The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 7, 14 February 1907, Page 31

The Catholic World

ENQLAND— Catholic Interests The Archbishop of Westminster-^ has recently been ■ taking active steps to secure representation and defence - of Catholic interests at municipal elections, and has formed a federation committee with this object. Dr. Bourne' has "also invited the formation in every borough of London, north of the Thames, of a Catholic Association for the same purpose, the representatives of which, with the federation committee, will form time council of the new non-political organisation under the Archbishop's presidency. . A Qood Example The Anglican Bishops of London and Southwark have issued an appeal for £50,000, _to save the Church of England schools in London now threatened with closure. In the course of it they say : — ' It was a noble claim that the Duke of. Norfolk was able to make in the House of Lords, that in 36 years not a Roman- Catholic school, had- -been lost.- Churchmen will be . inspired by a generous rivalry to make that, claim' theirown.' # " 4 ~ FRANCE— The Archbishop of Bordeaux . • Cardinal Lecot, ■ Archbishop of Bordeaux, in quitting his palace, " was received by a large body of sympathisers, who took the horses from his carriage and dragged it to the Cathedral, where his Eminence delivered an address before goifig to his new residence. A New Form of Oath The divorce between State and Church will ' soon take a further step toward completion. The Minister of Justice has drafted a law modifying the judicial prcpedure. The present law makes every juryman, whether he is a Freethinker or not, swear : ' Before God and man I swear to examine,' whiie the foreman • announces the verdict with hand on his heart by say- • ing : 'On my honor and conscience, before God and man, • the verdict is.' These references- to the Dei'tjy the Minister now .intends .to abolish, as has been done with the crucifix, which was formerly in every law court. """" The Lay Associations Quite a flutter of excitement (says^ the. ' Catholic Times ') has been caused by the action of certain laymen in France who, in spite of the Papal prohibition, have notified the magistrates of their intention' to carry on public worship in the parish ohurches here and there. .The Government were delighted, accepted the notification as compliance with the law, and in, its joy actually published the names of these worthy men who disregarded the Papal prohibition. But people began to ask who were these men ; and at One church, that of St. Pierre de Montrouge, Paris, one of the declarers was M. Charles Limousin, editor of the ' Acacia,' a Masonic review ! When that fact became known, the meaning of the trick was clear. Not the Catholics, but enemies of Catholicism we~e engaged in the congenial task of making declarations for the continuance of divine worship in accordance with) the terms of the Separation Law. At once the Government ceased publishing the names of lay' declarers, and it can no longer "pretend that the Holy See is willing to accept, escape from impending trouble ny any loophole that offers. The Vatican stands where it stood, and declarations, .by whomsoever made" of formation' of Worship .-Associations, • -or of , intention 'to carry on worship, are in direct contravention "of 'Papal orders. - - .r. r y A Protest :

•The following is the text of the protest ■* of the foreign pupils, English, and American^ of St.. Sulpice, Paris, read to the' Commissioner of Police before their expulsion from- the Seminary :-r- c M.. ; le Commissaire as Scotsmen and Englishmen, subjects, of King Edward "VII., King of Great Britain and Ireland, -and American® we protest against 'the execution' of ade^ cree which deprives us of a home and turns <us 'wittir out shelter into the street.- In former ' "times . our fathers founded ecclesiastic educational establishments -in 1 France. These have been confiscated by " i'ntef national agreement, and a ., promise was made \ t that/ a~\certai'h' number of theological students should' be pro.vided. each year with the .funds .necessary , to enable- thenrtO I'pursue; their studies in France.' For many years our 'BV shops -have sent us to the Fathers •of St. Sulpice, and' the Government has faithfully paid the cost of our

studies, but this year we have received nothing. Moreover we are driven from the establishment where we prosecuted our studies, ' and we learn that other Seminaries in France have met the same- fate. We ask

