The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 16 June 1910, Page 951

The Catholic World

ENGLAND—Charitable Bequests The late Mrs. Park, of Balham Hill, London, who died worth £IOI,OOO, bequeathed £3OOO to Catholic institutions, £IOOO to the poor of Belfast, and £3OOO to her executors for the hospitals and poor of Mauritius. After leaving sundry small bequests, the late Miss Evelyn M. Frances Van Wart, of Mayfair, who died worth £16,565, left the residue of her estate, one-third to the Archbishop of Westminster absolutely, desiring that he will employ one-half thereof for the completion of the Cathedral at Westminster, and the remainder in any way he likes for other parochial purposes of the diocese; one-third to the Provincial for the time being of the Friars' Minor of St. Francis, Forest Gate, London, E., for the Third Order of St. Francis; and onethird for division equally between the said Archbishop of Westminster and the Friars' Minor of St. Francis for like purposes as mentioned above.

The Accession Oath It is stated, in connection with the proposed alteration of the Accession Oath, that, instead of modifying the words in the present declaration so offensive to Catholics, the Government has decided to draft an,entirely new declaration, which will be positive instead of negative. It will define Protestantism as accepted by the Church of England, and will only indicate by implication the doctrine which the King abjures. In a speech on the question of the alteration of the Accession Oath, Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, Chief Justice of Canada, said: 'No man who has the cause of 'lmperial Federation really at heart, and who dreams of drawing closer the ties binding the scattered units of the Empire, can possibly wish to hear of King George beginning his reign -by repeating the words impugning the Catholic faith, which are at present embodied in the Accession Oath.' ;■■'

FRANCE —The Premier’s Policy

From the results of the first ballots in the French elections (says the Catholic Times) it is clear that M. Briand is to have a fresh lease of power. In a speech to the electors he almost went so far as to denounce past anticlerical legislation. He admitted it was rigorous, and "even against abstract justice on some points, and expressed hopes for peace. Will there be a change of policy? Well, we may say of such a speech that it is a lineal descendant of previous speeches by MM. Waldeck Rousseau and Combes. Both of these men won over the electors by deceitful promises. The first pretended that he wished to regulate and authorise the religious Orders; the second that Ire would not fail to authorise and likewise regulate the majority of the Orders. We know how these promises were shamefully broken. M. Briand has been proceeding along the same path, and now that he has won his point, he will continue to move on in the same way as they did. Of this there can be no doubt. If M. Briand wanted to be just, he need not have waited for the elections. He could have been just prior to them; could have done a great deal in favor of equity and moderation. When he did speak in a conciliatory tone he made no definite proposals. His language was vague and nebulous; so that he can always say he meant nothing.

Lourdes Confiscated At last it has happened. Lourdes has followed in the wake of churches and other ecclesiastical property in France, and has been confiscated by the Government (says the London Universe). While the Holy Father was blessing the French pilgrims and the Bishop of Tarbes, in whose diocese the shrine of Lourdes is situate, was making the return journey from Rome the news went forth. The French Government has at last put into execution its threat against the sanctuary of Lourdes. It is confiscated, and all its treasures are handed over to the commune. A few years ago that would have been felt as an outrage to stir the whole Catholic world. The churches of this sacred place have been built and enriched by the offerings of the faithful, not only of France, but of all countries. The Mayor of the place has already given assurances that there will be no interference with public worship, and that the various churches will still be open to the faithful; but how long that will last is made to depend entirely upon the goodwill of the municipality. ;.

The Late King Edward's Visit to Lourdes King Edward's visit to Lourdes on April 21 (says the Catholic Times) is worthy of special note because of the example which he set of reverence for the religion of his Catholic subjects. His Majesty went through the Grotto and the Church of the Rosary, and whilst a great procession of pilgrims was going past he watched it with uncovered head. There are many British Protestants to whose attention the King's courteous, reverential attitude may be commended. Whether it is due to native traits of character or to rancor and obscurantism dating from former centuries, certain it is that there are no people in the world amongst whom lessons of toleration are more needed than the extreme Protestants of Great Britain. In their nar-row-mindedness they imagine that if people differ B from

them in creed they are entitled to scoff and sneer at their observances and even to insult those who practise them. With the growth of education, no doubt, this bigotry and intolerance will disappear, and the extreme Protestant will learn to adopt larger views. Meanwhile it is pleasant to be able to say that he has an instructor in the person or the monarch. King Edward understands religious liberty, and knows what is due to himself and to others who deserve his respect.

