The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 8 June 1911, Page 1071

The Catholic World

ENGLAND 'VV 4 ‘v.- a .- ■ „ ■ THE DIOCESE OF PLYMOUTH. < Very Rev. Canon Kelly, of Plymouth, has been appointed to the Bishopric of that See in succession to Bishop Graham, who resigned lately through ill-health.. For over twenty-six years Canon Keily has been a priest in the Plymouth diocese. Ha is also one of the Diocesan Inspectors; as well as a member of the Education Council. A native of the city of Limerick, Bishop Keily was born in 1854, and was educated at Bruges. Bishop Keily will be the third Irish-born Bishop at present administering an English See, the . others being the Bishops of Portsmouth and, Middlesbrough. | FRANCE , | - MORAL DECADENCE. p The rioting and anarchy in the Aube and Marne (remarks the Catholic Times) are but symptoms of a general decline in respect for law-, order, life, and the rights of property which has been going on since the advent of the enemies of Christianity to power in France. Frenchmen are losing their old reputation for honesty, honor, and patriotism. Readers will remember the terrible scandals which occurred in connection with the sale of the confiscated property of the religious Orders. At present an investigation is proceeding as to the theft and sale of documents belonging to the French Foreign Office. What could be expected when it is found that M. Hamon, the Director of Accounts at that office,' and latterly, in fact if not in name, Treasurer-General of the Department, is guilty of the systematic robbery -of vast sums? It is becoming clearer every day that French official life is largely corrupt, arid that the men who have been carrying on the campaign against Christianity have little or no morality. Amongst the general population the difficulty of coping with crime is continually becoming greater. Criminality is growing not only in the case of people of mature, years, but especially in that of the youim; and the most brutal callousness is displayed by those wljo commit murder and robbery. There will never be any prospect of improvement in France so long as the men in authority are hostile to the Christian religion. GERMANY A TIME-HONORED CEREMONY. The time-honored ceremony of w-ashing ’the feet of the twelve oldest men in Bavaria was observed on Holy Thursday by the Prince Regent in the Royal Palace at Munich. The Prince Regent Luitpold, who is himself ninety years of age, poured water over the feet of each of the twelve men, and then dried them with a towel, after which a high dignitary of the Church kissed the feet of each man. At the close of the ceremony, which was conducted in the presence of the w-hole Bavarian Court, and all the Ministers and high State officials at present in Munich, the Prince Regent hung round the neck of each of the twelve men a blue and white bag containing a gift in money. The combined ages of the twelve men totalled eleven hundred years. ROME ;; . DEATH OF AN ARCHBISHOP. One of the most distinguished figures of the epoch of Leo XIII. has just passed away in the person of the Most Rev. Mgr. Sambucetti, Titular Archbishop of Corinth, at the age of seventy-three _ (writes a Rome correspondent). To English people Archbishop Sambucetti was known as the? Envoy Extraordinary despatched to London by Pope Leo XIII. in 1897 to represent his Holiness at the Jubilee celebrations of the late Queen Victoria, Few Roman ecclesiastics have led a more active life in the service of the Church than did the dead prelate before being forced by ill-health to retire into private life. Just after his ordination to - the priesthood, _ young Father Sambucetti, in consideration of his brilliant course in the Roman Seminary, obtained a Chair of Philosophy in the College of the Apollinare and the position of minutante in Propaganda. A few years later Leo XIII. sent him to Madrid as Auditor to the Nuncio. Thenceforward he w-as destined for the diplomatic career, his next appointment being that of Internuncio to Brazil. At that time he w-as consecrated Titular Archbishop of Corinth, Recalled to Rome some years later, Archbishop Sambucetti was nominated Canon of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and in 1897 was sent to England to the Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria. Three years after his return from London Leo XIII. despatched him to Bavaria to fill the post of Nuncio Apostolic, a position he held only a very short time, owing to failing health. After two years the Archbishop resigned his dig-' nity in Munich, and, returning to Rome, retired into private life, in which he lived until his death. •'

THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTI-CLERICALS. As most persons will readily ' admit who know Romo fairly well, y i he committee of the 1911 celebrations can be by- no. means accused of a love for' the Church; so it was scarcely surprising that on Good Friday evening the feelings of the Catholics of Rome'were outraged by an act of that body. From time immemorial • it-was usual'fonfall the theatres of Rome to remain closed ;on the evening of the anniversary of our Lord’s death. This' year, however, thanks to the initiative of the committee that has taken upon itself the -conduct of the. Italian celebrations, the Theatre Quirinus remained open, to the horror of the vast majority of the citizens. It is worth recalling that in all the years that have passed since the Italian invasion, some of which brought many storms to the Church at its centre, the Roman - theatres have been closed on Good Fridays, It remained for 1911 to reveal the true spirit that animates those who cry loudly about progress, civilisation, and tolerance! sifi - HOLY WEEK CEREMONIES. J On Good Friday at ’ the Church of St. Croce in Gertisalemrae large crowds of Italians and foreigners gathered to witness the exposition of the relics of the Tragedy of Calvary that are preserved there (writes a Rome: correspondent). Before 1870 the Pope himself used to'- perform the ceremony of washing the feet of twelve priests. Now the Cardinal Vicar of Rome'girds himself with a towel and washes the feet of twelve beggarmen, afterwards giving each a piece of money. At the Church of St.'James the Most Rev. v Archbishop Sili, Almoner of Piux X., performed a similar ceremony. An interesting feature of Holy Week in - Rome is _ the carrying " out of the various ' ceremonies pioper to each day in the Greek,, the Russian, the Armenian, and Maromte Catholic . Churches, each preserving its own rite as recognised by the Holy See. '" - - g # SCOTLAND " | | -.-v■:■■■,. # . A GOLDEN JUBILEE.: • M n .i T j e R, & hfc Rev - Mgr. William Grady, Provost of the Cathedral Chapter of St, Andrews and Edinburgh, and Rector v of St. Patrick’s, ‘/Edinburgh, celebrated on April “ 1 the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Born at Leith oh December 29, 1835, he received his early education at the Royal High School, whence he proceeded to Blair’s College in 1851, and in the followingyear to the College of the English Benedictines at Douay! In October, 1856, he was transferred to the Scots College. Rome, and was ordained priest on April 21, 1861. DEATH OF AN OCTOGENARIAN. ' T) The death took place on April 5, of Mr Alexander Ronald MacDonald, of Ord, Isle of Skye, at the age of 82. Ihe tun oral took place on April 13. On the previous day Mass was said .) by Rev. .W. Macdonald,, Glenfinnan, an intimate . friend of deceased. The coffin was carried to the grave some eight miles distant by ' the estate servants. Two pipers playing laments on the bagpipes headed the procession. Ord’ was an enthusiastic Skyeman. He loved Skje with an intense love; loved it in all- its wayward moods, its sunshine, its, storms, its mists;. He was born there, and his desire was that his remains should rest in the consecrated ground attached to the old Church of Kilmore, and his wishes were fully carried out. He was recognised as an authority on all matters relating to the Isle of Mist, and his knowledge of its history, sacred and profane, its folk-lore, its traditions, its antiquities was very extensive. He delighted to point out the spots consecrated by the presence and works of the monks of. lona, and there are many such places dotted all over the Isle of Skye The church of Kilmoro, where he rests, has associations with lona dating back some 1400 years. SPAIN HOLY THURSDAY IN MADRID. - ’ v * The solemn religious ceremony. . 'of ..washing the Yeet of twelve poor men and women (telegraphed a correspondent of the Morbing Post, on Thursday, April 13), took place to-day in the ‘Columns’ Salon of the Palace in Madrid Oueen Victoria Eugenie took part in the ceremony for the first time. The Queen, assisted by the Palace ladies, after washing and kissing the feet of the twelve poor women waited on them personally at dinner. The King, assisted by the grandees of . Spain, performed .the same ' ceremony in regard to twelve poor men in the same salon. ' The ceremony . was witnessed by members of .the Diplomatic Body the members of the Government, and a distinguished assemblage. Each poor man on entering and leaving the salon is accompanied by a grandee of Spain, and after the ceremony each receives a considerable sum of money, clothes and a large quantity of food. The poor men and women who are to take part in the ceremony are chosen by the casting of lots, a process which is presided over by the Royal Family. The King, following, the tradition bf his predecessors, will to-morrow, on the occasion of the Adornti°n or h O , Cross > Pardon several persons who have been condemned to death by the. Courts of Justice., -