The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 12, 23 March 1905, Page 24

The Catholic World

AFRICA— The Congo Calumnies The Bishop of Salford (Dr. Casartelli), speaking at the quarterly meeting of the Manchester and Saiford Zelator Branch of St. Joseph's Foreign Missionary Sociaty, in St. John's Hall, Saiford, referred (says the 'Manchester Guardian ') to ' the campaign of prejudice and calumny fostered in the press and on the platform against the work of the Belgians on the Congo.' The most important evelnt in the history of the Society was the new field of labor in the Belgian Congo territory. This work had been undertaken not altogether because the Society was growing and requirefl some new field of missionary enterprise, but in order that by having missionaries of their own, bred an 3 trained in England, working in the Belgian Congo, they might do something to stem that which he had no hesitation in calling a campaign of conspiracy, prejudice, and calumny against the work of the Belgians on tiie Congo. That calumny had been considerably discredited of late by Englis'n writers. The work of the Mill Hill College missionaries on the Congo would still further discredit what he considered a deliberate attemjpt to injure the colonial work of a frienfly country, and at the same time to prejudice the Catholic missionaries of Belgian nationality who had befcn laboring with colnapiWuous success in that large portion of Central Africa. CANADA— The Archdiocese of Montreal Pope Phis X., acknowledging the growing importance of tihe Arehdiotese of Montreal, has granted a request of Archbishop BrucHesi to have an auxiliary Bishop. He has nominated Monsignor Zotique Racicot, now-Vicar-General of Montreal, to the office*

ENQLAND— Cause of Canonization A Rome correspondent states that it is proppsed to introduce at Rome the cause of canonization of Fattier Dominic, the Pa&sionist, who received Cardinal Newman into the Catholic Church. The Dioceye of Birmingham The Right Rev. Edward Ilsley, Bishop of Birmingham, who has been celebrating his Episcopal Jubilee, is only the second Bishop of that diocese since the restoration of the Catholic Hierarchy in 1850. He presents an interesting link with that event by reason of the fact that he was consecrated by Dr. Ullathorne, the first Bisihop of Birmingham, who represented the English Vicars- Apostolic in Rome when they petitioned for the restoration of the Hierarchy. Catholic Re-union at Oxford A reunion was held in the Town Hall, Oxford, iccently, to celebrate the silver jubilee of the Bishop of Birmingham. Lord Edmund Talbot, M.P., presided, and among those present were Sir John Day, Lord C. Crichton-Stuart, Lord Fielding, the Hon. A, Bertie, Monsignor Kennard, Fattier Bernard Vaughan, and Mr. Grisisell, Papal Chamberlain. Hearty congratulations weire ottered by the chairman, Father Day, Mr. Gresham Wells, Monsignor Kennard, and Mr. Urquhart to the Bishop, who briefly acknowledged the compliment. Father Vaughan, in addressing the gathering, said that he had received a telegram from the Vatican as follows :— ' The Holy Father bliesses you and all taking pait in the jubilee welcome to your good Bishop.' Westminster Cathedral A mo\emcnt has been instituted by the ' Catholic Herald ' to raise funds, estimated at £20,000, amongst the Irish people in Great Britain, for the decoration of one of the bide chapels in Westminster Cathedral in honor of St. Patrick and the liish saints. Archbishop Bourne has written cordially approwng of the project ; and Dr. O'Donnell, Bishop of Raplioc, and Dr. Fcnton have agreed to become trustees of the fund. Lord Justice Mathew has been asked to become a third trustee. Dr. O'Donnell in agreeing to act says that the chapel should be worthy of Ireland's faith, and of its landmarks in England, past and present. In Uie seventh century Irish missionaries from Lindesfarne cvangalised the greater part of England, and in all England at the present time the bulk of the Catholic population is Irish, or of Irish descent. To these tw 0 great achievements of Irish faith on English soil, the Irish chapel of Westminster Cathedral should do ample honor. Then the numerous Irish population resident in London rightly desire to see in the great city a beautiful chapel that will enshrine the holiest records bf their race and fortify their resolution to uphold the unbroken tradition of Irisih love for the faith of Christ. Irishmen visiting London will seek in such a shrine for a congenial haven of rest. To residents and to visitors alike may the chapel of St. Patrick and the Irish Saints be a joy and an inspiration. HOLLAND— An Innovation Queen Wilhelmina, in appointing a Catholic, Hcrr Jonkherr Van Green, as her private secretary, puts o_ne of that faith in a responsible position in the royal household for the first time since the Reformation. ROME— Silver Jubilee Cardinal Vinccnzo Vannutolli recently celebrated the Silver Jubilee of his Episcopacy, he having been created Titular Archbishop of Sardi in 1880. A solemn 'Te Deum ' was sung on tne occasion. His Eminence received many congratulations from Great Britain, and especially from Ireland, wnere he made many friends during his recent visit. Monsignor James Smith, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, the only member of the British Episcopacy in Rome, was present at the ceremony, and congratulated the Cardinal, in company with Monsignor Fraser, Rector of the Scottisih College. The Pope an autograph letter tp Cardinal Van'riutelli congratulating him on his Jubjjee and on the many missions he has so successfully "accomplished in the interests of the Church. Beatifications To the list of beatifications already given in our columns as likely to take place diuring the coming year, another well-known name may now be added (says the Londion ' Tablet '). It is as good as certain that the process of tlhe Venerable Duns Scotus will be completed diuring the year 1905. Simultaneously with this announcement comes the news that the doubt as to hiis birthplace has been at last cleared up. A manuscript has been discovered, dating from

