The Catholic world.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 12, 23 March 1899, Page 19

The Catholic world.

AFRICA.— The School Question in Transvaal.— in a leading wticle on the school question the Potchefxt room JJudtjrt after expressing surprise that the public school had not by means of an entertainment given the public an opportunity of judging the progress made by its pupils, goes on to say : — Another school that always commands notice i<* that of the convent. The foregoing schools are State-aided. They are so circumstanced that they sail easily along unencumbered with serious financial difficulties. They have a bank to draw upon, and, when it is considered whfit the cost of such schools is to the State Exchequer, it must be admitted that they have a bank that furnishes them with extremely liberal advances. The Educational Bill of the Transvaal is a tall figure. As c-impared with the average cost per head in the Free State. Natal. and the Cape Colony, the Transvaal average is excessive. For this reason, if for no other, the public should be nble to judge of what is being done in a fashion outside the dry statinies returned to the Educational Department. The Convent School, on the contrary, i* a purely voluntary institution. When this is borne in mind, it is not only surprising that such schools rise above theii financial difficulties, but that they furnish a standard of educational training that is not surpassed, if equalled, in the Trausyaal or the Colonies. We cannot disguise the fact that it is a regrettable feature of the Transvaal System to lend such a deserving institution no financial aid. We do not expect to see rapid or startling changes in the policy of the Educational Department, but one thing is as certain as that there is a sun in the heavens, changes on a liberal and comprehensive basis must take place before the Transvaal system can be considered one of National Education. Nuns in Natal. — -A. correspondent of the Cape Daily Tilrgraj>h, in describing a trip made from Port Elizabeth to Natal, says : — There is an excellent sanatorium in the best part of the Berea, tinder the management of the French Augustinian Nuns, who are all skilled and trained nursea. The building is situated on a splendid site overlooking the town and bay, and is built of red brick. It contains twenty-eight rooms, besides an operating theatre, and all the usual adjuncts of a first-class hospital. The institution is a most popular one, and such good work has been done by the Sisters that their fame has spread to the Cape Colony. Nazareth House has also a branch here, and is likewise beautifully situattd on a still more commanding eminence, not only affording a view of Durban and its picturesque scenery, but of the country looking towards Pinetown and the north. Success seems to follow the work of the Nazareth Sisters, for the place is not nearly largo enough for their requirements, which will necessitate additional building. AMERICA.— The Church Among the Indians.— Tho Venerable Archdeacon Sc riven (says the Arc Maria} gives a most interesting account of Indian missionary work on Vancouver and adjacent islands. Though he is an Anglican, he has the highest praise for the Catholic missionaries, and does not minimise by one jot or tittle the results of their labours. He says: 'The Roman Church has in fact, to our loss, but to her honour, entered into this field of mifsion work, and is occupying it with great zeal and no Bm ill success. There is of course a live Presbyteiuin work being carried on at Alberni ; but the work of the Methodists, seems to have taken chiefly the form of proselytising among the 1 torn an Catholics.' ENGLAND.— The New Westminster Cathedral.— When completed the new Westminster Cathedral will be emu of the finest ecclesiastical structures in Europe. Though it will bo somewhat hidden by the high mansions, let in flats, which surround it, lU lofty campanile, 2152 feet high, will towi r o\er all the buildings in the neighbourhood. The architect of the new ( athcdral has wrought in the spirit of the days ' when art was still leligion' ; and he (Mr. John Beotley) has put a soul into his work. Dei ore he drew the plans he spent three months on the Continent studying the best specimens ot the Bynantine style. Although he has taken his leading ideas from St. Mark's. Venice (for the domes). St. Ambrose's, Milan, and St. Vitales's, Kavennu. the Cathedral is not a mere servile copy of any one oi these or ot uny other church, but is stamped with a certain originality, the designer having allowed some time to elapse after his return and his own conception to take definite shape in his mind before he traced a single hue. It is a bold thing to challenge comparison with St. Peter's at Rome, but the architect has no hesitation in saying that the interior, at the first glance, will convey the idea of size and vastness more impressively than does the great masterpiece of Bramante and Michael Angelo. Not until the visitor begins to examine closely and to compare the colossal figures and details does he realise the grandeur of the greatest of earthly temples. Not so with the new Westminster Cathedral. Its long drawn nave, extending IH2 ieet, and its vault, reaching 117 feet, with the skilful combination of triple lateral arches, will be sure to impress the visitor with a sense of vastness and loftiness. From the beginning of the work in 18!)."i to Ist December, 1898, about X7I5,()OO has been paid to contractor, architect and clerk of works. The total cost of erection cannot at present be accurately estimated. FRANCE.— The Panegyric of Joan of Arc-— A-a has been alr^idy announced (says the JVtio lira) Archbishop Ireland is to preach the panegyric of Joan of Arc at the Orleans festival in honour of the holy maiden of Domremy, whose sacred and patriotic mission has borne such marked fruit in the history of Anglo-French Europe. The eloquent Archbibhop of St. Paul is not the first English-speaking member of the episcopate who has figured in Orleans Cathedral as a French pulpit orator. In ING 2 Bishop James Grillis, of Edinburgh, sounded the praises of Joan of Arc in the presence of Napoleon 111, and the illustrious Mgr. Dupanloup, then

