The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 12, 23 July 1897, Page 23

The Catholic World.

AMERICA.— Proud of his Irish Ancestry.— Rear- Admiral Meade, who died May 4. was president ol the newly-formed IrishAmerican Society. When entering that soei< ty he wrote the following letter to Mr. James Jeffry Roche, the secretary of the organisation : — "'Philadelphia. December 8, 1 S'.)t>. — Dear Mr Roche, — Your note of November 20 with its enclosure has only just reached me here. In reply I would say that you are at liberty to enroll my name as you desire. My ancestor, Robert Meade, who died in this city in August, 1754, was an Irish gentleman, who having to choose between his conscience and his native land, chose to leuve his native land for the sake of conscience and to cast his lot with the people of the new world. He was one of the ' Wild Geese.' His son, George Meade, was born in this city on February 27, 1741, died here in 1808. His life has been written for volumes of the American Catholic Historical Society of this city. He waa a patriot of the finest type, and his name is on the Roll of Honour in Independence Hall in this city. Hince then four generations have borne the name of Richard Worsam Mead, and all, I believe, with honour. My father's younger brother, General George Gordon Meade, is sufficiently well known to the country in connection with Gettysburg. In the life of George Meade, alluded to above, you will see what I say about ' Irishmen.' My father's mother was Margaret Butler, of this city, and she also traced her ancestry to a famous strain of Norman Irish blood. No, sir ! None of the Muadt's or Butlers are ash lined of their Irish lineage! Rjth r the contrary do we r> joicc that our forefathers came from the Kmerald Isle, the laud of uauntl<-i«-> men nnd pure wouie: 1 , and that they r presented the be->t bloo.l of th> inland. Very truly \ ours, — R. U Mi \D. RearAdoiir.u U.>.N.

DENMARK.— Converts at Copenhagen.— in the chapel of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny at Copenhagen, on May 11th, Mgr. Von Euch, the Vicur-Apostolie of Denmark administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to the Baron de Locwenskjold, father of the secretary to the Danish Legation at St. Petersburg, to the Protestant pastor, Niels Hansen, and to the Baronne von Stampe Charisma, all three recently received into the Church. The event has caused quite a sensation at Copenhagen.

PRANCE.— The Persecution of Religious Communities. — While public attention has been absorbed by the great calamity in Paris, the fiscal persecution of the religious communities has gone on without remission. The Sisters of Charity at Besan<jon, in consequence of their refusal to pay a sum of do irly 3(J,oot)fr., which they contend they do not owe, and which, moreover, they are unable

to procure, are about to have their property seized. The conventual buildings of the Augustinian nuns at Mozac in Auvergne and of a neighbouring religious community have been seized to exact the payment of the unjust tax. The nuns of the Holy Sacrament at Condrieu have met with a similar visitation. In fact, news of the same character comes from all parts of the country.

An Old Religious Custom. — Old religious customs die hard even in France, Many of them that were extinguished at the time of the Revolution revived as soon as the temperature was more propitious, and notwithstanding all the irreligion that is in the air, there is no prospect of their falling into disuse. At Toulouse, the ancient capital of Languedoc and the metropolis of the troubadours, the Academy of Floral Games, in accordance with the custom established centuries ago by Clemence Isaure, recently distributed pr.zes for poetical composition among those who, of 800 candidates, were considered the most worthy to receive flowers of gold and silver. These flowers of precious metal had, in accordance with ancient usage, been blessed in the morning in the venerable basilica of La Daurade, where is to be seen the tomb of that patroness of mediaeval letters, Clemence Isaure.

ROME.— The O'Connell Commemoration.— The celebration on Saturday, May I .">. in honour of Daniel O'Connell, proved a most brilliant success. The Church of St. Agatha of the Goths was not able to hold all those who presented themselves for the occasion. Over the street entrance to the vestibule were hung draperies of crape and gold, and above them was the following Latin inscription :— Danieli O'Connell, Kerry in Hibernia nato, A. MDCCLXXIV., turn religiosse turn patrise libertatis strenuo adsertori et vindici gui Romam perigrinatus Id. Maji MDCCCXLVIL, Genuae piissime obiit, Deo animam Hiberniae corpus reddens Cor Romae Collegium Hibernensiura urbanum Leone XIII., P.M probante Post Annos L. Festa Funebria. Inside the church and in the centre of the open space without the sanctuary was erected an imposing catafalque. The three tiers of which it was composed were surrounded with burning lights. On the sides were the escutcheons of the four provinces of Ireland ; in front and behind wreaths of oak, of laurel, and of ivy, interspersed with green palms, and over all a large cross of the ancient Irish pattern. Behind the altar, too, was an Irish cross, and ever it was a very impressive emblem of an angel displaying a roll with the legend, " Emancipation." The walls and columns of the church were hung with black and gold, and from the organ gallery was suspended the Papal and Irish flags, as well as a large standard with a picture of St. Patrick. It is in the northern aisle of the church, and to the left aa one enters, that the heart of O'Connell reposes. Over it stands a fine marble bas-relief of an angel consoling Ireland who is mourning over the urn that bears OConnell's remains. The source of consolation is indicated by the angel pointing to the better world where the great man is to have his enduring reward.

The Pope and the Celebration.— The interest which the Holy Father himself was pleased to take in the event may be illustrated by a little incident. The sacred vestments of the Pontifical Chapel are preserved in the Vatican, and are used, as a general rule, only on the occasion of ceremonies in which the Pope takes part, or at which he is present. It was then a surprise for the Pontiff's entourage when on Saturday morning he evinced the desire that the Vatican should have a share in the O'Connell commemoration, and that the vestments used should be from the Pontifical Chapel. Accordingly a suit of vestments were sent from the presses of the Sixtine Chapel to the Irish College, and as his Holiness had expressly ordered the very richest to be sent, it happened that at the Requ'win service for Daniel O Connell were employed those sacred robes which were last used at the funeral of Pius IX. Telegrams from Genoa told that on the same day O'Connell was being prayed for and honoured there in a generous and Christian manner. The programme of tL. Genoa celebration was carried out in the moat enthusiastic anil successful manner. In Rome, too, the Italian Catholics doirud to show their regard for the great Irishman. On the magnificent premises of the '' Romanina " club, in Via Monserrato an address was delivered on Sunday vividly picturing the life and' work of the Irish patriot.

The Pope and the East.— The Italian newspapers which have a-persed the Sovereign Pontiff for a supposed neglect of the Christians and the Christian interests of the East have continued to observe a complete silence with regard to the latest evidences which the Pope has given of his particular solicitude for all that concerns the Latin »md Christian populations of the East — his donations on behalf of the Cretan refugees and the intervention of Mgr. Bonetti, the Delegate Apostolic at Constantinople. It is only natural that the donations and other b nefactions of the Pope should remain secret, in uci ordance v» itli the custom of the Roman Court. To ear this is not to admit that there exi-t the slightest grounds for the misrepresentation-* of the Liberal Pre^, since any inquiry could have i-licited fac's in di pro'«f. Another ol'o 1 ' the-e acts of charity on the pirt..i lie. XI 1 1 . i- a- w spokon ot in Rome, wheru rumour credi -> the P^pe with in • intention of ji-sij. 1 img to the relief ot the Eastern missions all the moneys in the disposal of Propaganda for missionary aid during the present year.