less than half a century from his death, in which he is described as ' c provincia Hiborniensi,' sib that Dr. Healy, now Bishop of Tuam, was well justified when he showed in the ; Ecclesiastical Record ' over twentyyears ago that the ' Subtle Doctor ' was an Irishman. Eucharistic Congress The sixteenth international Euchairistic Congress will be held at Rome fiom the 4th to the 7th June, 1905. This organisation was founfted twenty-five years ago^and the first international Congress was held at Lifle in 1881 It is proposed, consequently, to celebrate in the capital of the Catholic world the silver jubilee of the work of the Eucharistic Congresses. The city of Rome has been chosen for the coming Congress at the express request of Phis X., who desires that the utmost external solemnity should give to these Eucharistic celebrations a character of exceptional grandeur. Special pilgrimages will be arranged in France, Belgium, and Spaita on the most advantageous terms. Committees are being formed amongst the Catholics of other nations also, all of w.horn desire to be represent cct at the Congress. The Pastoral Character DViring the celebrations in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin the Holy Father delivered an allocution to a large number of Bis/hops from eaery part of the Church. The "Univers ' has obtained an alinos-t \erb<Uim report of his words from some who heard them. Especially did the Pope urge watchfulness over the seminaries. An atmosphere of independence, he saiu, not only in matters of obedience, but of doctrine, had peinetrated the sanctuary. Certain young priofcts, animated by the critical spirit which rules to-day, ha-d come to lose all respect for the science derived from the great masters in theology, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, who interpret the revealed deposit of truth. . 4 If ever,' he concluded, ' you have in your seminaries a savant ol this now type, get rid of him as soon as possible, and do not, at any cost, impose hands upon him. You will always repent of having ordained one such, even one only, never of having excluded him from Orders.' Such words from tflie Holy Fat/her (says the c Catholic Times ') aic a proof of his recognition of the supreme importance of the sincerity which should accompany the pastoral charge. SOUTH AFRICA— GoIden Jubilee In recognition of the golden jubilee of his priesthood, the Kigiit Rev. Dr. Leonard, Bishop of Cape Town and Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of the Colony, was the recipient of addresses arid gifts from the Catholic clergy and laity in the Cape Peninsula £jid throughout the whole of his Vicariatel Congratulations were poured in from all sides 1 . The address from St Mary's parish, Cape Town, was accompanied by a purse of 450 sioveriiegns. The Bishop, who is in fcceble health, had a most cordial reception. In the addresses testimony was borne to the great success of his work as a Bishop. UNITED STATES— Expressions of Sympathy It is pleasant to notice (says the ' Catholic Standard '), among the tokens of respect fcind sympathy tendered to Bishop Spacing of Peoria, in his serious illness, that not only in the different Catholic churches bfiit .in, nearly every Protestant ehurcn in Peoria there wer.c prayers for his recovery, and that the Protestant Ministerial Association, at a meeting on January 9, passed resolutions expressing their deepest sympathy for their Catholic brother. Generous Offers It is announced that six men have pledged £1000 each towards raising the sum of £30,000 which is dtesiied to erect a new building for the House of the Good Shepherd in Chicago. These men are Archbishop Quigley, Michael Cudahy, John R. Walsh, John Cudahy, John A. Lynch and John F. Bremner. Twenty-five men will be asked for subscriptions of this sjze and then an appeal wiil be made to the public. Catholic Statistics The ' Catholic Directory ' for 1905 presents some interesting statistics. The figures for the United States are : Archbishops, 15 ; Bishops, 88 ; clergy, 18.857; churches, 11,387; seminaries, 83; students, 3,('26 ; colleges for boys, 191 ; academies for girls, 692 ; schools in na/risihes, 4235 ; children attending, 1,031,578 ; orphan asylums, 252 ; orphans, 37,822 ; charitable instil tutiohs, 987 ; persons in institutions', 1,201,899. Total population, 12,462,793. The archdiocese of New York is the largest in the United States and the smallest is that of Baker City, Oregon, with a Catholic population of 3,218.