The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 32, 17 December 1897, Page 23

The Catholic World.

ENGLAND.— A Notable Conversion.— While Lord Roberts of Kandahar was receiving the great and worthy reception at the Diamond Jubilee (says the London Tablet of i)th October), the grace of God was doing- its work in the soul of one of his cousins. Emmanuel Usshar Roberts went out to Queensland many years ago, and, being a first-class surveyor, was sent by the Government to survey the North. He did great work there for a number of years, but so great was the severity and heat of the weather, that 30 years ago he was struck down with paralysis, and consequently had to retire into private life. During Jubilee week he was taken ill, and, though the founder of the Irish Lodge of Freemasons, he expressed a desire to see the "Very Rev. Father Belton. C R L. (who is in Queensland for the good of his health). The Rev. Father, who had been a constant visitor and friend of Mr. Roberts, after all the necessary preliminaries had been gone through, received him into the Church. Mr. Roberts died shortly afterwards whilst Mass was being said for him. He was greatly beloved by those who knew him, for his genial, kindly, and gentlemanly bearing drew many friends around him. His funeral was attended by all the leading people of Rockhampton. Mr. Roberts was OS at the time of his decease, and leaves a daughter and a son. FRANCE.— The School Question in Prance.— Some new statistics have just been published by the Correspondence Jlebdomadnire which prove, as has been demonstrated over and over again. that parents, when they are free to choose between a religious school and a State school, prefer the former for the education of their children, and that, too, in constituencies which send to the Chamber of Deputies of the most advanced Republican types. Thus, for example, Nievre sends a Liberal Republican and four Radicals to the Palais-Bourbon, and yet the figures published in the Correspondence show that the schools which are in highest favour there are not the

and Sister Lucy Ignatius, Sister Gonzaga opened a school at Harrisburg. On March 2."). 1830, she made her holy vows, and two months later she came to Philadelphia and entered upon her work with the institution with which she had been so intimately identified. She succeeded Sister Petronilla as superioress of the asylum in August, 1843, and remained in charge until IS-W, when she was sent to Donaldson, La., as assistant in novitiate of southern postulants. After several years' service in Louisiana, and after a temporary reassumption of her charge in St. Joseph's, in Philadelphia, she was sent, in IS.*>.">, to 'the mother house of the Order in France. She remained abroad a year, returning to the United States in IS.">(> and in 15.") 7 resumed charge at her old post of duty, thus becoming superioress for the third time. When the war times came Sister Gonzaga, accompanied by forty Sisters of the Order from all parts of the United States, was placed in charge of the Saterlee Military Hospital in Philadelphia. That was on June '.). 1«(J2. After the battle of Bull Run soldiers were brought to the hospital by the hundreds. After Gettysburg it is said that 4,000 sick and wounded soldiers came to the hospital. Many survivors living to-day have publicly testified to Sister Gonzaga's rare efficiency and tender solicitude during this terribly trying ordeal. All during the war Sister Gonzaga, beside managing the soldiers' hospital, remained in charge of St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, which she visited at regular intervals. At the close ot the war she gave her whole time again to her favourite institution, and for half a decade subsequently she devoted to its best interests with all heart and soul. In 1877 she celebrated her golden jubilee in the sisterhood, Pope Pius IX. sending his blessing, and bishops, priests, sisters and laity vied with each other in manifestations of reverence and esteem. In ISS7 she was recalled to the mother house at Euimitsburg. She remained there only sixteen months, however, returning on December 20, isss. to St. Joseph's, where the remaining years of her busy life were spent, and where her death is most sincerely mourned. Irish-Americans at Tennessee.— lrish-American Day was observed at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition being held in Nashville on Tuesday. September 21, and was a notable very interesting and most successf ul event. One of the largest and most imposing street parades ever seen in that city was a principal feature of the occasion. On reaching the centennial ground .">,<)(J(> assembled in the auditorium to listen to the orators. On the stage were Governor Taylor and staff, Governor Wollcofc of Massachusetts and staff. Senator Bates, Congressmen Carmack, McMillan, and Games, Secretary of State Morgan, Senator Walsh, the Hon John Finerty of Chicago, the Hon. Morgan J. Kelly of Memphis, Vicar-General Gle-son, Father T. C. Abbott, and a number of other preists and invited quests. Mr. T. W. Wrenne, president, delivered a most forcible address from which we make a brief extract. He s.iid " Where is the battlefield that ha.s noi been glorified by Iri-u eouiage and baptised with Irish blood.' And where is the fie; 1 country whose councils have not betn strengthened by Irish brains, and whose wealth has not been increased by iiish brawn.' Wherever the flag of war nutters, the spirit of Irish chivalry is there, panting for the battle and eager for the charge. Whether it be Wellington leading the allied armies at Waterloo, or Xry following the eagles of France ; whether ib be Sam Houston crushing the armies of hanto Anna at San Jacinto, or Davy Crockett courting' death at the Alamo : whether it be Andrew .liiukMin ;vt New Orh ans or Stonewall .lackson at Chanci'lloisvillo ; w lieiln-r it t>e l'hil Shu id. in in the saddle riding like a nod ot war in the thickest of the light, or I'. it Clebumo lc.iduig the loilorn hope anil dying at the cannon s mouth on the brrast works nL the 100. it is t he muiu inti opi i . Un ■"n<[Ueial>le spirit ot sublime < outage w hi> h flow s like a stn.unot in-ini.Uii.n from the ht art id Old 1 k land to !'ul' the souls of ill' 1 w m M's gr< a test le.uiei-. and to Inn n lnteu roni In .ilt.iisot lil>eii\. Wlietewi iho bannerol peac r i - mil tilled ow i ihr ]ikii;ic-m\o hnglish-^pi akiug nations of the eaith. this s inic mcMVible Gelt ie blood lv& i \u." been present shaping the destinies ot empires and republic-.

