The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 1 June 1911, Page 1023

The Catholic World

CANADA THE GROWTH OE THE CHURCH. Mgr. Stagni, Papal Delegate to Canada, in returning thanks for his reception on his arrival at Ottawa, said; ‘ The Holy Father is well acquainted with the ecclesfciastical and religious situation in this country. In the midst of his sorrows it is a great consolation to him to be able to see in Canada the Church growing so prosperously, especially when compared with its condition in some of the older countries of Europe. The prevailing trend of modern society is to keep Jesus Christ away from the schools and from the homes. It is therefore very gratifying to the Holy Father to see the growth of the Church in this immense, this Protestant country. .He said to me, when I went to receive his blessing: ‘‘Go without fear, trust in God and in the Canadian people, for they are good Catholics.” ’ FRANCE AN INTERESTING EVENT. Sixty couples celebrated their golden weddings at Rheims on Sunday, April 9. After they had attended Mass at the Cathedral a reception was held in the Town Hall, where each couple received a commemorative medal. The united ages of one couple amounted to one hundred and seventy years. MEXICO THE CLERGY AY ISH FOR PEACE. Meanwhile the revolt in Mexico, helped on by American soldiers of fortune, continues, and the prospect of peace seems as far away as ever (says the Sacred Heart Review of April 15). Reports to the war office show, serious trouble in the States of Tabasco, Chiapas, A'era Cruz, and Guerrero, in addition to the widespread uprising in the northern States and Lower California. The fact that the Government sent only one hundred troops to the relief of the city of Zacatecas is an indication that the trouble is already so widespread as to make it impossible to cover all points, and the fear is openly expressed there that the revolution even now may be beyond bounds. Archbishop Gillow, in a circular to the clergy of the Archdiocese of Oaxaca, has urged upon the clergy and laymen to do. all in their power to preserve the peaceful conditions which continue to obtain in the State of Oaxaca. The Archbishop says that this policy is being adopted all over the republic, by the Catholic clergy, in order to encourage obedience to the recognised federal authorities. PORTUGAL A CONTRADICTION, The Rome correspondent of the Catholic Times informs that journal that there is no truth whatever in the statement made by the Lisbon correspondent of the Times that the Portuguese Bishops have received a note from Cardinal Merry del Val advising them to accept the separation of Church and State without reserve. The Holy See, our correspondent says, never for a moment thought of sending such a message. The statement is from beginning to end devoid of foundation. RAMPANT ANARCHY. The anarchy which has existed in Portugal since the advent of the petty tyrants to power is swelling to a high tide. In all parts of the country where the rabble who support the anti-Christian Dictators arc to be found in considerable numbers disturbances are occurring an I property is unsafe (says the Catholic Times). During a religious procession at Lourinha the Government mob attacked the Catholics and the fighting became so serious that the cavalry had to be called out. At Kilvernia and Azemeis churches have been broken into and sacrilegiously robbed of the plate and other articles of value. The Minister of V Marine has provoked a mutiny at the Lisbon Arsenal. Captain Brito, who drew up regulations for wages there, has been imprisoned by the Minister for disobedience, ’ and altered regulations have been issued. Against these the men struck, and the Municipal Guard were summoned to action and seized the arsenal. Disorders of this kind are taking place in every part of Portugal. The Ministers have no moral power, and naturally enough, except when they can inspire terror by means of their soldiers or their mobs they are treated with contempt. Senhor Teixeira Gomes’ the representative of the Republic in London, savs the Government has small troubles,’ but it holds a strong position. ,It is a very strong Government indeed if rampant anarchy gives strength.

ROME A PRIVATE AUDIENCE. On the evening of April 6 the Sovereign Pontiff received Colonel Vaughan in private-audience. The Colonel was called to the Vatican by the Pope in order to be decorated with the insignia of Knight Commander of the Order of Pius IX. Knights of this Order (founded sixty-three; years ago by the Sovereign Pontiff Pius IX.) wear a very attractive and beautiful uniform with a magnificent star surrounded by brilliants. Colonel _ Vaughan was already Private Chamberlain to his Holiness, and had been in duty at the Vatican for the past week. He served for about/ thirty years in the Royal Monmouthshire Engineers, of which regiment he is commanding Colonel. He retired from active service about fifteen years ago, after having commanded his regiment for five years. Colonel Vaughan is brother to his late Eminence Cardinal Vaughan, to his Lordship, Bishop John Vaughan, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Salford, and also to the distinguished author of ‘The Sins of Society,’ Father Bernard Vaughan, S.J. RUSSIA THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY. A Mass especially for English Catholics was celebrated at the Church of St. Stanislas, St. Petersburg, on the Feast of the Annunciation, the occasion being the First Communion of two little children, members of one ,of the bestknown English Catholic families resident in St. Petersburg. Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Dora Antonio Staerk, of the English Benedictine Monastery at Buckfast, who delivered a short sermon in English. The congregation comprised about a dozen English Catholics and some hundreds of the same Faith of the Polish and Lithuanian nationalities, while, for the first time in its history, the Polish Church of St. Stanislas was filled with the sound of those hymns so dear to English Catholics, ‘ Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All,’ ‘ Hail Queen, of. Heaven,’ and ‘Faith of our Fathers.’ . • SPAIN NOT A MORIBUND NATION. Spanish newspapers are commenting with satisfaction cm the figures of the census taken in Spain last year. These figures show a total population of 19,860,000, or a gain in ten years of 1,040,000. Without proper explanation (says the Sacred Heart Review) the yearly increase in population of a trifle over 100,000 -will seem a small one, but we must keep in mind the fact that emigration is relatively heavy, some 150,000 to 200,000 people, mostly country dwellers, leaving Spain annually for Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay; while northern Africa also gets some of this outward flow from the peninsula. ‘ The Spanish census confirms the statement,’ (says the Mexican Herald ), ‘that the nation is still vigorous and more than holding its own. Spain, notwithstanding the late Lord Salisbury, is not one of the “moribund nations;” it is able to help populate the new world and show a substantial growth at home.’ UNITED STATES BEARING THE NAME OF IRELAND’S APOSTLE. There are in this country 491 Catholic churches (says the (Jatholic Citizen) bearing the name of St. Patrick, of which five are cathedrals St. Patrick’s, New York; St. Patrick’s, Harrisburg; St. Patrick’s, Newark; St. Patrick’s, Rochester, and St. Patrick’s, Lead, S. D. The diocese of Peoria, 111., leads all others in the number of its St. Patrick’s churches. Wisconsin has a St. Patrick’s church with a German congregation and pastor. A PROTEST HEEDED. Quite recently a play, ‘La Samaritaine,’ was advertised to appear in New Orleans. The play is characterised by the city attorney as ‘ absolutely shocking to the moral and religious sense of a Christian community.’ The Federation of Catholic Societies lost no time in presenting a petition for the prohibition' of the play. In this petition they quoted numerous passages showing that it is sacrilegious, irreverent, and flagrantly indecent. The city attorney considered that its many passages redolent of sensuality and carnalism made redeeming features impossible, and therefore lie advised its suppression. This shows (remarks the Catholic Weekly) what can be done by united and representative effort, and is an example which might well be followed elsewhere. -