closer union and barmcoy. At six p.m. Rosary and Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament took place, and finally the visitors bade their friends farewell, and returned to Dnblin by train.

There is something particularly touching in the re port of the first conference of Christian Arcbasalogy held in Borne this season. The president and founder of these conferences, the Commendatore Giovanni Battista De Hossi, was stricken last summer by apoplexy and has been since at dtath'a door. When the first of the conferences was held, the secretary, Professor Orazio Marucchi read a communication which De Boai himself had sent him in order that, though abient, he might yet contribute to this first meeting. Tbe communication referred to the excavations which are now being made by the Commission of Sacred Archaeology in tbe cemetery or catacomb of St Hermes, on the old Via Salaria, where also is the historical crypt of 88. Protos and Hyaointb, which was already discovered by the Jesuit Father March i in 1845, and which was again buried under the ruins. Da Rossi describes tbe fresco pictnre above tbe entrance door of this crypt representing the Saviour standing in the midst of two saints, only one of which has still a few letters of hia name left on the fresco, the letters QVI, that is Sanetus Jaquintus. Antonio Boeio, the Columbus of the catacombs, visited this great crypt in 1608, and after describing the place, be tells us that it is known that the tribune was at one time paioted. " 1 have heard besides," he writes, " from several o d Jesuit Fathers that they remember to have seen there the image of tbe Most Holy Saviour with some angels. In all probability this is the painting now brought to light by the excavations of the commissi n of eacred arcbas jlogy, and the news of which discovery has been communicated to Da Rossi as a member of that commission, and by him communicated, in spite of his ill-health, to the conference of Christian Archaeology. At the second of these conference?, the same De Bosii sent most interesting notes illustrative of an inscription recently dis covered in Northern Africa, which were read by the secretary, Pro* fessor Orazio Marocchi. The persons mentioned in this inscription were saiats and martyrs whose rtslic* ware venerated in the ohurch where tbe iascripuon was fouad. Toe antiquity of the Dames and taeir poßition in the memories of tha futnful may be gathered from tbe fact that some of the names are mentioned by the great St Augustine, Bishop of Hippo ia Africa For many years past the the evidences to the existence of a flourishing church in Africa have occupied the attention of De Uo9Bi, aud bis contributions to the history of the Christian remain* of that country arc of the most valuable nature. Even in bis illness, the interest be has in ibis study continues unabatad.