favoured State schools, but those under the care of the Brother" and the Nuns. This is one more evidence that whilst the country is Republican it is not anti-Clerical. It is a f.ict to which the country will soon open its eyes, and then it will be an evil day tor the sectaries who have endeavoured to legislate religion out of existence. When it is clearly seen and generally recognised that Catholics are no enemies to the Republican form of government there will be a change in the spirit of legislation in spite of all the efforts ot such glorifiers of the present educational system as M. Barthon. The St. Augustine Centenary at Aries.— The splendid celebrations by which the Catholics of England signalised the thirteenth centenary of the landing of St. Augustine at Ebbs Fleet have been followed up by an appropriate counterpart at Aries. The fetes in honour of the great event took the form of a Triduum, which was opened on Sunday, October 10, in the primatial church of the town, and was brought to a conclusion on Tuesday. The Triduum was kept in thanksgiving to God and in memory of the three great Sainsts whom He associated so closely in the work of the conversion of England — Pope St. Gregory the Great, St. Virgilius (Archbishop of Aries), and St. Augustiue, who was consecrated by St. Virgiliu^. The Cathedral was beautifully decorated for the occasion with rich hangings of Gobelins tapestry, caught up with shields emblazoned with the arms of the former Bishops of Aries. Pontifical High Mass was sung by his Eminence Cardinal Vaughan, in presence of Mgr. Gouthe-Soulard, Archbishop of Aix : Mgr. Cabrieres, Bishop of Montpellier ; Mgr. Beguinot, Bishop of Nimes : the Archbishop of Mauritius, and the liishop of Southwark. The mitred Abbot of Lerins was also present, as well as a large number of English and French Benedictines. The sermon was preached by the Archbishop of Aix, who extended a warm welcome to the Bishops present, and explained the nature of the celebration which had won for Aries the honour of their visit. The nave of the Cathedral was filled with people. The Bishop of Nimes presided at Vespers, and the Bishop of Montpellier delivered a discourse upon the unity of the Church, of which the gathering in Aries was so powerful an object-lesson. On Monday the sermon at Vespers was preached by the Bishop of Nimes, and on Tuesday Cardinal Vaughan delivered an address on St. Gregory the Great, which created a profound impression. At the conclusion of the service his Eminence pronounced the Papal Benediction with all the customary celebration. Wednesday w«.s devoted to a pilgrimage made by the Cardinal and the libs mbkd Bishops to the Saintes-Maries de la Mer. The Cardinal has visited the various ancient monuments in the town, and crowds pressed near him to receive his blessing. A graceful act of courtesy has been shown towards three of the English clergy attending the celebration in their respective nomination as honorary Canons of the Cathedrals of Montpellier, Nimes, and Aries by the Archbishop of Aix.

ROME.— The Irish Pilgrimage to Rome.— A very considerable amount of misconception has arisen with regard to the Irish pilgrimage to Rome. One newspaper has pone so far as to state that it is accompanied by all the members of the lri-h Hierarchy, who have been convent. d in Rome for a council of National importance. It is. in reality, simply what it was stated to be; an effort of the Very Rev. Father P. J. Plynn, 0.5.A., Prior of St. Patrick's, to induce Ireland to take her proper place among the nations sending pilgrimasrts to the Eternal City. The vicissitudes of that nation hindeied it in the past from assuming its proper place in Rome. In the Middle Ages, while England had numerous hospices in Rome, and while even Scotland was possessed of a hospice (at Sant' Andrea delle l-ratte), Ireland was unrepresented in that way. Nor at any period during the modern ages has the piety of Ireland sent her children Rorneward, save only on abnormal occasions. The iniative of the Prior of the first National Church of Ireland in the Papal city tends to create a coi porate and regulated movement Romewards. By practical effects it has already become a thing of excellent and reliable promise. UNITED STATES.— Death of a Famous American Sister Of Charity. — Mother Mary Goraaga, the oldest Sister of Charity in the United States, known all over the country for her noble work as a nurse during the War of the Rebellion and for the past sixty years mother superior of St. Joreph's Orphan Asylum, at Seventh and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, died at the scene of her long labours October S. Old oge and general debility, the latter brought on by over half a century of splended toil in the cause of her Church and ot humanity, were the direct causes of death. Sitter Gonzaga was 83 years ot age, and had been connected with the work of the Church among orphan children since her early youth. On July 2C, Ibili), she sustained in her apartments at the asylum a severe fall, which was the begii ning of a complete giving way of her constitution. Atttr this she never fully n. covered her former vigour. With the uondeiful submission of Mill and serenity of mind a\ Inch she had shown through all her lon^jJii'e of self-sacrifice in the institution which had owed its success amnits power for good so largely to her untiring, individual efforts among the orphan children she had rescued and loved, Sister Gonzaga breathed her las^ and went forth to meet those other servants of God and friends of her tarlier work who h; dso long ago preceded her. The name of this venerable woman in tl>e world was Mary Agnes Grace. She came from a re=p(cted family of Baltimore, Md., in which city she was born in 1812. In December, l*-23, she was sent to St. Joseph's Academy, Einmitsburg, Md.. where for four years she laid the foundation lor the noble work upon which she entered on March 11, 1827, as a Sister of Charity, of the community of St. Vincent de Paul. In April, 1828, in company with Sister Stanislaus McGinnis