The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 10, 8 March 1900, Page 27

The Catholic World.

BELGIUM-— An Agricultural College at Louvain.— An interesting light is thrown upon one of the methods by which the Church in Belgium is succeeding in keeping her hold upon the people, in an article in the January number of the Democratic Chrrt iciin/', published at Lille. It describes thesplendidly equipped Agricultural College at Louvain, aflihated to the University, which has a roll-call of I.V) students, unrl a course of study extending over three years. ' Every yt ar,' we a.c told, ' the Bt lgian bisfeops send one or two young priest-, to follow the agricultural course. When their college studies are completed these ecclesiastic? not only g've lectures on science and agricultuie in the opis-opal establishments, but they also yfive conferences m rural districts on technical and economic subject?, and in concert with the parochial cler/y th<-y help to found agricultural associations.' The»e Associations founded on sound eo-op j rative principles, and carrie i on under Catholic auspices, are proving one ot the 11104 successful means of de\ eloping the material and moral welfare of the Belgian peasantry, and are being orgaui.-ed all over the country. They are easily established among the resident population of a rural district, and it stands to reason that a yoniisr priest with a practi al knowledge of agriculture may render in\aluable services to his flock, and may enter into their daily lives in a manner to which the strictly seminary-bred ecclesiastic could never attain

CANADA-— Proposed Monument to a Jesuit in Dawson City- — A- granite woiiuinunt is to be erected in the Yukon metropolis to Father Judge, the Jesuit missionary and martyr. Father Judge was a pioneer in the work of evangelising the Indians, and, on coming to Dawson. he founded a hospital and looked after the spiritual welfare of his flock. During the eirly existence of Dawson (says a contemporary) malaria and typhoid fever were rampant, and during the week the kindly old servant of God was ever to be found looking after the sick in body, ministering to their physical care, and devoting his whole existence to the cause of humanity and in the service of the Divine Master. There is no doubt that Father Judge was badly over-worked and his otherwise strong constitution wore down until finally he succumbed to the dreaded disease, and was rapidly borne by the wings of death to his spiritual home.

CEYLON. — Return of the Delegate- Apostolic — The Delegate-Apostolic, when recently returning to Ceylou after a trip to Rome, wrote deprecating anything like a formal reception. 1 Such receptions,' he said, ' are simply a waste of public money. I am already an old citizen of Ceylon, 1 wfll know the attachment of the citizens of Ceylon to the Holy See to my humble person, and I think that the Ceylonc-e, too. do not doubt of my deep love to them, so that between us there is no need of public demonstration s.'

ENGLAND— Death of a Vice-Consul — Mr. James O'Donovan, the Argentine Vice-CoriHul at Swansea, died on January sat the age of 77. Mr. O'Donovan, who lived for many years at Swansea, where he was much respected, was a brother of the late Rev. Daniel O'Donovan, for many years CathoHo chaplain to the forces at Malta, of Hr. Cornelius O'Donovan, of Buenoa Ayres, and of the Rev. Patrick O'Donovan, whoFe name will long be remembered in the history of Ireland ns one of the most philanthropic and earnest workers among the sunvrinjr during the great fumine there.

FRANCE— The Bishop of Pekin in Paris.— The VicarApostolic of Pekin, Mgr. Favier, a Vinoentian or Lazarist, has attracted much attention (says a correspondent) during his passage through Paris. He has been nearly 40 years in China, where he wears the dress and red button of a Mandarin of the first rank. He was born in Dijon (53 years since and went out as a missionary to Pekin.

A Brave Priest- — The Abbe" Vaillant, who is ourS at Equihen, a little fishing village a few miles from Boulo^ne-sur-mer, ia valiant by nature as well as by name. A short time ago, a fishing smack, which like most of those owned by French followers of St. Peter's original calling, had a religious name — the Jesus Flagelle — waa wrecked on the sands at Equihen during a terrific storm. Abbe Vaillant, although he had only just recovered from an attaok of influenza, courageously waded into the sea and saved the lives of the skipper of the smack and of another man. Unfortunately the refit of the crew were washed away by a heavy ground swell. The inhabitants of the district are enthusiastic in their praise of the heroic conduct of the Cure\

GERMANY.— Socialism and the Church— The Mecklenburg Catholics have no legal rights whatever, and intolerance towards them is preached openly. The official Government paper recently proclaimed war on the part of all German Protestants against ' Catholics and Democrats ' to maintain ' the Protestant German Empire.' There is, however, no Protestant German Empire. The German Emperor himself and his family are free to become Catholics. Of the 2£ million German Socialists only about 100,000 are from Catholic families. Socialism recruits itself almost exclusively from Protestant provinces and families. The German Catholic working-men's associations have above 80,000 members. The Christian working-men's associations, comprising Catholics and Protestants, have 1 14,000 members. The Evangelical working-men's associations have only about 50,000 members. In Saxony, the chief industrial country with the great labour centres, the Evangelical working-men's associations have only about 6000 members. The clergy of the Protestant Alliance in Saxony devote their care to the Culturkampf against Catholics rather than to the work of social reform. It is much easier work, after all.

