The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 11, 16 July 1897, Page 23

The Catholic World.

AMERICA.— A Mammoth Irish Pair: £200,000 to be Raised. — The Irish Fair, which was to be opened on May 10 in Xew York, promised to be the success its promoters have earnestly striven to make it. A wide-spread interest has been awakened in the undertaking-, which has tor its object the providing- of a monumental building- to the Irish race which shall be a centre for all their meetings and organisations, and will be known as the Irish Palace Building-. The estimated cost of the structure is- in the neighbourhood of a million dollars, and it is expected that the returns of the fair will provide a sufficient fund to justify the undertaking. The building will be provided with libraries, gymnasiums, etc , and another feature of interest will be its museums wherein will be gathered and preserved all objects of interest that can be obtained associated with the history of the Irish in the United States. This g-reat enterprise has been taken up bravely by the ladies, and on them devolves its entire management, but the men are in perfect sympathy with the work, and not behind in rendering- their assistance. An exhibit for each of Ireland's thirty-two counties will be on view during- the fair, and each of the ladies entrusted with these special displays is strenuously labouring- to keep up tho glory and renown of her chosen territory. The Irish Volunteers will have booths at the fair, and the volunteers purpose offering- two valuable silver trophies for competition among- the different companies. BELGIUM— A Touching Confirmation at Ghent— Rarely has the Sacrament of Confirmation been administered under more touching- circumstances than those which accompanied the celebration ot the ceremony quite recently at Ghent. In one of the most populous quarters ot the town reside a worthy couple of the workingclass whose little boy lay dangerously ill. This year he made his first Communion on his sick bed, and, in c .mpliance with the wishes of tho pious parents. Mgr. Stillemans, the Bishop of Ghent went the other day to confirm the little fellow nt his home. To' mark their sympathy with tho event the inhabitants of the street had decorated their house*. «o that the place had quite a festive appearance On entering- the humble dwelling- his Lordship addressed a few words of c 'eouragement and consolation to the parents and then administered the rite to the young- sufferer. The ceremony being- concluded, a number of the lad's compmions presented their comrade with a basket of flowers. Meanwhile, a large crowd had assembled in the street, and when the Bishop was leaving he waa presented with a beautiful bouquet after a letter of thanks had b<>en road by one of the children living- in the neighbourhood. Mgr Stillemans was much moved by the mark of respect and affection on the part of the working people, and after some kindly words g-ave hi, blowing, which all reverently knelt to receive. FRANCE.-The Paris Tragedy ; Public Honours and Subscriptions for the ReßCuers.— A decree has been published conferring- gold and silver medals on the v rave men and women who, at the risk of their lives, saved many of those who were in the Charity B izair at the time of the catastrophe, and who but for their aid would have perished. Foremost among- the recipients of these well-merited rewards are the proprietress of the Hotel dv Pulais, in the Cours la Reine. and her men-servanta, and a number of policemen and working--men, several of whom were wounded The charitable work for which the bazaar was org-anised is not to suffer by the sad catastrophe which brought it to so prematnre and traqric a close A ting- on thf» suggestion of Mr. Henry Blount the tiqnro opened a subscription for the furtherance of the work of chanty of th<> baza ir In tweu y-four hours the amount budsenbed jumped to a total of nearly :>(>0,000 francs, or more than £18,000. Then came the announcement that bazaar committee had

