The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 16, 20 April 1905, Page 27

The Catholic World

AUSTRIA -A Venerable Cardinal The aged Cardinal Steinhuber, of Austria, is critically ill, with but little hope for his reco\ery. The Cardinal is ia Jesuit. Next November, if he lives, he will have attained his eightieth year. He was proclaimed Cardinal last year, ifn May. He resides in Rome, and is prefect of the Congregation of the Index. CANADA — Intemperance An American exchange states that in the non-Cath-olic districts of Canada drunkenness is steadily on the increase. The criminal statistics for lUO3, just published, show this by the convictions in court. In Ontario the increase has been 28 per cent. ; in Manitoba 75 per cent. ;in iNo\a Scotia, 100 per cent. ; Quebec is the only province in which there has been a decrease. CHlNA— Catholic Industrial School Mr. Playfair, H.M., Acting-Consul-General at Hankow, has recently called public attention to the ' practical Mission ' work that is being done by the Ningp o School of Embroideey in China. At Ningpo the Sisters of the Maison de Jesu Enfant have for twelve years been most acti\e in the Westernising of the Asiatic mind, their work beginning at the earliest stage of Chinese infancy, when they rescue annually from the grave some 700 girl children, who would otherwise be thrown into the river scon after birth. Those infants that are saved are taken to live in the convent with the nuns, and as they grow up are taught useful handicrafts by the Sisters, and when old enough are married to suitable men, have also been taught how to earn their living under civilised conditions. Not only do these ceaseless working Sisters rescue the infant girls, but they have also proAided an asylum for the very old women, which is managed under the same Christianising influences ; and here also are found cripples, imbeciles — in short, all the despised flotsam and jetsam of Chinese humanity. No humian life, however, is left unaided by these charitable women. The Ningpo School of Embroidery, of which Mr. Playlair speaks as having such good influence on the young people of China, was started by Sister Xavier Berkeley, a niece of tihe eighth Countess of D<n/ bigh, and a member of a distinguished county family, the Berkeleys of Spetchley. A year ago she was joined by Sister Magdalen Feilditag, the Earl of Denbigh's sister, who is starting a branch of the same industry at Kinkiang, on the Yangtze River. Starting modefcttly with a few embroiderers, the Ningpo School developed beyond all expectation, and now weaves its own satin and silks ready for the embroiderers. The needlework is very beautiful, and as the Chinese are most wonderful and accurate copyists the Sisters have sent to all the centres of the world famous in the cult iof needlework to secure all their finest and most intricate designs for reproduction, with the result that to-day at Ningpo the Chinese needlewomen execute most elaborate and exquisite pieces of Italian, Flemish, Hungarian, old Byzantine, or British design. ENGLAND— Charitable Bequests Under the will of the late Colonel Alexander Knight, whose death took place on January 10, legacies are made both' to- St. Mary's College, Oscott, and to the Cathedral, Westminster. The former benefits to the extent of £4000, and the latter by £1000. The Mothers Superior of the Convents of Notre Dame, Birkdale and Clapham, each receive the sum of £100. FRANCE— The Rights of Citizens The Bishop of Orleans, in the course of an eulogy on the late Cardinal Langemieux, at Rheims, said :— ' The Church of the Concordat -will be succeeded either

