The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 2 August 1906, Page 31

The Catholic World

AUSTRlA— Catholic Activity

The Catholic Schuherein in Austria numbers now 60,735 members and 439 branch-unions. During the year 1905 the society received 5,658 new members and held 900 different meetings. Ihe main object of the Verein is the support of denominational schools, and opposition to the so-Called free schools.

ENGLAND— PapaI Honor

The Holy Father has promoted Monsignor William Hill, of the diocese ot Salford, from The rank of Private Chamberlain to that of Domestic Prelate. Monsign»yr Hill was tor se\eral years secretary to both Bishop (afterwards Cardinal) Vaughp.n and Bishop Bilsborrow. and also Chancellor of the Salford diocese. He was nominated Private Chamberlain (cameriere segreto) by Leo XIII in recognition of his many services in 1897, and this title was renewed in li) 03 by Pius X who now gives him this ' steo ' in the prelature. At present Monsignor Hill is secretary of Hie Lancashire Infirm Clergy Fund, and is rector of the little Country mission of Samlesbury, near I'restoi?.

Proposed Presentation

south tower in 1447. But after the close of the fifteenth century little was done, and the building remained in its unfinished state unitil 1823, when the work of reno-vatio-n and completion was taken in hand, but it was not until October 15, 1880, that the final touches were given, and a solemn service to celebrate the fact was held in the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm I. The great central portal of the Cathedral on the west facade, which appears to be in danger, is 93ft high and 31ft wide, the side portals being 38ft high and 18ft wide. The towers are 512 ft in height. Meister Gerard is supposed to have been the original designer of the Cathedral, but his plans no longer exist, and the building was completed by modern architects.

ROME— The Vicar of the Jesuits

Father Roger Freckli, who governs the Society of Jesus as Vicar until the meeting of the next Congregation, at which a General will be elected, w a s born on March 22, 184f>. Tie made his studies at Rome, La'- al in France, and Roehamptcn in Engl?nd.

The Holy Father's Appreciation

Mme. Anna Conovcr, whose work on the Continent, for the prevention of cruelty to animals is ;-o well known, has received from his Holiness the Pope an autograph letter expressing entire approval and approbation of her noble wor.c, and conveying the Apostolic Blessing to Mme. Conover a nd to all who assist her in it.

Letters of Congratulation

The BiKlioo of Madrid (says ' El U-ni verso ') has received a rtxMiest from the Lnited States to r lace certain Jet tors of congratulation in the hands o « King ■ Tlton< o Alii., and this he has done. In m» of the letters iX the Xin S , Father Clements, of NashxiHe Tennessee says the Catholics of America are immensely proud of' the Catholic snirit- disolayed by his Maiestvi a nd of his fca.rlessiiess and courage. They are a ls O delighted to Tvnow that the Queen has been led by the Grate of God to enter the true fold. " oa

A Memorial

Death of a Canon

An influential committee of London Catholics has been formed to place a tablet in the Carmelite Church at Kensington, w here the Queen of Spain heard Mass on the morning o t h^r departure for her marriage as a thanksgiving for her Majesty's rrovidential escape in Madrid. The Duchess of Norfolk was the first to sub-

The death has occurred at Redcar, of the Very KH.\ Canon Hdwaid Wo<!drin«rton Riddell, one of the oldest and most popular priests in the Middlesbro' diocese Deceased u a s connected with one of the oldest (at holic lamilies, bein» mv hew of the eighth Baron Beaumont and bro.hcr of the present Bishop of Northampton He was m his seventv-sixlh Y e a r. Canon Kiddel was educated at Downside and" Ushaw, but as ordained a t o rk, a nd last ye ar he celebrated his golden jubilee as priest and revehei! a Handsome public testimoiual. He was the first Catholic priesUn Redcar where he resided for th>rtv-two years, and received b* dignity ( f Canon a quarter of a cXy tyhh Dr C "l thC df ! lfsbro> diocese was established with Dr. Lacy as Bishop.

London Society

Preaching i n London recently at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm street, on to Pharisee Se Hfc oF UU nlCanin ICani , Fathe H r ,VaUghail, VaUghail sai(l life - especially the lite of the leisured class, was artificial Society was exposed to the temptation of being idle' like the n aVer^'orih 1 ' cc ° nVe " U ° na \ and unreal, even n prayei. On the stage everything was unreal Was the London season less conditional or unreal ? The *£?,- tante beau y might be before God loss than her maid ihcm^ttXT the "^ *»* her, nSy, less Than tne meanest scullery-maid below stairs • while the milLiiltv iha, g fh a i r *\ P lcasin « and very much more guilty than the lowest groom i n his stable-yard n was a lamentable pity that society wasJo shaHow In hollow, so unnatural, and so unreal • but mosw/f all I was a pity that it did not attemnt lo return to its they werc'^l'.S aky ctach. 01 "'^' "" ■ C " Ulnl »'

Beatification

The' solemn ceremony of the Beatification o f Pad~c Bonaventura, of Barcelona, took place on Sunday, June 10, at St. Peter's, Rome, in the presence of many Cardinals and prelates, ttie Chapter of the Vatican, and a numerous attendance of the genera! public. The Basilic? was 'beautifully decorated and illuminated. The Pope proceeded to St. Peter's in the e\en.ng to venerate the newly-beatified Padre.