received from an anonymous donor the sum of 938,000 francs, which with the 44,000 francs taken on the day before the disaster occurred makes up the amount realised by the bazaar last year. This magnificent gift has been credited to the kindness of Baroness Hirsch, but she has written to the Press to contradict the rumour. There are suggestions for the future also. Perhaps the happiest is that made by Pere Laurent, the Superior of the Marists in Paris, who proposed that a public subscription should be opened for the purchase of the land on which the disaster took place, and for the erection of a church or chapel, which might stand as a memorial of the nation's sympathy, and in which continual prayers mit>ht be offered for the repose of the souls of the victims. This suggestion has been taken up by the Libre Parole, which, however, would substitute a hospital or an orphanage for the church. ROME.— Pilgrims at the Vatican.— On Thursday, May <>, his Holiness said Mass in the Sixtine Chapel for three bodies of pilgrims and for a number of other strangers who recently arrived in Rome. The largest of the three pilgrimages was that from the north-east of Italy, numbering over eight hundred persons and conducted by Mgr. Scotton, a well-known organiser of pilgrimages from the Venetian province. The other two were from Holland and from the diocese of Piacenza in Italy. After Mass the Holy Father received the pilgrims in audience. A Dutch pilgrimage to Rome is a rarity, and it will be readily understood that the Holy Father took a keen interest in these devoted subjects from a Protestant country. Mgr. Bottetuanne, Bishop of Harlem, their leader, was made the object of the Sovereign Pontiff* particular attention, and was encouraged to continue the work that has »f late been so fruitful in the evangelisation of the Netherlands It is noteworthy, in fact, that since the arrival in Holland of the new Intern mcio, Mgr. Tarrnassi, the Catholic religion has been making quite astonishing progress there. It will not be forgotten that the young Queen herself thought good to be present at the solemn reception of the Papal Internuncio. Conversions to the Catholic Faith.— Mr. Edmund j. Wallman has been received into the Church at the convent chapel of the Sisters of the " Little Company of Mary," cia Ferruccio, Florence. In the convent chapel of the Pallottine nuns via Babbuino, Rome. Mrs. Isabella Cummings has made her abjuration at the hands of the Very Rev. Dr. Prior. Vice-Rector of the English College. The same lady subsequently received the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Eucharist lr>m Most Rev. Dr. Stover, Archbishop of Trebizond, a large circle of friends being present. Dom Gaßquet and his Work.— Com Aidan Gasquet has arrived in Koine accompanied by Mr. Bishop, and both are putting up with the Pallottine Fathers at San Silvestro in Capite. It may mot be generally known that the distinguished Benedictine, in collaboration with the Very Rev. Father David, 0.5. F., is engaged in the preparation of an edition of the works of Roger Bacon. The Vatican Library is naturally the store-house for such literary workmen. Father Gasquet, aided by Father David and Mr Bishop, will now have have an opportunity of continuing his historical researches, and of bringing towards completion the important task he has undertaken of giving to the world the living records of the great monk and scientist. SOUTH AFRICA —The Church in the Transvaal.— Twenty years back is the extent of the history of the Catholic Church in the Transvaal. Until recently the Transvaal formed a part of the Ecclesiastical Vicariatc of Natal. Now it is under a Prefect Apostolic, probably it will soon have its own Bishop. The priests, twelve in number for the whole territory, are Oblates of Mary Immaculate : filty priests would be little enough for so vast a mission. There is one Irish and one Pole. The others are French and German. The entire number of Catholics in the Transvaal does not exceed 7(ioo. Convents and nuns are of various Orders . Dominicans two, Ursulines one. Loretto two. Holy Family one, very large, Sisters of Nazareth one. The nuns have day and boarding schools, attended not only by Catholics, but by Protestants and Jews. The convent schools in Johannesburg have 3UO girls, 40 of whom are boarders, and the reason they have no more is because they have no space. They are about to build. These same nuns are in charge of the hospital, where there are 250 beds. Th" Government helps the hospital. The Sisters have two other schools at the end of the city, but five more are required. The Marist Brothers have a great school with 7:">0 boys, and yet hundreds of parents are begging to have their sons under the good Brothers. They have no more room. They, too, are about to build. Of their pupils 100 are Jews, and 250 are Protestants. The education they impart is ur plus ult ru. On the highest hill in Johannesburg is the really magnificent convent and orphanage of the Sisters of Nazareth, a splendid building surrounded by flowers and vegetable gardens and orchards. The Sisters have HO orphans. They are about to add a great wing to the building, so that they will be able to accommodate, old people and orphans, about 4<)(i. Everyone helps them. Catholics. Protestants and Jews, all alike. They are loved by the whole city. In Pretoria the Loretto Nuns have schools full, but they want postulants very much. Their convent was used as a barrack for the English soldiers during the war with the Transvaal in SO-M. The Sisters tell thrilling stories of the^e terrible days. The convent and Home of the Sisters of Nazareth was al-o turned into a barrack during the skirmishes. The Dominicans have very fine convents and schools in this town — Klorksdorp and Potchefstoom. Their convent here is a perfect mansion within its own park. Thr Dominican nuns are doing splendid missionary work in South Africa. They are everywhere unfurling the banner of St. Dominic in grace and honour. The Ursulines at Barberton are doing credit to their illustrious order. In the north among the Kaffirs there is one Oblate priest in charge of a native mission, which was founded by the Jesuits, but was handed over to the Oblatea who have charge of all the Transvaal. Finally some Tnppist monks have just op n<u a mission in Johannesburg, lor Zulu Catholics who work at tV mines, and also for the Catholic Poles, about 600 in number. The priest in charge is from Poland.