The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 22 June 1911, Page 1167

The Catholic World

- -— : » " ENGLAND 1 CATHOLIC TRUTH SOCIETY. ; / The annual meeting of the Catholic Truth Society of England was held on April 28 at the Cathedral Hall, Westminster, under the presidency of Archbishop Bourne. His Grace said that the past ■year had produced the usual crop of Protestant fictions, which the society had been reluctantly compelled to take up and expose. His Grace said that the continued exposure of Protestant untruth was at last producing effect. The Catholic body was hardly alive to its responsibilities with regard to the ‘ Apostoiate of the Press.’ The financial position of the society in England indicated steady, if not rapid, progress. The Bishop of Northampton, in his speech, said: the society was opposing,‘ Rationalism,] and that was not an apologetic work.. They were opposing a body of dogmatism, pure and simple, as crude and militant as that professed by the most despised sect in the country.- ‘ Rationalists ’ were dogmatists of the first water. Rev. Dr. Aveling said that ‘Rationalism’ was endeavouring to raise science against faith, but there would be no conflict between real science and faith. The C.T.S. was the only body in England which could fight ‘ Rationalism.’ Archbishop Bourne, in a concluding speech, said that none of them were yet fully conscious of the ravages being wrought by the Rationalist campaign. The Secular Solution of the education problem, if effected, would banish all revealed religion from the hearts of all school children. THE PEACE MOVEMENT. At the meeting convened by the Lord Mayor to forward the Peace Movement the following resolution was moved by the Archbishop of Canterbury—‘That this meeting records its high appreciation of the important action taken by the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of the City of London in convening this meeting, arid expresses its desire that the Lord Mayor should take such further steps as he may deem best fitted to • promote the views and objects embodied in the foregoing resolution The Archbishop of Westminster, in seconding the resolution, said that tho object of the meeting, which represented so many schools of thought, was a matter which for centuries past had been dear to all those who claimed religious communion with the Holy See. In looking back, many instances might be recorded in which those for .-whom he spoke had appealed to the nations over and over again to settle their differences not by force of arms, but by reasonable agreement and adjustment. Fifteen years ago almost to the day the leaders of those whom he represented in England and in Irelan 1 and across the Atlantic put forth a fervent appeal for some such scheme of arbitration as was now set before them for their approval and assent. They saw some proof in their midst of the formation of that public opinion for which they called fifteen years ago; FRANCE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN FRANCE. Incidents which occur almost day after day contradict President Fallieres’ statements that the French Government respect religious traditions and regard the domain of conscience as inviolable (remarks the Catholic Times). At Orleans indignation has been excited amongst every class of the population by the attitude taken up by the Prefect, the Government’s agent, towards the demand for fbo traditional observance of the fetes of Blessed Joan of Arc. Because M. Chenessean, President of the Union des Syndicats, showed that he was in its favor he refused to see him. He would not, he said, allow any priests to appear in processions. So strongly did M. Chenessean and the bureau of the Union des Syndicate resent the Prefect’s conduct that they all resigned. A significant commentary on M. Fallieres’ language! Here is another proof of the French Government’s love of religious liberty • The Minister of tho Interior has just ordered that the following houses in the department of ( La Manch.e shall be closed: The establishments of the Sisters of Charity of Coutances at Trigni-sur-Vire; the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary at Cherbourg; the Augustinian Hospitallers at Coutanees; the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of Refuge at Valognes: the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres at St. L 6; the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul at AA r ranches, Coutanees. and Ste. Suzanne-sur-Vire. Religious liberty 'a la Fran.gaiso ! HOLLAND PROGRESS OF THE FAITH. ' From our Parisian contemporary, the Etudes Francisr.aines, we learn of the remarkable advance tho Church has made within recent years in Holland, hitherto considered the most unfruitful soil for the growth of the Faith. Recent statistics show a Catholic population -of 2.000.000, nr about c-third of the whole people. There are 730 Catholic elementary schools, which teach 125,000 children. 'Of the higher schools, Holland has 21 conducted by religious

