The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 26, 28 June 1900, Page 24

The Catholic World.

AFRICA— The White Fathers of the Desert.— A monumental statue of the late Cardinal Lavigerie was recently dedicated at Biskra, on the confines of the Sahara Desert The Cardinal is represented standing, his eyes turned toward the desert, holding in his right hand bis pastoral cross, which he seems to be planting in that desert land toward which went forth all his aspirations as bishop and coloniser The Order founded by this wonderful Frenchman has succeeded in making a complete chain of mission settlements in the deserts. Owing to the sun's rays on the sand, the habits are white instead of the usual black, hence the members are called the White Fathers. The work of these priests is not confined to preaching, but includes teaching the tribes many useful methods of f-ecuring and pret-erving water, tilling the little patches of fertile land that may be found. The Fathers have become great favorites with the children ot the desert, not a single death from violence is reported, nor is there friction ot any sort existing between i the prii sts and people. The Fathers speak Arabic tODgue. The First Convent in South Africa-— The golden jubilee ol tlu fits] ctiiiwnt * >tabli-h' d in South Africa was recently celebrated at (Jrahamsr >wn. '1 In— con\ent was established by Sisters of the Assumption from Paris, who opened a day school and boarding school tor young ladies. BELGIUM— An imposing procession.— The jubilee procession in honor of the 7.~>o L h anniversary of the bringing of the sacred relic, the Piccious Blood of Christ, was held in Bruges on May 7, attrat ting to the city tens of thou a ands of devotees. Such a crowd never has been seen in Bruges before. The procession was '.hi minutes in passing a given point. Cardinal Goossens, Archbishop of Mahnes, ihe Papal Nuncio, and the bishops of Belgium participated m the celebration. There were groups representing scenes in the life of Christ, most impressively realistic, and there were cohtumes of the twelfth century, in cloth of gold, velvet, and embossed satin, of richness beyond description. The basket in which the Holy Blood was conveyed was of massive gold, incrusted with priceless jewels. CANADA.— The hardships of a Missionary life— The life of a missionary piiest ia the North-west is one of constant hardships and suffering. A priest who is laboring in the interior of Canada, Father Ilusson, 0.M.1., recently had to walk 500 mile 9 on snow-shoes to reach a point where he could take a train east. A Remarkable Incident- — The Catholic True Witness of Montreal, calls attention to one notable feature of the terrible conflagration in Hull and Ottawa. Says this journal "One building alone of importance in Hull remains — it is the magnificent Catholic church. Although surrounded by a sea of flame, in some miraculous manner the sacred edifice escaped the scorching 1 element. During the tire of 18SG the church, which occupied the place upon which the present one Rtands, was entirely destroyed. Spectators from the Parliament Hill iv Ottawa beheld the falling ot the steeple and witnessed many of the harrowing scenes of the occasion. This time, however, the temple remained alone erect — like the Church of which it is a symbol — a fit guardian over the ruins spread on all sides.' The first appeal made on behalf of the victims came from His Grace Aichbibhop Brucheti, of Montreal, who at once issued a circular letter to his clergy orderning a collection in all churches of the archdiocese for the benefit of the destitute. The beautifully worded letter, which was at once reproduced in all the press, both French and English, was backed up with a subscription of five hundred dollars. ENGLAND— The Diocese of Hexham— The nomination of an auxiliary bishop to thcllexham diocese recalls the fact, which