Bishop of Orleans. The Scotch prelate then had the honour of being congratulated by the French Emperor on the happiness of reconciling his fellow bishop and the sovereign, whose mutual relations had till that auspicious occasion been rather cold. GERMANY.— Rev. Prince Maximilian.— The Rev. Prince Maximilian, of Saxony, known to Londoners during his ministrations at the German Church in Whitechapel, has, it is announced, be -n appointed Cure of the principal Catholic Church of Nuremberg, the old German city of which Longfellow sang so sweetly. Renouncing his title, he wishes to be known in future as Dr. Wetten, the surname ot the family who have filled the Sai.oll liiiunu- since the fourteenth century. ROME.— Lenten Discourses for English Visitors.— The course of Lenten sermons in the Church of San Silvestro in C&pite, Rome, frequentei by English speaking vi-itors, were to be delivered this year by the Rev. Father Maturin. The name of the eloquent preacher (says the .V,- w Era correspondent) is well known in England, and his conversion from the Anglican brotherhood known as the Cowley Fathers, to which the Rev. Luke Rivington also belonged, was a matter of much interest. He succeeds the Most Rev. Archbishop Keane, late Rector of the Catholic University of Washington, who has occupied the pulpit of San Silve«tro for a considerable time. The Archbishop preached on the Sundays in January, and the eloquence and devotional nature of his sermons are very effective in winning hearts. There is no doubt that Archbishop Keane is one of the greatest preachers in the English tongue to-day. Many conversions have followed his clear and admirable exposition of Catholic doctrine. SYRIA.— The Maronites of Antioch.— Monsignor Fioyeck or Hoyeck, the new patriarch of Antioch and all the East, is well known in Paris (says a correspondent). The last patriarch was Monsignor Peter Haggie, or Hadji, known as John XIII. He was an intense patriot and an energetic ecclesiastic, for he was able to raise the Archiepiscopal See of Baalbek from a state of absolute poverty to one of prosperity. When he went there he had only a straw-thatched hut or cabin to live in, but he was j-oon able to build a palace and a seminary. In summer the Patriarch of Antioch lives in the shade of the famous Cedars of Lebannon, ab Canoubin and in winter he lives at Bekerki. He rules spiritually over about 210,000 people, and has under him about a dozen archbishops and bishops. UNITED STATES.— Death of an Irish Priest—The Rev. Father •). J. Hynes, of Holy Rosary Church, Woodland, United States, died recently at the Sisters" Hospital. Sacramento. Father ilynes was r>2 years of age. and a native of County Meath, Ireland, lie was educated at St. Mary's College, Mulhngar, Ireland, studying under the late Bishop Nulty. He was ordained for the priesthood at All Hallow^' College, Dublin. He came to the Tnited States in I^7o. and his first charge was at Gold Hill, Nevada. Afterward he was located at Eureka. Grass Valley, Chico and Woodland, having been ior eight years at Chico and elevon at Woodland. He leaves a nephew, Father James J. Hync*, of Marysvillo, who was with him at the ticu> ot death. The Catholic Total Abstinence Union.— The Catholic Total Abstinence I'nion (-ays Bishop Tiermy, speaking some time a»o) is the olfu-ial and duly authorised organisation in the Church 111 the United Mate-,, whereby th" sentiment ot total abstinence is encuui aged and it- statements and piactiee are guarded from all danger of fanaticism. For more than a (juarter of a century this orguni-ati.m has done \igoious work against the diink evil, and has done it with an unblenn-liid neord for prudence in speech and wi-'l im in action. It has pursued a path at once conservative and intelligent, so *.« to descno the unsolicited commendations of the Hur.inhy md th>' appro\ ul ot the Holy bee It has gradually grown from a mere handful of twenly-fhe years ago until to-d iy it is the largest iiaternal and religious : s-oci.ition m the Church in America, euibiveuig a membership ot to.nno.