Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 36, 4 September 1902, Page 27

Catholic World

ENGLAND. The Alexian Brothers have acquired possession of Ivyford Abbey, Ealing, and intend to convert it into a convalescent home and a retreat for aged gentlemen. The Late Earl of Arundel. His Holineßs the Pope sent an affectionate letter to the Duke of Norfolk condoling with his Grace on the loss of his son, the Earl of Arundel. His Holiness also said Requiem Mass for the Dead. A Danger to Voluntary Schools. His Eminence Cardinal Vaughan in a letter to the London 'Times' objects to any amendment in the Education Bill which enables Nonconformists to harass and weaken Voluntary schools, or place the representatives of the religion in which parents desire their children educated 'in a helpless minority ' on the Board of Management. ' Better remain as we are, poor but free, than put our heads into such a noose,' ooncludes his Eminence. The Dominican Order. Father Procter, 0.P., who quite recently resigned the post of Provincial of the Dominican Order in England, which he had held for eight years, has just received from the Holy See the honorary degree of Master in Theology. The interesting event was celebrated at the Priory, Haverstook Hill, London, when, in the presence of all the chief members of the province, Father Procter was formally invested with the cap and ring indicative of his new rank, father Procter ia a native of Cheetham. The Church in Uganda. In the early part of July Apollo Kagwa, Katikiro (prime minister) of Uganda, paid a visit to Bißhop Hanlon at Mill Hill College, London. He was accompanied by Ham Mukassa, ohief of the Seese Islands (Victoria Nyanna), and the Rev. Ernest Miller, of the Church Missionary Society. The Bishop met the party at mid-day at the Great Northern Station, and conducted them first to St. Mary's Abbey, where he introduced the six nuns (Franciscan Sisters) who are to go out shortly to Upanda for educational purposes. The Katikiro, addressing the Lady Abbess and community, expressed his satisfaction that Englishspeaking Sisterß were going out to Uganda to teach the women and children and to nurse the Bick. He hoped the first contingent would Boon be reinforced by a second party. The children of the convent school assembled on the lawn then sang a song of welcome to the African visitor, and also ' God save the King.' The Katikiro said he would be delighted if the children in Uganda could be taught to sing like that. The party then proceeded to St. Joseph's Missionary College. The chiefs, in passing through the corridors, seemed greatly pleased to recognise the photographs of many of the missionaries they knew personally in Uganda, Having been shown all over the buildings, and partaken of luncheon, the visitors then met all the students assembled in the library. Here the Katikiro Apollo addressed a brief speech to the Btudents, Bishop Hanlon acting as interpreter. He expressed his gratification at the presence of missionaries of that society in Uganda, and spoke very well of those at present working in the country, and of the work being done and yet to be accomplished. He Baid the youth of Uganda were moat anxious to learn English, and all else that could be taught them. He added that the three Regents — himself, the Katikiro, Stanislaus Mugwanya, and Zakaria Kangao — were all very desirous of building their houses and other edifices on improved plans. He concluded by expressing the hope that many of the students he was now addressing would one day go out to Uganda. The party then visited the beautiful ground! of the College, and under a shady group of trees permitted themselves to be photographed by some of the students. FRANCE.— The Church Abroad. A trial was conoluded a few weekß ago in Jerusalem which proves that while Franoe

is persecuting Catholics at home she is losing the influence they brought her by their missionary labours abroad Last. November, in one of the recurring disturbances at the Holy Sepulchre between Latins and Greeks, a number of French, Italian, and German monk* were the victims of outrage and disorder. As Russia is Franoe's ally, the latter country let the cause of her monastic citizens in Jerusalem go by default. Not so Italy and Germany. These two Powers saw in the question an opportunity of ousting France from her traditional position as defender of Christians in the East. They demanded and obtained from the Sultan the recognition of their right— a right which everyone must oonfess to be just — to protect their own subjects from the fanatical violence of Russian monk?. Accordingly, the Sultan's Government brought the disturbers to trial, with the result that some thirty of them, of whom twelve were Greek prießts, have received varying sentences of imprisonment for their orimes. The incident is important as marking the end of the French claim to jurisdiction over Eastern Christians under Turkish rule. Not many will lament that a term has been put to a claim which was antiquated in modern Europe. Every country has the right and the duty to look after the interests of its own oitizens during their sojourn abroad. And it seems almost irony to claim for France the possession of a privilege abroad which she continuously flouts and outrages at home. ITALY.— Collapse of a Campanile. A few weeks ago a cable message announced the collapse of the celebrated Companile of St. Mark'B Cathedral, Venice. An exchange, referring to the fall, says :— • All travellers are lovers of Venice, and will, therefore, sympathise with the Venetians and the people of Italy in the great loss they have sustained by the sudden collapse of the Campanile or bell-tower of the noble Duomo of San Marco. As is well known, the great buildings of Venice rest on piles driven into the mud, and it is hardly to be wondered at that the foundations of such a vast structure as the Campanile gave way. From the top of the tower a magnificent eight could be obtained. The eye traced the configuration of the strange city amidst the lagoons and picturesque scenes in the Adriatic Gulf, the sea appearing to the east and the Alps in the distance. Fortunately, the Campanile in iti fall caused no loss of life and did no damage to St. Mark's or the Doge's Palace. The Venetians are inconsolable over the ruin of this precious monument of their ancient city. Women have been weeping freely in the streets, and as hour after hour passes and the bells are no longer heard, the s«nse of regret for what has happened beoomes keener. Proposals have been made for the reconstruction of the Campanile, and an international subBoription has been suggested. But even if funds be quickly secured, years must past before the tower can be rebuilt. ROME.— Late King of Saxony. In the Sixtine Chapel at the Vatican on July 10 a Requiem Mass for the late King of Saxony took place, in the presence of the Cardinals, the Diplomatic Corps, and several invited persons. The Holy Father, who appeared to be in excellent health, pronounced the Absolution. The Maronitei. A seminary in Rome for Maronite Syrians, founded by Pope Gregory XIII. in 1684 and revived by Leo XIII. in 1896, has prospered so greatly that a new college church has been found neoessary. Cardinal Vinoent Vannutelli laid the foundation-stone of the new structure a few weeks ago. The Philippines Question. Various rumors (writes the Rome correspondent of the ' Catholic Times ' under data July 12) have been current of late aa to the course of the negotiations between the Taft mission and the Holy See regarding the Philippines. Bishop O'Gorman, ecclesiastical adviser to the mission, on whom I have called, does not confirm these reports, but refuses for obvious reasons to mako any statement as to how the negotiations are going on. It is stated that the Commission of Cardinals have drawn up a contract comprising twelve artioles, which, it is