ROME—An Unfounded Statement _ Within the past few days (writes a Rome correspondent), in connection with the Roosevelt incident, the Daily Mail lias made a statement regarding the attitude of American ecclesiastics in Rome that will not bear the scrutiny of one conversant with the real state of affairs. According to the Daily Mail, the hearty sympathy of priests belonging to the United States was with Mr. Roosevelt in his action. Now, it is my privilege to be acquainted with nearly all ecclesiastics m Rome who owe allegiance to the Great Republic; and I can say that there is not the slightest foundation for the statement of the English journal. On the contrary, the ecclesiastics in question were and are utterly opposed to the attitude adopted by Mr. Roosevelt, and some of them have expressed their opinions in a very decided way. I have heard the Most Rev. Archbishop Seton declare that he refused to visit Mr. Roosevelt after the occurrence of the incident with the Vatican, although they are old friends; and his Grace publicly denounced the action of the great American in terms that were unmistakable. In the case of other American priests of standing in Rome I can give the names of the majority whose intention it was to visit Mr. Roosevelt immediately on his arrival in Rome, but who refrained from doing so in consequence of his policy towards the Head of the Church. Thus it may be taken for granted without the slightest hesitation that there is no credence whatever to be attached to the statements of the Daily Mail on the point.

llness of Australian Prelates It" seems (writes the Rome correspondent of the Catholic Times) the fates set their faces against the three members of the Australian Hierarchy at present in Rome on their arrival in Italy, for each of them is," or has been, seriously ill. On Thursday night, April 21, the Right Rev. Dr. Reville, Bishop of Sandhurst, who lies ill of pneumonia in the hospital of the Little Company of Mary, was anointed, and the Right Rev. Dr. Corbett, Bishop of Sale, has only just recovered from a similar illness. Dr. Corbett suffered from only a slight form of pneumonia, although his temperature for a time registered 104 degrees. The Bishop of Wilcannia, the Right Rev. Dr. Dunne, was carried from the boat to hospital in Naples on arriving there a few weeks ago. His Lordship was compelled to remain ten days there, after which period he came on to Rome. German Pilgrims

The German Catholic pilgrims on their return from the Holy Land were received in audience by the Holy Father on Sunday, April 24. Amongst those present wen* Cardinal Fischer, Archbishop of Cologne, and Mgr. Muller, Assistant-Bishop of that See. An address was presented, and his Holiness, in replying, warmly. eulogised the piety of the German Catholics, referring especially to the spirit of devotion they displayed on the occasion of the Eucharistic Congress at Cologne and the inauguration of the new Catholic church on Mount Sio. A cable message received last week stated that the Holy Father accorded a markedly kindly reception to a number of German pilgrims. He praised the work of the Germans at Jerusalem under the Kaiser’s auspices.

SCOTLAND—Death of a Mother Abbess The Rev. Mother Abbess of the Poor Clares of Liberton, Edinburgh, died suddenly on the Feast of St. Gabriel. She was the youngest daughter of the late Hon. Charles Thomas Clifford, of Irnham Hall, Lincolnshire, and was born on January 9, 1833. She entered the Poor Clare Novitiate at Baddesley Clinton, in Warwickshire, in 1856. After many year's of unobtrusive work in the convent, she was appointed Abbess, which office she filled at Baddesley for eighteen years. She then felt called to found a convent of the-Order in Scotland, and having obtained full permission from her superiors, and with the approbation of the Archbishop of Edinburgh, she proceeded in company with several of the Sisters to Edinburgh in 1895, where she founded and built the first convent of the Order in Scotland.

UNITED STATES—Destructive Fire Twenty blocks at Lake Charles, Louisiana, comprising several hundred buildings, including the City Hall, the Court House, the Holy Cross Convent, the Catholic Church, and some hotels, have been destroyed by fire. Two thou sand persons have been rendered homeless, and the damage is estimated at £400,000.

GENERAL A Contradiction The report that Father Conrardy is dying of leprosy amongst the lepers near Canton, China, has been contradicted. A Chicago priest has received a letter from him, in. which he says he is only suffering from nervous exhaustion. It has been brought on by his attention to the lepers.