you, therefore, where we can retire to continue our studies, -and we declare that we cannot leave until justice has been done to our legitimate demand. M. le Commissaire* in • face of the situation forced upon us of having to leave this Seminary, we, the undersigned students from Great Britain and the United States of America protest against the "injustice done to "us,. We had expected to find in - B'rance, a country which among us enjoys a great reputation for hospitality, a safe -asylum, and at the „ Seminary of St. Sulpice, the most favorabJe institution in" which to carry on our studies, and now, contrary to "all our hopes,- we aredriven away. We consider that in expelling us from - here, the French Government is" causing veritable injury. Further, .the too brief respite granted _ii;s in which to seek shelter elsewhere seems to us insufficient, for we are here Jar from our country and" O'ir, kindred. -We .asfe them in the name of the entente cordiale and in the virtue of agreements between France, Great Britain and America, for ,£he protection of their subjects that a longer period of grace may be granted to us.' A Touching: Incident In the beginning ot- December a Paris correspondent), a 'touching, manifestation" of Catholic feeling took place here, in consequence of the Law of Separation, the Archbishop's residence was declared to be confiscated, and an ojlicer of, police announced the fact to his Eminence Cardinal Richard. -"" But scarcely had the venerable prelate, on leaving his house, seated himself in his. very modest carriage, than the horse was detached by a group of gentlemen— formerly Pontfical Zouaves— Catholic and Frenob^to the heart, • such as Gen- , ~ eral de (Jharette, some of whom d;ew the carriage, ' whilst others surrounded it as a guard of honor. An immense crowd of people bore witness by their presence and attitude to their veneration for- their chief pastor, and their attachment to Holy Church. This procession, advanced slowly and in perfect order/ alternating ""the singing of hymns with cries- of 'Long live our Car- s „ dinal,' ' Longt live the Church.' "In these ..times when sectarianism would ' suppress "external worship "and tear the Faith from all . hearts, the people unite in." processions like this, making aloud the profession of "their faith — an eloquent protest f-om the true France which is so Catholic. _It was an imposing spectacle. The Cardinal took - refuge in the Rue de Babylonerin apartments carefully prepared by the family or M. Denis Cochin, who was happy to give up his "house till a new ' residence could be prepared for the Archbishop. From the vestibule the venerable prelate blessed the people, who were deeply moved. " INDIA— A Nun Honored - — -

The Kaiser-i-Hind Medal of. the second class for pubHe service in India has been conferred on Sister Norie, Mother Superior, St. Joseph's Convent, Mandalay. ROME — An English Newspaper -,t, t

With the -beginning of 19U7 (writes a Rome corres-

pondent)" a weekly newspaper in English will -be printed in Rome. Its object will be, to let the "clergy and the cultured laity throughout that part, of -the world which-!- speaks English know the -movement of Catholic and the mind of -Rome about it. The paper is ' therefore- destined ;to be read more outside of Rome than in Rome itself, ~ and ■it should prove very interesting to all who wish to keep thoroughly informed ~ v about the doingsjjbf: .the Holy . See— and of -its .- . enejtnies. 'It is meant *ajso to supply an antido.te to the. immense quantity, 'ot" 'false or inaccurate . information. which is sent from;. Rome- to America, England, Australia, etc. Ten years ago a similar .venture was made, but did not ,- last- for more than -two "years^ owing- to 'certain diffi- , culties with, which the, coming newspaper will not. have to" contend. . Strangely" -enough there are already in Rome two newspapers in English, one of which is openly- Protestant, arid the other- a, more Jftr less anti-papal organ. : . , ' " - /I' '• UNITED STATES— A Catholic Hero J \ : Unique, Honor was recently paid aiT Spokane^ * -Washington- Territory, - to; the memory of Ensign -John Robert MonagKan, who" was killed in action at* Apia;": Samoa, on ;April 1, 1899, ' when a monument to , -him „ was, unveiled in the presence of United "States "army arid ; navy^ officers, a representative of President Roosevelt! the Governor of .the. Territory, civil >and : military organisations, the clergy, the school children, and thou-

sands of citizens. The bronze figure is nine feet in height and stands on a granite base, the relief representing the scene .of death.

An Appeal to the President

In a toast— 1 The President '—at the annual ban- - quet? of the Alumni' Association -of St. Mary's~Seminary of the West, Cincinnati, , Rev. Father Thomas V. Tobin, of Chattanooga,- Tennessee", made an impassioned appeal that President Roosevelt do something definite" before the end of his term to help settle the race question in the South, and stop rioting and bloodshed, which" he declared had . become a menace in recent years* Catholic Halls and State Universities

It appears that there are about five thousand Catholic- students in the non-Catholic Universities' of the United States. A, number of Archbishops and Bishops have taken steps to ecect Catholic Halls near the State Universities and to nominate priests for the special function of watching over the spiritual interests of Catholic students.