A Generous Donor

Mr. -James Brand, J P., K.S.G., has made the h a ndsome donation of one thousand pounds sterling to the building fund in aid of St. Alovsms' new church Gamethill Glasgow. The amount now in hand is close on £ 5000 '

SPAIN — A Kind and Generous People

aiie_Sp a nish wedd.ng (says the ' Catholic Times ') »?• " aturall y turned public attention to that land of which so little is known end s 0 much imagined and we have even been treated to some commendations of the usually maligned Spaniards, their waj s and manners T o Latho.ics the most) interesting feature of this Mispanophile movement is that even their religion now becomes an object of praise ! To an issue of 'the l Sun ' Mr" J. Bates has contributed some into r.sting and impartial columns of ' Sunny Spain,' in ihs con se of wh-ch he shows that religion has made the Spaniards what they art-— Kind and \eiy geneicns. Th<re is no Pcor Law nor need for one, in lhat laud of countless charities' ioreadors and aristocratic belles \ie one with anotror in helping and carmg for the sick and destitute. A Board' of Beneficencias,' its members l a lun from all classes, administers re'ief . and wonun, who in Snain have but scant influence in public life and politics devote themselves to supi orting such societies- as ' the Santa Rita and ' Our Lady of 110 c.' Once a week they give up an. afternoon io sewing for the \ oor and tdcy think nothing of \ isiting the most wretc) ed o f slums. How different is this truly anosiolic dharitvfrnm it? l^v^ &K^ in other CathoMc countrie'sfrom the English Poor L a w system of treat ing . navoidabic poverty as a crime. Time was warn here |> ronr were everybody's ca.re, but that was in th ? ultra-Pro-testant s barbarous middle apes ' ; nowadays most glo a riam S purposes than ad majorem Dei

The Metropolitan Chapter of Westminster are taking steps to make a suitable presentation to the Right Rev. Dr. Johnson, D.D., Bishop of Arindcla who for more than forty years has labored in the administrative sen ice of the aichdiocese.

GERMANY— Cologne Cathedral

SCOTLAND— SiIver Jubilee

On Sunday, June 10, the silver jubilee of the opening of St. Francis' magnificent church, Cumberland street Glasgow, was observed by the Fra.nci.scen Fathers and their flock with great solemnity and rejoicing. The preacher both morning and e%cnina; for the oceaskn'was the very Rev. Father DaTid Fleming, 0.F.M., the Provincial of the Order for Great Brit a. n.

The Church and Bull Fights

Writing of the bull fight a s an institution the London • Daily Chronicle ' points out the ludicrous manner in which the English press, having condemned Spain and its bull fights from time immemorial, has now discovered untold graces in the former, and considers that the latter is no more cruel than some forms of British sport The ' Chronicle ' remarks that amongst the other objections to that pastime is this, that it raises the cruellest passions in those who witness it. Says the writer • ' This is so well understood that the Roman Catholic Church, jyhich is usually suppo-sed to be an accessory has waged a war upon bull fights— a war in which she has been worsted. Popes have issued Bulls against this diversion, but these Papal Bulls have not made themselves heard in the clamor surrounding the bulls in the ring. It is the Papal Bulls that have got no quarter. A national habit becomes ingrained . . . when there was an attempt made to cross Ihe border with the bull fights, and to localise them in. the sduthern towns of France, the outcry wa.s more effectual ; and a Pastoral Letter, in which the Bishop of Nismes twenty years ago anathematised bull fights, and all who assisted at them procured for" him not merely praise in his own country' but a letter of thanks from all the Bishops of Spain ' '

UNITED STATES— An Imposing Ceremony

A vast crowd, numbering from 15,000 to 20,000 persons, witnessed a novel and imposing ceremony at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on May 27, when a Solemn Mass of Requiem, a Military Mass, was celebrated on the Campus near the marine barracks in a blinding drenching rain storm T5l fvaltarf v al tar had been erected at the west end of the field -with nothing to protect it from the elements. It was beautifully decorated with flowe-s and directly behind it was hung an immense American flag