The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 33, 17 August 1905, Page 27

The Catholic World

ENGLAND— Education Council

A pastoral letter signed by the Archbishop of Westminster and the Bishops of all the Catholic dioceses of LngHand and Wales on the work of the new Catholic Education Council was read recently in all the Catholic churches. The pastoral points out that the Education Council has bean established in order to have one strongly-constituted central body to deal with Catholic ediucation under all the aspects which fall under the purview of the Board of Education, and as it is estimated that the income necessary for the most pressing needs of the Council will be £600Q'a year, an appeal isi made by their Lordships to the faithful for fujtids. beath of Mgr. Nugent

By the death of the Right Rev. Mgr. Nugent the Catholic Chnrch has lost one of its most distinguished prelates Jand Liverpool one of its most notable citizens. The venerable clergyman, who had reached the patriarchal ag|B of 83, had far some years past 'lived in retirement after a long and arduous career, which was spent in the service of his fellow-man. His native city was the principal scene of his labors, and the monuments to his philanthropy are numerous and practical. He was a great educational worker, introduced the Sisters of Notre Dame into Liverpool, founded a boys' refuge which saved many a lad from ruin, and organised the League of the Cross, one of the n.ost successful temper ajice associaiji'ons of the present day t I<is zeal for the advancement of Catholicism, his work as a social reformer, and his unceasing labor among the poor won for him the title of Monsilgjnor in 1892, a well-merited distinction which drew him congratulations from all quarters. He was tthel founder of the ' Catholic Times ' and tho'*Gatholic Firesi3e,' nib th of which .papers have a very large circulation among English-speaking Catholics. Touching tributes were paid to his memory by the press of Liverpool, the Magistrates of the city, the Council of the Chamber of Commerce, the Volunteers, the Good Templars, and others. FRANCE — The Associations of Worship

There can be no doubt now (says the ' Catholic Times ') that the French Government, by instituting Associations of Worship in place of the canonical parishes, intend to weaken the collective power of the Church. In the discussion of the details governing these new-fangled Associations, the Ministry resisted every attempt to give them the smallest measure of libterty. They may not receive foundations, nor legacies; they may do practically nothing which a free committee can do. They are tied hand and foot. The money they receive from the church is to keep the priest and the services, and outside these two objects the Associations havo no power or control over their own funds. Nay, they may not even accept financial help from the department or the commune, should such help be offered. They are to be kept strictly in tutelage, and their real master will be the State auditor. It is impossible to foresee the effect of this plan of replacing the ancient parishes by new Associations of Worship. But one thing Is already evident, the Bishops and priests henceforth have no more power, in matters of finance, than an office boy in the Bank of England. The Separation Bill has reduced them both to mere functionaries. Their position under the Act will be regrettable, and perilous to the best interests of ecclesiastical order. ITALY— Catholic Organisation The Catholic press in Italy has received the Papal Encyclical with expressions of deep gratitude. For some time past, whilst the Pontiff had been maturing his proposals, uncertainty has reigned amongst the Cathiolics Many feared that it would not be possible to restore unity in the Catholic ranks. The Encyclical has dissipated all such fears. It is admitted to be a document of high practical value, laying down the basis for a speedy development of the Catholic electoral strength Already the work has.begvn The Pope has appointed a Commission to organise the Catholic forces, and a programme of forthcoming meetings has been drawn un. It is the desiire of his Holiness that the Italian Catholics should follow the example set them by their German brethren. He is a close student of Catholic action in Germany, and has been very favorably im.prcs.se3 by the legislation which the Centre Party has succeeded in enacting for the benefit of the workers. If, un-der the direction of his Holiness and the Bishops, the Italian Cathiolks oan, in the course of time, point to equally

useful measures, as the fruit of their efforts, it is probable that there will be a general organisation of Cat£ ohes throughout the world on similar lines. ROME -Catholic Missions in the East Hniv^oS 5 !, 10 CabI r e mm S ssa^ c received last week the Holy Father has transferred from France to Italy the protectorate of the Franciscan Convents and Mis! sions m Constantinople, Adrianople, Bosnia, and Moldavia. This is regarded as a significant i lustration of a^d T^unnll "^ "^ ™^ SCOTLAND— Progress in Glasgow The progress of the Catholic Church in Glasgow and surrounding districts (writes the corre^dent are to he fTT * 1 1 '2 trul * P There are to be found in the city to-flay many who remember the time when one church .did duty for all the Catholic wif^S'i A th few . f Sund^ ago'anotoer iTw mfaSSS whichTA , + h the Cl i y ' V u iz " St - Luke>s ' Govaft street, 3di SSf SlXth Cburch an ' d P ari&h on the wuti side. Sixty years ago we had but two priests in the KSh I }■ ' WC h / Ye now 35 " In like manner is the Fafyb spreading in the north, west, and east of the filled wttr^ \ M " «*««*« opened it is at ° once filled with earnest congregations. It would seem as if Provrdence ha* favored to an extraordinary degree the X f the P resen t ArohMshop. He is coitanVheSS nS£L UP ° n lll l r€rfom openill S ceremonies and invariably preachy on these occasions. That he has been richly h? m °^wh h °/ ator ficalf ical P° w^s- those who have heard him on both sides of the Channel readily admit, but where he excels, most is in administration. UNITED STATES-Progress of the Church Mrs Jerome, a lady well known in journalistic cirthe S u n niS?^ t and Me j b(>urne 'i s ™* on a visit t 0 the United States, and succeeded a few weeks ago in gaining an interview with Cardinal Gibbons regarding the position of the Catholic Church there. I n Slit? a question as to the extent of the work before the Catholic clergy his Eminence said : «At the Dresenfc moment the Catholic population of the United States of America numbers about 14,000,000, which is about SS\ % th ! en J i , re , P^ ulatt <>n of you,r country of AusI,™ nf tl d r t0 lhese figures the CatholiJ populallSi I, ./"I'PPines and Porto Rico, the Cfarffiolic 2Woooo°o nn t Un T er t^ n , 11 > eriCan Government 'would exceed if,; 011 ! !J n the hlierarch y of the United States the Bishops number about 100, and these include one Cardinal, U : Archbishops, and 86 Bishops, and every Jvearwe are adding new Sees in the country,' and l\mhiwyto say that conversions are occurring in every direction '