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New Zealand Tablet, Volume 23, Issue 47, 23 November 1899, Page 28

lofty tower, which will form a striking feature of the building, has been carried to about half the intended height. The nave is the largest in England, having an area of 14,040 square feet, as compared with the 13,244 square feet of York Minster. Among the columns by which this area will be divided from some of the chapels will be a number formed of exquisite Grecian marble recently brought over from Thessaly, where, among other spoils of war, they were seized by the Turks when they overran that province. An Old and Flourishing Mission— The Bishop of Southwark has consecrated the beautiful Church of Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead, of which Mgr. Denis is rector. This is the one pla^e in England where Mass has never ceased to be celebrated, even during the most disturbed period of the Reformation. It is one of the most flourishing missions in the country. Near the church the Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Dominic have a convent, and have the care of 150 boys who are trained to agricultural pursuits. Death of the Oldest Priest in Clifton.— The death has occurred at Taunton of Canon Mitchell, rector of St. George's Church, and the oldest priest in the diocese of Clifton. He was born in 1810, and was educated at St. Mary's College, Oscott. For several years he haa been the oldest living ' Old Oscotian.' He was ordained 62 years ago by Bishop Walsh, and for a short time served as assistant-priest at Birmingham. Later he went to Chipping Norton, where he established a mission, remaining in charge 1 7 years. In 1853 he was transferred to Taunton, where he remained. He was elected Canon of the Clifton Chapter in 1865, His great age had of recent years prevented his taking an active part in mission work. Several public allusions have been made to the late Canon, both in the Prsss and on the religious platform . Somerset Congregational Union, meeting a f j Taunton in autumn session, referred sympathetically to his decease, and the Taunton Free Church Council also alluded to the event. The long residence of the Canon in the town, snd his association with public movements will cause him to be missed among all classes and creeds. THE PHILIPPINES.-The University of Manila.- We (Dublin Xatioii) are authorised to announce that 24 Dominican Fathers have embarked at Barcelona for the Philippines. They are going to re-open the University of Manila, and to resume the work of their sacred ministry in that city. Pope Leo XIII. has so dcci led, after an understanding come to on the subject with the President of the United States. Mr. McKinley has promised that the Dominicans will receive every encouragement and support from his Government. ROME.— Next Year's Pilgrimage-— During next year (writes the Rome correspondent of the London Daily Mail) it is expected that Rome will draw as many visitors as the Paris Exhibition. According to calculations which have been made by the Vatican Secretary of State, at least 1,200,000 pilgrims will visit Rome, an average of 3COO a day. The amount of Peter's Pence they will bring is expected to reach £2,000,000, while thtf amount of money they will spend in Italy is reckoned at £60,000,000. SCOTLAND-— Dedication of a Lady Altar— On the last Sunday in September the Lady Altar, executed by Messrs. Pugin, London, to the order of Mr. Newton, and presented by the latter to St. Aloysius, Springburn (of which congregation the donor is a member ), as a memorial of his wife, was blessed and dedicated by the Right Rev. Dr Maguire, Bishop-Auxiliary of Glasgow. The celebrant at High Mass was the Rev. E. P. Rogan, D.D , St. Peter s College, assisted by the Rev. Thomas Kerr as deacon and the Rev. Father Clayes, St. Agnes, Lambhill, as sub-deacon. Canon Dyer (for many yetrs in charge of St. Aloysius), St. Mary's, Calton, and Canon M'Brearty, St. Anthony's, Govan, attended on his Lordship. UNITED STATES -Dedication of a Church in New Jersey- — The dedication of the new Church of St. Patrick, in Elizabeth Ciry, New Jersey, which is one of the finest edifices in that State and cost £80,000, took place on Rosary Sunday. It has taken thirteen years to build the church and there is not a dollar of debt on the structure, as the work was paid for as the building progressed. The Work Of Irish Nuns-— The Rev. Gerald P. Cogblan, rector of Our Lady of Mercy Church, Philadelphia, visited Ireland in the summer of 1897 and was impressed by the exquisite beauty of the embroidery and needlework executed by the nuns of Loretto Convent, Dalkey. On the eve of his return to America he left an

order for a complete set of vestments, which have arrived. He placed no restriction on the nuns in the matter of price, his only stipulation being tbot the completed vebtments should represent a value of at least £200. They were to be u^ed for the firsj time in the celebration of Solemn High Mass on the day of the dedication of that magnificent edifice. Wasted Energy- — Evangelical missionary effort in the Philippines (says an American correspondent) has been chilled by the announcement made by Professor Schurman, of Cornell University, who has just returned from Luzon, that over sixty different languages are spoken in the Archipelago. The Bible Societies, prepared with millions of Spanish translations of the Old and New Testament, are astounded, »nd wonder why nobody told them all this before. Professor Schurman, one of the commissioners sent out by the Government, further says tbat there is no ' Philippine nation.' ' There is,' he cays — or, rather, will say — in his official report, • a multifarious collection of tribes having only this in common, that they belong to the Malay race.' Professor Schurman thinks that the American priest in the Philippines is needed to settle the religious difficulties.