The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 26 August 1909, Page 29

The Catholic World

ENOLAND— The Old and the New With the disappearance of the Church of SS. Anselm and Cecilia, Lincoln s Inn Fields, London, one of the great landmarks of Catholic history in the metropolis disappears (says the Catholic Weekly). Happily whatever sentimental regrets there may be on the part of Catholics at its disappearance, there is no occasion for substantial regret, for the old church has had an immediate and glorious resurrection in Kiugsway — a resurrection that must be a source of sore grief to that remnant of English Protestantism which is still animated by the bitter spirit jf the Gordon rioters. That remnant sees much that is calculated to vex its sowl in the- England of to-day. , A Solitary Survivor Now that the old Sardinian Chapel in Kingsway has been handed over to the housebreakers there is (says the. Daily Chronicle) only one of the Catholic chapels former" y attached to the London residences of foreign Ambassadors left standing. The solitary survivor is the Royal Bavarian Chapel in -Warwick street, Golden Square, now known as the Church of the Assumption. Like the old Sardinian Chapel, it was attacked by the ' No Popery ' rioters, led by Lord George Gordon, and the house of Count Hasley, the Bavarian Minister of the period, also suffered. This chapel is believed to have been founded under the later Stuarts, although its registers go hack only to 1747. M.onsignor Talbot, brother of the eighteenth Earl of Shrewsbury, was for a long time the rector of this chapel, and he spent a large amount of money upon it 3 iiite'rior decoration. FRANCE— A Basil ca Conf seated The appeal lodged by the late Cardinal Richard against the confiscation of the great Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Montmartre, was finally decided upon by the Council of State on July 2 (says the Catholic Weekly). The decision was in favor of confiscation. We learn, however, that, -.o calm the widespread anxiety to which the decision was likely to give rise, the Government commissary drew attention in court to a law of 1873 by virtue of which 'this church is to be always dcvi.ted to Catholic public worship GERMANY— Catholic Missionaries * Whilst France through its infidel rulers is hampering the work of its missionaries, closing - their seminaries at home, denying them i;he protection hitherto accorded abroad, Germany has, within the past few years, aAvakened to the fact (says the Catholic Herald of India) that tht» missionary is the best friend of colonial extension. This has probably brought about the results that we read of in German Catholic missions. At present in German colonies there are 2620 priests and 2000 German Sisters. Many of these were driven out of their own native land during the violent persecutions of the Kulturkampf. South Africa and America received them, and in return they established the Faith and produced flourishing communities of the best kind of citizens. The East ludies, China, and Oceania were also benefited, and the peaceful peoples- and the rich trade built up and supported by German money is due in no small measure to the simple, sturdy German missionaries who went out into the wilds and brought the native to a Catholic civilised life. The priests were members of the Marists, Oblates, Trappists, White Fathers; the Sisters belonged for the most part to the Franciscans, Dominicans, Sisters of the Holy Cross, and the Sisters of Charity. INDIA— A Jesuit Mission The mission of West Bengal, which has just been celebrating its jubilee, covers a territory inhabited by a popu- ,. lation of about 27,000,000. Of these <says America) 92,491 are baptised Catholics and 86,951 catechumens. Two hundred and eighteen Jesuits, most of whom are priests, are working in the v mission, assisted by "about forty Irish Christian Brothers and about 165 Sisters. ITALY— A Distingu'shed Abbot Abbot TCrug, the head of the famous Benedictine Abbey at Monte Cassino, died on Sunday, July 4. He was born on September 9, 1838, at -Hunfeld, Fulda. His studies were made in Pennsylvania, where he was ordained priest in 1861. He proceeded to Monte Cassino in 1863, and was appointed Arch-Abbot in 1897. A man of fine artistic taste, he received distinctions several times from the Kaiser. ROME— The Holy Father's Motor Car In connection with the cablegram last week to the effect that the Holy Father had taken his first ride in^ the new motor car in the Vatican Gardens, the following item of information by the Tablet Rome correspondent -is tf interest: — Yesterday (June. 26) the Holy Father visited the Vatican Gardens to view for the first time the beautiful motor car that has been presented to him — by two Amer--cans it is universally .said, but their names have not been published I—and1 — and greatly admired sumptuous vehicle,