ITALY.— Destruction of a Monastery.— The Capuchin monastery, which was destroyed in the reoent terrible disaster at Amain, a popular resort of the Gulf of Salerno, was famous throughout Christendom. The disaster, it will be remembered, was caused by the sliding of an enormous rock into the sea. The monastery had stood on that rock for more than 700 years, and there is no mention in any of the accounts of the place that it was ever considered unsafe. It was founded by the Cistercians in 1212, but came into possession of the Capuchins in 1583. The building was as it was made in the beginning, so far as the exterior was concerned, for no attempu was made to modernize it. It would appear that the cathedral, which was below the old monastery, also suffered. It is a structure that dates back to the eleventh century. Its bronze doors were executed by Byzantine masters of that time. In it were many sculptures and a magnificent sarcophagus, in which the body of St. Andrew is said to have rested since the thirteenth century.

ROME— The Secular Press and the next Pope— The new year is scarcely advanced a number when the energetic secular Press announces the very latest and up-to-date Cardinal who will succeed to the Papacy (saya the Pitt^burg Catholic). The present Pope is made to name him. The next Pope will be named by the Conclave, and no man living can even reasonably surmise who its choice will be

Presentation by the Sisters of Charity to the Pope — The magnificent white cope which the Holy Father wore at the ceremony of the opening of the Porta Santa waa a splendid specimen of embroidery. It was produced byTanfani, who is noted for the excellence of his works in thia department. It is the gift of the Sisters of Charity in Rome to his Holiness. The style of its gold embroidery is that of the Renaissance, and is deemed a genuine work of art. One notable feature in the embroidery is the abundance of small pearls and tiny jewels wrought into it ; and yet it is quite light in weight considering its ample size. Altogether it weighs six Roman pounds ; the one heretofore in use was nineteen Roman pounds in weight.

UNITED STATES. -A Tribute to the Sisters of Charity-— Mr Robert B. Roosevelt, of New York, pays this tribute to the Slaters of Charity : ' I should be more thankful than I am if I had the simple faith and reverence and the noble works to my credit in the book of doom of those devoted Sisters of Charity of the Hospital of St. Vincent de Paul, whose jubilee I attended last .Sunday.'

Death of the Rev- Dr McGlynn — The Rev. Dr. McGlynn, Rector of St. Mary's Church, Newburgh, New York, died at the rectory on Sunday, January 7, after an illness of several weeks' duration of heart failure. No priest was better known than he ; none more beloved and admired by those who knew him intimately. He waa a scholar of rare attainments, a theologian, an orator of fascinating power, and what was to him more important than all, a devout, hard-working, sympathetic, charitable priest, whose heart went out to the poor and afflicted. He was known to the general public as an orator and writer who recognised the unfavourable conditions of the working people and laboured to improve them. But those who knew him as the priest engaged in his pastoral labours know that the great work of his life was among the poor, the afflicted, who ino9t needed the generous hand, the kindly and sympathetic word of encouragement and hope, the fatherly advice. Dr. McUiynn supported Henry George during the mayoralty canvass of 1886, and hia remarks from public platforms in favour of Mr. George's theories resulted in his being severely censured by

his eocleeiastioal superior, the Archbishop. He persisted, and the matter was referred to Rome. Again he ignored the demands of his superior and the call to Rome, and was excommunicated. In 1892 Cardinal Satolli was commissioned to act in the case, and soon after Father McGlynn was absolved and had restored to him his priestly functions. Archbishop Corrigan reinstated him as rector of a church in the New York diocese. He was appointed rector of St. Mary's, New burgh. The funeral services were held in St. Stephen's Church, New York City, and were the occasion of a great manifestation of popular affection, upwards of 40,000 persons having visited the church for the purpose of praying for the soul of the deceased priest, and looking for the last time on the face of one who took such a deep interest in the welfare of the masses.

