The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 23, 8 June 1899, Page 6

The Catholic World.

ENGLAND.— Oatdoor Services in London.- it is reported that Rev. Father Green, who is attached to the Church of the Guardian Angels, Mile Fnd, London, proposes to inaugurate a series of outdoor services on Sunday evenings after the conclusion of the church service. At these services the principles of temperance will be inculcated, together with instruction in Catholic doctrine. Maundy Thursday in Catholic Countries.— Maundy Thursday, (says the Newcastle Chronicle), is a great day in Catholic countries, but little observed by English people. Maundy comes from the obsolete word vtainul-, a command, and refers especially ta the command given to the disciples to wash one another's feet as an act of humility — an ic junction that is, more or less literally, still carried out by the Emperor Francis Joseph in Vienna. Although no English sovereign has performed this ceremony since James 11., it was certainly carried out at Whitehall by the Archbishop of York, as Lord High Almoner, so lately as 1731, and at the same time there were distributed to forty-eight men and forty-eight women — fortyeight being the King's age — meat, drink, and money. An Ancient Catholic Survival— At Westminster Abbey on Holy Thursday, the Royal Maundy, (says the Catholic Times), was duly distributed. The distribution is an ancient Catholic survival dating from lHtil?. when Edward 111. was .">0 years of age, and has been maintained uninterruptedly through Protestant ages down to the pre.-ent. The Monarch mentioned instituted the customs of distributing alms to as many poor persons as he was years old, and it has been observed by ;ill his successors on the English throne. The Queen being now «s(J years, that number of poor pereom received purses, each containing between £3 and £6. Formerly the Maundy was distributed in clothing and food, now it ie invariably in coiu, contained in two purses, one in lieu of clothing, the other in lieu of food.