without, however, entering it. In a way, it is a pathetic present enough, as it stands there among the gilded carriages that have never been seen outside the Vatican for almost "forty years, for motor cars of such power and magnificence were surely never designed to run up and down a few short avenues surrounded by high walls. The gift serves to remind one that the papers have not for years printed a single report that the Pope is about to .visit Venice or Monte Cassino. Four or five years ago tho presence of a Papal motor car in the Vatican coach-house would have been described as a sure sign that Pius X. was about to make the excursion so frequently announced. .Instead it has been found impossible to remove the body of his predecessor f r« m his temporary resting place in St. Peter's to his permanent tomb in St. John Lateran's. The Archbishop of New York The Most Rev. Dr. Farley, Archbishop of "New York, left Rome on June 30 for Switzerland. The Holy Father gave Dr. Farley a beautiful episcopal ring at his farewell audience a_ couple jf days previously, and' the Archbishop I declares he will always wear this pledge of the Pontiff's gracious ' kindness towards "him." - "During his visit -itha ' Archbishop completed a purchase, the knowledge of which will be interesting and satisfactory to all Catholics. Tt is that of the house in which the revered Pope Pius IX. was born in Senigallia. Archbiehop Farley has presented the house to the Postulator of the Cause of Beatification of Pope Pius IX. ' • The Holy See and Turkey " - The ambassador sent by the new Sultan of Turkey to inform the Holy Father of his accession to the throne of ..Turkey was received by his Holiness on.- J.itly -3. Having fulfilled his mission and handed --to the Holy Father an , autograph, letter from" the Sultan,-,, the ambassador added that it was particularly agreeable to himself to be on such a mission "to the spiritual head of a p.ortion of the population of Turkey -which was renowned for its fidelity and devotion to the Empire. - The Holy Father replied : ' I appreciate highly this mark of goodwill and friendship which the Sultan has shown me, and I beg you to thank him from me. It has, been particularly pleasant for me to hear from your mouth the testimony which yoxi have given to the fidelity and devotion of the Catholics of Turkey. They will be the besfc subjects of the Sulfcan in the future, too. J His Holiness also wished the Sultan every prosperity. SCOTLAND— Religious Troubles in Ayr Both the Fiscal and the Sheriff (says the Catholic. Times) spoke with becoming gravity of the provocation - offered to the Catholics who were brought before them the other day in the Sheriff's Court, Ayr, for having assaulted "•Protestant lecturers. It seems to us the , provocation was so serious that fines should "not have been imposed on thjß defendants. The act of one of the lecturers was most wantonly hostile. In the course of" the proceedings at the court it was stated that he had declared -that the Host would be publicly exposed in the streets of the town. Subsequently on the same day. he went to the Catholic church, accompanied by two followers, walked towards the altar, without having removed his hat, passed the altar rails and entered the sanctuary. Fortunately -there were but "few in the*church, and the intrudejr was ejected without much -commotion. But the Catholic- 1 population were greatly agitated by the rumor — a false one — that he had succeeded in taking away the .Sacred Host. Hence the assaults, and the- rough treatment of the Protestant lecturers. It is to be regretted that legal measures have not been taken in Ayr to prevent the sowing of religious strife. The authorities hear witness that "the relations between 'the local Protestants and Catholics prior to the advent of the lecturers were all that could -be ■ desired, and that, in "the words of the Fiscal, 'the Roman Catholic -community has observed an excellent restraint.' > Men-should- not be to cause public disturbances with impunity. UNITED STATES— German Catholics in New York The German Catholics of New York City number nearly 400,000 and they are going to organise a *Yourig.. Men's German" Catholic -Association. -~ '■-" " _„ \" GENERAL . The Catholic. Press ""*.'• • In- an -interesting and- important contribution to our columns (says the Catholic Times), the Rev. Cliarles Plater, S.J., M.A., lays stress on the fact- that" a. sound Catholic press is an inevitable and a sure element of Catholic progress. He points out that the disasters which have overtaken the Church in France would" to a large extent Jiave been averted if the French~Catholics had built up an effective press a generation ago, and as an instance of what ' the Catfiolic press can do for the Church-he refers to the flourishing condition of the Catholic religion in Germany. . Not only^ in.> Germany, but in- other countries where the Church is strong and advancing is a vigorous Catholic i>ress found to be a necessity. In Belgium, where the Catholics have so long held the reins of power, the Catholic press thrives. So it does in Holland, "where there, hag been in recent years a wonderful Catholic revival and tehere

the Catholic electors have just achieved a great parliamentary triumph in the number of representatives they have returned. Only the other day the Holy Father paid a notable tribute to the vigor of the Church in the United States. Turning to Hoffman's Catholic Directory, we find that ten years ago there "w.ere in the States over 250 daily or_ weekly Catholic journals and monthly or quarterly Catholic periodicals. The Catholic press is well supported, and has a large share in the credit due for the welfare and virility of the Church in the United States. The Lepers of Molokai The lepers of Molokai live their own life, and despite the dread disease that brands the colony as the most mournful congregation in the world, they have their pleasures and their happy hours, thanks to the enterprise of the missionaries in charge. Brother Joseph Dutton, the man who practically succeeded the saintly Father Damien in his v gruesome work of charity, has accomplished wonders in making the place habitable and sanitary in every way. The sightly little houses for the married, with their well-kept gardens, the paved streets, and concealed sewage system, the open market where the unfortunates buy and sell their produce, the air of contentment that marks the place and its people, make Molokai not unattractive even to those untainted by the dread disease. There is a large hall where entertainments are given by the lepers. Lately this was the scene of the first appearance of the kinetoscope on the island, thanks to the thoughtf ulness of a benefactor. At the solicitation of Brother Dutton the moving picture machine was installed, and the lepers were able to view the spectacle of healthy normal life, and stretch of New York streets with their skyscrapers, iire engines, great crowds, and all the other details that make up a great city. Moving pictures will be a permanent feature in the entertainments of the leper folk, some of whom have been taught to run the machine. j_