by a free 'Church of by a tyrannised Church. If it be a free Church we will wdrk togejther to make a new oxisjtence for it suited to the new conditions. Should it be a tyrannised Church, we are resolved, e\ en at the risk of our heads, to conquer for the faithful and ourselves all the rights of citizens. 1 Closing of a Catholic Church In the course of a letter to the ' Catholic Times,' Mr. Richard Davey writes :—lt: — It was recently announced that the English Catholic Church in the Avenue Hoche had been seized by the Government, and was about to be put up for public auction. This Church was built by tnc voluntarily contributions of English and American Catholics residing in Paris, and was originally entrusted to the charge of the Passionist Fathers. At the recent suppression of the Order a number of Catholics subscribed very largely for the preservation of the church and mission. Among these subscribers was a generous lady, Mrs. John Mackey, who contributed not less than £1000. Now, Sir, if the smallest Protestant Church in France or the tiniest synagogue were about to be closed by order of the Government, there Avould be a hue and cry raised from one end of this country to the other ; the press would be rampant, and meetings would be held at Hyde Park, Exeter Hall, and in every town in England, and the Government, would, in the long run, be compelled to inter \ene. But, strange as it may seem, a Catholic church, built by English and American Catholics, can be put up for auction without producing the least excitement, either among British Catholics or in the general public ! Testing the Government M. Combes (says the ' Catholic Times ') is not moTe resolute in his hatred of the Church than many of the deputies who supported him when in office. These an-ti-clericals were quick in testing the sincerity of M. Rouvier's promise to deal with the separation from the Church. They interpellated him the other day, and recei\ed -a reply that proved satisfactory. Some Catholic menrbens sroKe during the debate, but even they recognised that the separation of the Church from State could no longer be avoided. They pleaded, however, for an arrangement between the Republic and the Holy Sec, and urged tlhat no settlement would be final which did not command the assent of the authorities at Rome ; let the Government at least open relations with the Vatican for the regulation of affairs in several dioceses now without rule. The Ministry was deaf. M. Bicnvenu Martin mounted the tribune and bluntly said he would have no further relations with the Vatican ; the separation should be effected at once. The Budget and Military Bills are to ,be pass"cd, and then the question of separation and sequestration will begin. ROME— Converts Ordained The following students of the College of St. Bede the Venerable have received Orders : Rev. William Sidney Williams, deaconatc ; Mr. William Henry Wonnocott, Mr. Arthur Gerald Dix, each the first two Minors ; Mr.. Vincent Francis Reade, tonsure. All are converts, and former Anglican clergymen, and the last was received into the Church so late as December, 1904. • Church Music The Pope has addressed a brief to the organisers . of the forthcoming International Congress, on Ohurch Music, to be held at Strasburg next August, expressing his satisfaction that they will occupy, themselves with devising the best means for putting faitJifully into practice the exhortations of the Holy See on Church niusic. In connection with this Congress an International Committee has already been formed to draw up the programme. England and Irelanfl are represented by Dom Delpe-ch, of Farnborough ; Professor Bewerunge, of Maynooth • Dom Mocquereau, a member of the Solesmes Comnwinitv now settled at Anpuldurcombe, Isle 'of Wight ; and Father Maloney, of the Westminster Cathedral. The Sacred College The vacancies i*n the Sacred College having reached nine, the Pope has expressed his intention of creating some new Carßinals in the next Consistory, the date of which, however, is not yet fixed, as it will to a certain extent depend- on the negotiations with regard to the conferment of red hais. It seems certain that there will be for the first time a South American Cardinal, and that the honor will be bestowed upon Monsignor Gioachino Aflcoverde de Albuquerque Cabaleanti, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, and the nomination is considered certain of a Hungarian and an Italian Cardinal, but their names are unknown. There will be no new Cardinals for England or the United States.

Rector of the Irish College Monsignor Murphy, Rector of the Irish College, Rome, celebrated the silver jubilee of his ordination on February 23. The Holy Father sent an autograph letter of congratulation, wishing Monsignor Murphy a long life, and imparting a special Benediction. A reception was held at the Irish College, at which speeches were delivered by Father John Conmee, of Dublin ; Judge Curran, of DubHn ; Father David Fleming, Secretary of Ihe Biblical Commission , and Professor Marucchi, the well known archaeologist. SCOTLAND- Silver Jub.lee The Very Rev. Canon J. Ritchie, secretary of the archdiocese of Glasgow, who in May attains the siher jubilee of his priesthood, is to be honored by his clerical friends with a grand complimentary dinner, at which an illuminated address ana other tangible tokens of their esteem will be presented to him. UNITED STATES — Legacy for Boston College It is repoited that by the death of the Rev. Edward 11. Welch, S.J , which occurred in (J eorgetown a few weeks ago, Boston College has come into a large legacy. Father Welch, who was one of the noted Boston family of that name, left a will in which he disposes of his interest in the estiate left by his father among certain relatives, and lea\es to the trustees of Boston College his enlue peisoiial estate, which at the time of the drawing of the will, April 18, 18!)6, amounted to about £17,000. As this fund has been accumulating since and has received additions from the income which he derived from his father's estate, the sum which will come to Boston College will probably amount to more than £20,000. Priests' Choir Recently a hundred priests of the archdiocese of New York met in the cathedral college hall for the purpose of forming a select pries Us' choir to render the entire musical portion of the church services on certain occasions. The priests who compose this choir will encourage the singing of the Gregorian chant in their different churches and will also participate in the chanting: of liie Tenobre in the cathedial during the Lenten seas cm. The formation of this unique choir is due to the Suggestion of Archbishop Farley, who expects thlat it will prove an efficient means of making the use of the Gregorian chant more general. A Croatian Church In the Croatian church, recently dedicated at Kansas City by Bishop Lilhs t<he altars, pulpit, windows, and statuary weie all brought irom Croatia. A H.bernian Home The Hibernians of St. Louis have purchased an old Protestant church building, and will erect a Hibernian Home at a cost of 550,U0(1.