ReliglOUS Statistics — Onr Protestant contemporary, the Independent (says Church Progress') has just given its annual religious statistics for the United States. It yields the palm for the largest membership to the Catholic Church. The figures are 8,446,301, and though they are far below the actual membership, yet they are nearly 3,000,000 in advance of those of any other church. It is interesting to compare the number of priests and churches in the Catholic Church with those of the Protestant denominations. The Methodists, with less than 6,000,000 members, have three times the number of ministers and four times the number of churches reported by the Catholics with more than 8,000,000 members ; the Baptists, with about half as many members as the Catholics, have three times the number of ministers and more than four times the number of churches, while the Presbyterians, with less than one-fifth the membership, have more ministers and more churches. It is clear even from these figures that the Catholic priest must have three or four times as much work to do as the Protestant minister. As an actual fact, the former has about ten times as much. In the first place millions of those claimed by the Protestant denominations are in reality not members, as they are not churchgoers. Then, again, the average minister considers that he has performed his duty to the members of his congregation when he preaches a weekly sermon to them. The Sunday sermon is but a small item of the weekly labours of the Catholic prießt.

Declines a formal Celebration.— The Right Rev. Bishop Curtis, Vicar-General of the archdiocese of Baltimore, recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination. He left the city a few days previous to the anniversary for the purpose of avoiding a formal celebration of the occasion. Bishop Curtis was appointed Vicar-General of Baltimore by Cardinal Gibbons on May 29, 1898, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mgr Edward Colgan. Bishop Curtis is a convert, having been reared a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was for 10 years head of the Wilmington diocese In 1896 he sent his resignation to Rome, and at his earnest solicitation it was accepted.

Mu. P. LUNDON, Phoenix Chambers, Wanganui, is still busy putting people on the soil. He has also hotel." in town and country For Sale and To Lease. Write to him. — "** In connection with the Dunedin Autumn Races on the 21st, 23rd, and 24th inst., the railway authorities notify that holiday excursion tickets will be issued to Dunedin from any station on the Hurunui-Bluff section from 19th to 23rd March, available for return till March 28.—*% Massey-Harris riders scored well at the recent Sydney Electric Light meetings, putting nine firsts, eleven seconds, and five thirds to their credit. At the L.V.W. Patriotic meeting on the Cricket Ground on Saturday, the 17th ult., Beauchamp, the MasseyHarris crack, won the Patriotic Plate, a two mile handicap, from scratch. — *** Messrs. Dwan Bros., hotel brokers, of Willis-street, Wellington, report the sale of the following hotel properties : — Mrs. Laura Ross's interest in the lease and furniture of the Occidental Hotel, Masterton, to Mr. Charles Cress, late of the Masonic Hotel, Wellington ; the lease and goodwill of the Foresters' Arms Hotel, Greytown, to Mrs. Mary Moynihan, late of Barrett's Hotel, Wellington ; Mr. John Maine's interest in the Commercial Hotel, Blenheim, to Captain W. G. North, late of the Terminus Hotel, Picton ; Mr. Frank L. Garland's interest in the freehold of the Levin Hotel, Levin, to Mr. Daniel Hannan ; the lease and furniture of the leading hotel in Invercargill, viz., the Southland Club Hotel, to Mr. Harry G. Keith, formerly of the Rutland Hotel, Wanganui, and late of the Criterion Hotel, New Plymouth ; Mr. Patrick Maher's interest in the freehold and furniture of the Empire Hotel, Blenheim, to a local resident ; Mrs. Annie Ryan's interest in the lease and furniture of the Tramway Hotel. Newtown, to Mr. John Beauchamp, late of the White Swan Hotel, Wellington ; Mr. Thomas Avery's interest in the freehold and furniture of the Royal Hotel, Blenheim, to Mr. William Farqubar, late of Kaponga, Taranaki ; Mr. James Dillon's interest in the Royal Hotel, Bunny thorpe, to Mr Halville, late of the Travellers' Rest Hotel, Palmerston North ; the freehold of the Club Hotel, Palmerßton North, on account of Messrs. Richter, Nannestad and Co. ; also Mr. C. C. Miles's estate's interest in the lease and furniture to Mr. H. B. Tucker, late of the Marquis of Norxnanby Hotel, Carterton ; Mr. Edwin Hodren's interest in the Kilbirnie Hotel, Kilbirnie, to Mr. John Innee, late of Apiti, Feilding ; Mr. Walter King's interest in the lease and furniture of the Metropolitan Hotel, Wellington, to Mrs. Legg and Mr William M'Lecd, late of the s. s. Rotomahana ; Mr. James Wood's interest in tho lease and furniture of the White Horee Hotel, Ngahauranga, to Mr. John Hunter, late of the Central Hotel, Otaki ; also Mr. Michael Ryan's interest in the lease and furniture of the Oriental Hotel, Wellington, to Mrs. Watson, late of the Orient Dining Rooms, Wellington.—*/