The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 22, 1 June 1899, Page 31

The Catholic World.

j&fiSTRIA — Missionaries for the Soudan-— The reconquest of tijTCSoudan appears to have aroused a lively interest in Catholic iSl&ssionary circles in this country, says the Vienna correspondent of tho Times. An Austrian Congregation, the Sons of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, has already despatched two missionaries thither, who are now on their way to Khartoum, and is making energetic efforts to obtain increased support at home for the Order and for the extension of its mission honse, which is under the immediate patronage of the Emperor Francis Joseph. The entire Central African Mission has, it w paid, always maintained the closest relations with Austria. The appeal now made for public assistance states that the extension of the mission house in the Tyrol has been undertaken at the special request of the Propaganda, the Episcopacy, and the Government.

A Warning to Protestant Agitators.— The Austrian Government has felt itself called upon to warn foreign Protestant ministers who have been creating an agitation in certain parts of the Empire, that the presence of foreigners who become public disturbers is not permitted, and that unless they conform to the laws they will be expelled. These ministers have, according to a Vienna correspondent, entered into national conflicts in a land which is not theirs. The object is to gain proselytes, but instead of manfully arguing out religious questions and trying to produce converts by convincing people of the reasonableness of their creed, they adopt political stratagems and urge that Rome is an enemy of nationality. ENGLAND— Death of a Distinguished Army Doctor — On the Feast of St. Patrick, at Queniborough Hall, near Leicester, Deputy-Inspector-General Joseph Jee, C.8., V.C., quietly passed away. He died a most edifying death as a Catholic. Only a week before his death he had received the distinction of being made an honorary surgeon to H.M. the Queen, in succession to SurgeonGeneral Sir James Mount, X.C.8., V.C. He was born in 1819, and was a son of the late Mr. Christopher Preston Jee, of Hart&hill, Warwick, and joined the First Dragoons as assistant surgeon in 1842, becoming surgeon in 1854. Deputy-Inspector-General Jee served in the Persian war in 1857, including the night attack and battle of Kushab and the bombardment of Mohamrnera, receiving the medal with clasp. He served in the Rohilkand campai2n in 1858, and was present at the capture of Bareilly, receiving the medal with two clasps, the decoration of C.8., the Victoria Cross. and a year's service for Lucknow. The V.C. was awarded for most conspicuous gallantry and important services on the entry of the late Major-General Havelock's relieving force into Lmknow on September 25, 1857. He retired on half-pay in 1868 with the honorary rank of Deputy-Inspector-General, In 18S0 he married Norah Corola, daughter of the late Mr. Charles Riley, of 55 Queensborough terrace, London W., and was received into the Church by Cardinal Manning.

The Queen Visits a French Monastery— On April 6 (says a Nice correspondent) the Queen and the Princesses Christian, Victoria, and Clementine drove to Haghbet, an old monastery, famous for the cures effected on suffering humanity. It is, indeed, the Mediterranean Lourdes, and the walls are covered with trophies in the shape of crutches left V>y those who went away rejoicing iv their restoration to health. Having tak>-n tea a bhorc distance from the monastery, t,he Royal party were received hy the monks, some of whom showed the princesses Christian and Victoria round the chapel, while others explained the historical associations of The neighbourhood to her Majesty. ' Before leaving the Queen accepted from the prior several bottles of a special liquor made by the monks, and two or three curios, which the good Fathers begged the Royal party to accept as souvenirs of the *visifc. The Queen appeared greatly pleased with all she saw, and conversed for some time with the prior, on. the life and labours of _the monks.