MARKING THE CLOSE OF THE CENTURY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 20, 22 September 1898, Page 28

MARKING THE CLOSE OF THE CENTURY.

THE GREAT CATHOLIC CONGRESS IN SYDNEY. THE WORK BEFORE IT. We have received the following circular which has been issued by his Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney which will give our readers an idea of the scope of the great Catholic Congress to be held at Sydney to mark the close of the present century : Within the last 10 years there has been a great revival of faith and religious enthusiasm throughout the world, and in a large measure this is owing to the many Catholic Congresses which have been held at Paris, Brussels, Lisbon, Freiburg 1 , Venice, and other cities of Italy. Our present illustrious Pontiff, Leo XIII., desires that all Catholics should mark the end of the present century and the beginning of the next by a great manifestation of faith and love towards Jesus Christ our Redeemer. His words are : ' Representative men agree in the opinion that they should const-crate the closing century by a solemn and universal profession of religious feeling, and of this project we heartily approve.' At a meeting held in Melbourne in November last, on the occasion of the consecration of St. Patrick's Cathedral, at which his Eminence the Cardinal -Arohbishop of Sydney and the Archbishops and Bishops of Australia were present, it was determined that the Catholics of Australasia should be afforded an opportunity of joining in this great religious movement, and of participating in its blessings, and that the most appropriate way of manifesting their faith and loyalty would be the holding of an Australasian Catholic Congress. It was decided that the Congress should assemble in Sydney. It ia hoped that before the month of January 1900, theportionof St. Mary's grand Cathedral.Sydney, already begun, will be happily completed. The dedication feast of this Mother church of Australasia, in which all the faithful people of this southern continent have shown so deep an interest, may thus be made to coincide with the opening of the Catholic Congress. The centenary celebration of the Church in Australasia will be due at the same time. There can be no doubt that the Congress will add to the eclat of those great festivals, whilst on the other hand these religious celebrations will contribute not a little to ensure it 3 complete success.

The Congresses held in Europe treated of matters chiefly connected with the attitude of the Church in relation to the leading questions of the day, and it is proposed that the Australasian Congress shall follow on similar lines of thought. Able and scholarly papers on the subjects outlined in the accompanying syllabus will do much to clear away the ignorance and prejudice which now prevail, and show forth the Church in all the beauty and grandeur of her sublime teaching. Prominent men, both in Church and State, will therefore be invited to contribute papers on these subjects, which will be afterwards discussed in full Congress. To take necessary preparatory stops for holding the Congress, his Eminence the Cardinal-Archbishop of Sydney recently called together some of the leading clergy and laity, who. at his Eminence's request, iormed themselves into a Provincial Committee, and elected as president his Eminence the Cardinal- Archbibhop, and as vicepresidents the archbishops and bishops of Australasia. The Rio-ht Rev. Mon sis nor O'Brien, the Very Rev. Dr. O'Haran. and Messrs?^. Hughes and J. W. Street were elected hon. secretaries. It is earnestly hoped that all who have at heart the interests of the Catholic faith will place their services at the disposal of the committee, and do all in their power to make this first Australasian Congress a success. f Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran, Archbishop of Sydney president. James J. O'Brien, Denis F. O'Hakax, Thomas Hughes, J. W. Street, hon. sees. ' TRUTH AND CHARITY.' Syllabus, or outline of subjects for the Australasian Catholic Congress in 11)00. I.— Resume of the Catholic teaching regarding the divinity of Our Saviour. The Incarnation of our Blessed Lord is the foundation and the whole substance of Catholic belief. IT - — What the Catholic Church does not teach. Prejudice among our Protestant brethren for the most part arises from the misrepresentation of Catholic tenets in the public Press and in tbe anti-Catholic literature of the day. in.— Development of the inner life of the Church during the l'.)th century, as shown in :— -1, frequent synods and councils; 2, hierarchies erected ; 3, religious orders instituted ; t, general observance of religious discipline ; 5, canonization of saints ; 6, popular devotions, such as the Forty Hours, the Sacred Heart, the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, etc. ; 7, Ecumenical Vatican Council ; 8, the definition of the Immaculate Conception. iv.— The Papal Encyclicals in the Nineteenth Century. v. — The Church in her relations to the Civil State in European countries :— l , Penal Laws repealed in Great Britain and most other countries of Europe ; 2, triumphs of the Church in Belgium, Austria, and Germany ; 3, the combats of the Faith in Switzerland, Greece, Turkish Provinces, and Russia ; i, relations with the Civil Power in France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. VI. — The paramount importance for the whole Catholic world that the temporal independence of the Holy See shall be maintained. vii. — The expansion of the Church in Missionary countries in the l'Jth century :— l, United States ; 2, Great Britain ;3, Canada ; 4, West Indian Islands ; 5, other British-American colonies : Mexico and other States in Central and South America ; 7, Africa and the