Orders. There are besides 28 mission houses preparing priests for the colonial mission-fields. As regards the press, there are 150 Catholic newspapers and magazines, which are well supported by the people. Of the 50 members of the Upper House of Parliament, 16 are Catholics, while 25 out of the 100 members of , the House of Representatives, or one-fourth-of; the whole, are also members of the Church; and when it is mentioned further, that of the nine Cabinet Ministers three are Catholics (and amongst them, if we are not mistaken, the Prime Minister), it will be evident that bright days are in store for the Faith in the land of the Dutch Reformed Church.’ tyty/ ;/ % - /\ V v j i ROME THE HOLY SEE AND AUSTRIA. 'With all the honors due to his station, Prince Schcin-burg-Harteiistein, Austrian Ambassador to the Holy See, was received by the Holy Father on April 25, when he presented his credentials (writes a Rome correspondent). The reception took place in the Throne Room, the Holy Father oemg surrounded by the ecclesiastical and lay dignitaries of his Court, the Private Chamberlains summoned -for duty for the week, and bodies.- of the ;Noble and Swiss Guards, with' their respective officers. On being introduced into the Pontiff’s presence by Monsignor Sapieha, Prince Schori-burg-Harten stein, in approaching the Papal Throne, made the customary three genuflections, kissed tlje Pope’s hand, and addressed the Holy Father as follows: —‘ His Majesty the Emperor arid Apostolic King has directed me to place in the hands dr your Holiness these letters which accredit me to you- as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of his Imperial Majesty. : At the same time his Majesty has ordered me to express to your Holiness his particular veneration for your person. Permit pie to assure you that all my efforts will be devoted to "developing still more the excellent relations that already, 1 exist between the Holy See and the Government of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, and to beg you to accord me your good-will and powerful assistance.: _ Thus only can I fulfil satisfactorily, the mission which ,-his Majesty has been good enough to confide to me.’ In bidding the Prince welcome and thanking him for the kind words spoken on behalf of the Emperor, Pope Pius X. congratulated the Ambassador on being chosen as the representative of Austria-Hungary to the Holy See. and promised his sunport in "maintaining intact the cordial relations that bind Rome and the Empire to each other. Finally the Holy Father invoked the choicest blessings of Heaven on the Emperor and the Imperial Family, as well ,as on the Ambassador himself. At the close of the formal reception the Pope invited Prince Shon-rg-Hartenstein into his private chambers, where he retained him in conversation for some time. SPAIN ; ■ THE PREMIER’S POLICY. The friends of Senor Canalejas say that he is still resolved to bring forward a ‘ Law of Associations,’ or Bill for weakening, or rather paralysing, the religious Orders in Spain. The Madrid Universe addresses to him a warning which he would do well to heed. It reminds him that if he makes war on the. religious communities the Bishops, priests, and lay Catholics of Spain will defend them. The vast majority of the Spaniards will be on their side, so tha t the Governments’ undertaking would become a struggle against the bulk of the people. Under such circumstances (remarks the Catholic. Times), whatever might happen, the Premier s name would be received in every part of Spain with detestation.- On the other hand, what can he gain by championship of the measure? He will, it may be urged, please his anti-clerical supporters. How long? If they were folk who would-be content with reasonable reforms, something might be said for the Premier’s desire to satisfy them. But experience has proved that concessions evoke no signs of gratitude from them. When the Government gives way to their demands they only become" more clamorous. They are continually fomenting disturbances and would consider Senor Canalejas too moderate it lie were to adopt the programme 'of the Portuguese revolutionaries. But they exercise a mastery over "him and he does not evince any disposition to assert his independence. GENERAL AD LIMINA VISITS. By a recent decree of Pope Pius X. the term for the accustomed visit of Irish Bishops ‘ad limina Apostolorum ’ has been changed from five years to three years (says the firemans Journal). Henceforth, commencing with the present year (1911) the bishops of all the European countries will have to present themselves in Rome every v three years and give a detailed account of the working of the various dioceses. This decision was arrived at owing to the facilit’es or travel, and a triennial report of the various European dioceses is now insisted on. A further condition is imposed on European prelates— namely, that all the Bishops of a particular country must pay their ad limina’ visit within the year. Thus it happens that all the Irish Bishops will nave to visit Rome this present year.