proposed, should be signed by both parties The first is that the Philippine Government shall buy the land belonging to the religion* Orders, the Holy See acting as intermediary. The second describes what agricultural lands shall be bought, and the third provides that if some are possessed by corporations the Friars are to sell their shares. The fourth establishes a tribunal of arbitrators composed of five members, two to be chosen by the Vatican, two by the Philippine Government, and the fifth by the other four, or, in oase of disagreement, he shall be chosen by the common accord of the Pope and President Rooseveh. Article 10 proposes arbitration regarding the indemnity which America is to pay for the ecclesiastical buildings used during the war. The twelfth lays down that the Holy See, in the sphere of action which is within its competence, shall üße all its influence towards the pacification of the islands, and in favour of their adhesion to the established Governments, and shall prevent all political opposition on the part of the clergy, both regular and secular. SCOTLAND. A Catholic Penny Savings Bank has been successfully started in connection with the Sacred Heart Misßion, Edinburgh. Sums from a penny up to *5 are reoeived on deposit. The patrons are his Grace the Archbishop of St. Andrew's and Edinburgh and the Very Rev. Joseph Bader, S.J,, Rector of the Lauriaron Mission. The trustees are Messrs Matthew McCabe, Tom Traser, Stanislaus Moore, Lawrence Jackson, and Dr. R. J. Johnston. Proposed Memorial. The Caledonian Catholic Association have under their consideration the proposal for the erection of a suitable memorial to the late Bishop Hay. Not only Glasgow, but Edinburgh, and indeed the whole of Bootland in its Catholic element, are deeply indebted to the late Bishop Hay for many of the oivil and religious liberties now enjoyed by them. He it was who broke the stubborn back of the last remnant of tke Penal Laws, and made it possible for his worthy successors to build up the Catholic Church in Scotland to its present position to-day. UNITED STATES. Of 261 Catholic American journals and magaeines, 85 are in foreign languagesGerman, French, Polish, Spanish, Italian, Slavonic, Bohemian, Dutch, and Indian. GENERAL. A Catholic Colony. A Russian Catholic priest who is a professor in the Ecclesiastical Academy of St. Petersburg, in the course of a missionary journey in Siberia, discovered an unknown German Catholic colony in the Altai Mountains. The exiles called their village ' Marienbnrg,' and were delighted to have Mass said daily during the visitor's stay. The Church in Denmark. Gratifying news is received from time to time of the growth of Oatholioity in the Scandinavian Kingdoms. It is announced that the Redemptorist Fathers from Austria have taken parochial oharge of the Island of Amager, which forms the southern suburb of Copenhagen. On June 22 the Vioar<Apostolio of Denmark, Bishop Euoh, had the happiness of laying the foundation stone of their new church dedicated to St. Anne, and which is to cost £6000. On one side of the church will be the Redemptorist oonvent, and on the other the parochial school and teacher's house, the schoolmaster being a converted Protestant preacher, Mr Niels Hansen. Catholics and Toleration. We (' Catholic Times') recently gave some figures from which it was evident that in Ireland the Catholics allow Protestants to occupy a remarkably undue proportion of the remunerative positions within their gift. The same spirit— tolerant to suoh an extent that tolerance ceases to be a virtue— prevails in Bavaria, another Catholio oountry. By recent statistics we find that though more than two-thirds of the population are Catholics, the non-Catholic University professors considerably outnumber the Catholio professors. Apart from the faculty of theology,

the professors ordinary and extraordinary at the other three faculties number 220. Of this cumber only 85 are Catholics, 135 are Protestants, 3 Old Catholics, and 8 Jews. Munich contain* 29 ordinary Catholic profeeBorß, 31 Protestants, &nd 3 Old Catholics ; Erlangen— 9 Catholics, 20 Protestants and 2 Jews ; Wiirzburgh — 12 Catholics and 26 Protestants. At the three Universities there are 35 extraordinary Catholic professors and 53 who are non-Catbo'ic. Protestant controversialists are continually accusing Catholic* of intolerance The truth is that where Catholics are in the majority they are often far too easy-going, and not oi>ly give amjle freedom to non-Catholics, but allow them to occupy most of the positions of authority.