adjoining islands ;8, islands of the Pacific Ocean ; 9, India ; 10, China ; 11, Japan ; 12, other States of Asia. #i^Vi. — Growth of the Church in Ireland in the 19th century :—: — ] , Flourishing religious communities ; 2, cathedrals and churches ; 3, College of Maynooth ; 4, missionary colleges ; 5, attempts of proselytism ; 6, Disestablished Church ; 7, educational establishments ; 8, hospitals, orphanages, industrial schools, and other institutions of education and charity. ix. — Scriptural research in relation to the Church in modern times :—l,: — 1, Manuscripts and ancient versions of the Sacred Scriptures brought to light ; 2, MSS. collated ; 3. results of Palestine Exploration Fund ; 4, Revised Anglican Version ; 5, Monuments of Egypt, Ninevah, Assyria, etc. x. — Development of Patristic Studies :—l,: — 1, Treasures from Mount Athos and Constantinople ; 2, publications by Cardinal Mai and others ; 3. from the Vatican MSS. ; 4, from the Vienna and British Museum collections. xi. — The Church in her relations to the various schools of philosophy in Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany. xil. — The assumed antagonism between revealed truth and the discoveries of Science. On the contrary, revelation is our surest bulwark whilst we engage in the pursuits of scientific research. xiil. — Religion in action :—l.: — 1. Christian principles the foundation of social order ; 2, Christian charity as applying those principles in our dealings with those around us ; 3, the same principles aa our guide in our individual conduct, in family life, and in our duties to the State. xiv. — The great social questions of the day :—l,: — 1, capital and labour ; 2, divorce ; 3, how to deal with our criminals ; 4, how to provide for the orphan, the aged and the poor ; 5, Catholic teaching and medical practice. xv. — How to ameliorate the condition of the labouring class :—: — 1, people's savings banks ; 2, guilds and kindred societies ; 3, cooperative associations. xvt. — The education question: — 1, in the various countries of Europe in the 19th century ; 2, in the United States and Canada ; 3, in Australia. xvil. — What steps might be taken to advance the interests of our religious, primary and higher schools. xvill. — What course should be adopted to safeguard and promote the spiritual interests of Catholic youth from the close of school training till the attainment of mature years. xix. — How the Industrial and lieformatory School System might be worked in Australia. xx. — How to counteract the anti-social and anti-Christian agencies of the present day. xxi. — In this age of democracy what steps should be taken to sanctify labour and to diffuse more and more the blessings of Catholic piety and virtue among the working classes. xxii. — Happy results of lay-action in the cause of religion during the 19th century as instanced in the lives of O'Connell, Montalembert, de Maistre, Ozanam, Donoso Cortes, Garcia Moreno, Windhorst and others. xxiii.— The Popes of the 19th century. xxiv. — The varying phases of Protestantism and other heresies in Germany and England. XXV. — Illustrious conversions io the 19th century : Drs Ives and Brownson in the United States ; Newman and Mjnning in England ; Stolberg and Schlegel in Germany ; Hunter in Switzerland ; and countless other distinguished names. xxvi. — The Church at the present day in her relations to the various Pagan religious systems, ex. gr. Spiritism, Agnosticism, Mahometanism, Buddhism, Brahmini3m, and other systems of the East. xxvii. — Beginnings of the Church in Australia. XXVIII. — A hundred years' missionary fruits in Australia. xxix. — What practical measures should be adopted to secure the progress and expansion of the Church in Australia :—l,: — 1, vocations to the priesthood ; 2, charitable and educational institutions ; 3, temperance societies , 4, Young Men's Catholic Associations. xxx. — How to promote and diffuse Catholic literature in Australia. xxxi. — What can be done to promote a religious Press 1 Pope Leo the Thirteenth's words : — ' Where so much evil is perpetrated by the bad Press, a good Press must exist to counteract and combat it by its own arms.' xxxii. — Australian Ethnology : — The various aboriginal races in Australia, their languages, customs and traditions. xxxiii. — Catholic missions among the aboriginal races of Australia and their results. xxxiv. — What steps should be taken to promote the decorum of divine worship in connection with the sodalities, sacred chant, parochial missions, processions, celebration of feasts, etc. xxxv. — How far it may be feasible to encourage and promote religious art, in sculpture, painting and architecture, throughout Australia.

'What is life's heaviest burden 7 ' asked a youth of a sad and lonely man. 'To have nothing to carry,' he answered. ' My will, not Thinp, be done,' t.irnel Paradise into a desert. ' Thy will, not mine, be done,' turned tlio desert into a paradise and m-Mle Gethsemane the gate of heaven. The f-ting of death to all of us is in our sins against those we loved so well — in the hasty word or unforgiving thought, in the hand not clasped in time, or the kiss withheld that can never now be given. Mr. P. Lundon, Phoenix Chambers, Wanganui, is still busy putting people on the soil. He has also hotels in town and oountry For Sale and To Lease. Write to him. — „%