CATHOLICS AND THE KING.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 26, 27 June 1901, Page 3

CATHOLICS AND THE KING.

His Majesty the King on Friday, May 3, received in state at St. James's Palace a number of deputations from religious and civio bodies of the United Kingdom, who came to present to his Majesty addresses of condolence on the death of Queen Victoria and of con* gratul ition on his Majesty's accession to the Throne. The ceremony of presenting the addresses, which lasted about half an hour, took: place in the Throne Room. The most important of the depulalJon» was that of the Cardinal -Archbishop, Bishops of the Catholic Church in England, and representatives of the clergy, laity, pet-rs, and commoners. It was headed by his Eminence Cardinal Vaugban, Archbishop of Westminster, who presented the address, and included the Bishops of Nottingham, Birmingham, Northampton, Hexham, and New* castle, Sal ford, Clifton, Liverpool, Menevia, South wark, Shrewsbury. Portsmouth, Emmaus, Cisamus, Hermopolis, and Phocoea. The venerable Bishop of Plymouth was unable to travel to London, The pt'ers were : The Duke of Norfolk, the Marquis of Ripon, the Earl of Denbigh, the Earl of Ashburnham, the Earl of Westmeath, the Earl of Gainsborough, Viscount Southwell, Lord Mowbray and Stourton, Lord Braye, Lord Petre, Lord Arundell of Wardour, Lord Clifford, Lord Herries, Lord Gerard, and Lord Morris. The following members of the Council of the Catholic Union attended : Lord Edmund Talbot, M.P., Lord Ralph Kerr, his Honor Judge Bagshawe, Admiral Whyte, Mr. F. R. Wegg-Prosser, Mr. Wilfrid Ward, Mr. James Brand, Sir John Knill, Bart., the Hon. Everard Fielding, Sir John Austin, Bart., M.P., Mr. James Hope, M.P., Lieut.-Col. Ross of Bladensburg, and Mr. W. S. Lilly (secretary), The Catholic School Committee was represented by the Verj Rev. W. F B. Riohards, the Right Rev. Mgr. Scott, Mr. C. E. Vertue, Mr. B. Young, Lord Walter Kerr, Mr. C. W. Bagshawe, Canon Barron, Mr. Stapleton-Bretherton, Mr. Fitzherbert-Brockholes, the Right Rev. Mgr. Carr, the Rev. A. L. Chattaway, Dr Counsel, Mr, C. E. de Trafford, the Rev. O. Dolan, Mr. A. C. Dunlop, Mr. G. Findlay. the Right Rev. Mgr. Grady, Mr. D. Howell, Mr. W. M. Hunnybun, Canon Keatings, Canon K« ily, Mr. J. G. Kenyon, Mr. A, King, the Rev. A. Magill, the Rev. F. O'Reilly, Mr. Powell, Mr. Pyke. The address was in the following terms :—: — May it please your Majesty, — We, the Cardinal- Archbishop and Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in England, and representatives of the clergy and laity, peers and commoners, humbly approach your Majesty upon the earliest occasion since your accession to the Throne, in order to tender to you our allegiance and our loyal devotion to your Throne and person. While we have deeply grieved with your Majesty and the Royal Family on the loss which has recently plunged the whole Empire into mourning, we may now be permitted to thank God that in your Majesty He has given to us a Sovereign so well fitted to rule over this great Empire by the years of preparation and labor which you have devoted to becoming acquainted with the wants and character of your multitudinous subjects. Your Majesty's life has been spent in the midst of your people, sharing in their happiness and prosperity, actively engaged in ameliorating the condition of the lowly, and in promoting their comfort in sickness and suffering. All classes of the population— the leisured, the professional, the industrial, and the poor — have been the object of your sympathy and interest. These facts, which are manifest, form a happy omen for the future. Our prayers are continually offered up for your Majesty, especially after the principal Mass on each Sunday ; and we venture to assure you that none of your subjects pray more fervently or more frequently that your reign may be long, beneficent, and adorned by every Christian virtue — that you may be ever victorious in war and prosperous in peace — and that He Who is the way, the truth, and the life, may guide and bless our King and Queen and their Royal Family in this world, and may open to them hereafter the gates of the eternal kingdom. The King, in reply, said : I receive with hearty appreciation the dutiful address which you have presented to me to-day. It affords me deep satisfaction to know that my Roman Catholio subjects sympathise with me and my family in the heavy affliction which has recently befallen us, that they tender me the encouragement of their loyal good wishes in the prosecution of the great task whioh lies before me as Sovereign of this Empire, and that they continually offer up devout aspirations for my prosperity and for that of Queen Alexandra and of the members of my house. It will be my endeavor to promote to the best of my ability the enjoyment of the blessings of liberty, tolerance, peace, and good will among all classes of my people.

The total cost of the Commonwealth celebrationß in Melbourne will ran into cix figures. That represents the Government's share, but £ 10,000 spent by the City Council has to be added, making a nice bill of £110,000. However, a part of this will be refunded in the shape of cash saleß of much of the material used in the works. South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia are large purchasers, as also the oommittee of the proposed Bendigo Gold Jubilee Exhibition. Lady Rachel Fitzgerald, wife of the Knight of Glin, and daughter of the Earl of Danraven, who has died at Ad&re Manor, her father's seat, was only 28. Her marriage took place a little over three years ago. The Knights of Glin trace their descent from John, the second son of John Fitzthomas, usually called John of Callan, first Lord of Decies and Desmond. John of Callan wh the grandson of Strongbow's companion-in-arms. Three of his sons by his second marriage were created ' hereditary knights '— tht White Knight, the Knight of Glin, and the Knight of Kerry.