may not be generally known, that Dr. Wilkinson, the present bishop, is a convert, and that during his Anglican days he was connected with St. Saviour's, Leeds, a church noted for its high ritual. Dr. Wilkinson, in relating the story of his conversion, which took place about 53 years ago, states that he first went to old tit. Patrick's to see Father Keasley, but finding that priest out, and determined to carry out his intention, he proceeded to St. Anne's, where he saw the late Father Walmsley, and was subsequently received into the Church by him. Golden Jubilee Of a Priest— On July 9 the golden jubilee of the ordination of the Rev. William Ignatius Dolan, of Holloway, will occur, and it is intended to recognise in a suitable manner the great services rendered by him as a priest of the archdiocese of Westminster during the pact 50 years. Death Of a Sussex Priest- — The Right Rev. Mgr. Denis for nearly 40 years rector of the Catholic Church at West Grinstead, Sussex, died after a very brief illness on April' 24. St. George's Day at Southward— The feast of St. George was honored with special observance in St. George's Cathedral, Southwark. On the following day also there were special services, beginning with Pontifical High Mass, and in the evening the United Choirs Festival took place with Pontifical Vespers, procession and Benediction. Death of a Venerable Priest- — The death took place on April 20 of Rev. Thomas Ullathorne, S.J., of Lowe House, St. Helens. Deceased was in his eighty-third year, and since two years after his ordination in August, 1850, until 1886, when he had to relinquish the greater portion of his duties on account of failing health, had been prominently identified with the work of the Catholio missions in St. Helens. After Requiem Mass, which was sung in Lowe House Chuich by the Bishop of Liverpool, and at which a panegyric was preached by Very Rev. Bernard Vaughan, S.J., Manchester, the interment took place at Old Windleshaw Cemetery. RUSSIA-— lnstitution of a Catholic Archbishopric-— it is said that the negotiations between the Holy See and the Cabinet of the Czar, carried on by the Russian minister plenipotentiary to the Vatican, Tcharykow, are resulting in the institution of a Catholio archbishopric at St. Petersburg, together with that of two other episcopal sees, which will be the beginning of the establishment in Russia of the Catholic hierarchy, which, hitherto, has had existence only in Poland. SCOTLAND.— Edinburgh Catholic Working Boys' Home- — Lord Ralph Kerr, C.8., who was accompanied by the Lady Anne Kerr, presided recently at the annual meeting in connection with the Catholic Working Boys' Home, Edinburgh. SOUTH AMERICA— SiIver Jubilee of the Salesian Missions. — Towards the end of the present year the silver jubilee of the Salesian missions in South America takes place — for next November marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first ' expedition 'of Salesian missionaries to the New World. In view of the extraordinary development of the society in that part of the globe during this period it is proposed to celebrate the auspicious event by a series of religious festivals. SPAIN-— A Present for the King.— The little King of Spain has received from his Holiness Leo XIII., who is his godfather, a present in the Bhape of a fine mosaic representing the piazza of St. Peter's, and with it an autograph letter expressive of his good-will for his youthful Majesty. UNITED STATES— Catholic Bequests —According to a New York publication orer £12,000,000 were given last year in the United States in public bpquests. This list only includes gifts of £1000 and over. The following gifts are mentioned as going to Catholic institutions : To the Catholic University of America from Catholic Knights of America, £10.000 for a chair of English Literature; from the Catholic Knights of Columbus, £10,000 for chair of American History ; from Mary Moran, of Baltimore, £2000 for a Celtic chair ; Rev. P. J. Daly, of Roxbury, Mass., gave £10,000 for a free industrial school in his town for young women ; Mrs. Mary Johnson, of New York, left to St. Joseph's Seminary, Yonkere, £30,000 ; to the Catholic Orphan Asylum, Protectory and Mission of the Immaculate Conception, each £11,000 ; to All Saints' Church, £10,000 ; to other institutions, £2500 : making in all £96,500. Loyola College, Baltimore, received gifts from friends amounting to £20,000. The Jesuit Fathers of New Orleans received gifts for college buildings, planned to cover an entire square and to cost £200,000. Bishop Spalding, of Peoria, gave to his diocese £10,000 for a commercial and industrial college. Out of over £12,000,000 given in the list not quite £400,000 are reported as going to Catholio institutions. Distinguished Waiters-— One of the most notable and interesting functions that takes place in Washington is the annual dinner given by the Little Sisters of the Poor on the feast of their patron saint, St. Joseph, to their beneficiaries. Not only is the sumptuous banquet prepared for the aged and decrepit poor to whom these devoted nuns administer, but all the notable Catholics volunteer to serve at the feast, and on that afternoon the austere halls of the home resemble some fashionable drawing room at the height of the season. At the time the dinner is Berved, shortly past noon, gaily dressed women and dignified men donned long white } aprons, and until every poor creature in the institution is satisfied and happy, they work with unflagging zeal, all of them remaining to take part in the religious services that follow. At the dinner given this year the corps of waiters included the French ambassador, the Spanish minister, the Duchess of Arcos, the minister

from Switzerland and Mrs. Pioda, the minister from Costa Rica and Mme. Calvo, Mrs. White, wife of the justice ; the Misses Riggs, Mr. Bonaparte, and a number of others prominent in the fashionable world. M. Boeufve, the chancellor of the French embassy, never misses one of these parties. He is a great favorite with the old people, and enters into the occasion with keen zest, carrying to the poor unfortunates a merry greeting and cheery stories from the outside world, as well as material food. This year M. Boeufve wore a huge butcher's apron, which reached quite to his heelß, and was untiring in his endeavors to make the dinner a memorable one.

GENERAL

Relics of Bigotry . — Mr. John Redmond, speaking at Wigan recently (says the London Tablet), referred to the fact that no Catholic can become Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland in these terms : ' When her Majesty came to Ireland let her first act be to remove the intolerable insult that was upon the Statute Book of England with regard to the Lord- Lieutenancy — viz., that he could not belong to that religion which was the religion of the bulk of the Irish people. He might wear the Bhamrook, but he dare not profess the faith that St. Patrick planted in Ireland.' The Westminster Gazette, commenting upon this, Bays : 'We need hardly say that we should be very glad if this were to be done, but we doubt if constitutionally the Queen could do it, any more than she oould alter the Protestant Succession. But it is certainly an anomaly that the Viceroy of India may be a Roman Gatholio but not the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and it only adds insult to injury that the disability should be in a Roman Catholic country.' The fact is that, though we all profess the widest religious tolerance, a great deal of bigotry still exists ; and what a formal enactment doeß in one country popular prejudice often does quite as effectually in another. Thus while a statute forbids a Catholio to be LordLieutenant of Ireland, public opinion forbids a Catholic to hope to become President of the United States. There never has been a Catholic President ; and although the Catholio population supplies some of the most active and successful politicians in the country, it is not in the least likely that a Catholio will rule at the White House in our generation. Even the existence of a Catholic wife was in one conspicuous instance thought sufficient to make a prominent public man ineligible as a candidate for the Presidency. In the case of the Lord- Lieutenant the disability is surely an absurdity. If the Marquis of Ripon oould be trusted to exercise wisely the vast powers of a Viceroy of India, he might surely be allowed to preside at Dublin Castle.