The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 14 March 1912, Page 55

The Catholic World

ENGLAND

WELCOME TO CARDINAL BOURNE. The entry of his Eminence Cardinal Bourne into his own Cathedral, and the subsequent functions at Archbishop’s House, completely ousted • every thing else from Catholic considerations last week (says the Catholic Weekly of January 26). An epoch-making event for the Church in England, it would have been strange if we had not realised the • unique and extraordinary interest of the occasion. The pride of Catholic England in her new Cardinal, installed in his own Cathedral with such profoundly suggestive solemnity—a solemnity at once simple yet stately-was surely best realised on the part of those who assisted at what is the greatest day for Catholics since the Reformation robbed them of their rights and privileges. The function was a pledge— the most convincing one that we could have had— those rights and privileges are to come back to their lawful owners, however tardy the realisation.

FRANCE

ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE CHURCH. The Journal Officiel of December 24 last contained a circular signed by the French Minister of Fine Arts announcing the adoption of a measure which constitutes yet another serious attack on the Catholic Church. Under the pretext that the law for the separation of Church and State makes it incumbent on the Government to maintain the cathedrals in a good state of repair, the Minister of Fine Arts is about to appoint ‘ guardians ’ of those public buildings. The presence of a State guardian in • each cathedral is described as necessary to put an end to what M. Thealamas, the insulter of Joan of Arc, called ‘abuses,’ consisting in certain charges made for the admittance of visitors to various parts of the building. The dangers attending the situation which; will be thus created were explained with considerable warmth by Cardinal Andrieu, Archbishop of Bordeaux, on the occasion of the New Year’s reception of his clergy. Amongst other things, he pointed out that: ‘ Seeing the State appoint guardians of the cathedrals, the communes will claim the’ same right over their churches, and the priests will no longer be masters in the sacred buildings. Will it be possible for them to continue to exercise their ministry in them That is the grave question which will arise.

GERMANY

THE RECENT ELECTIONS. As was anticipated (remarks the Catholic Times), the Centre have lost a number of seats at the elections. But their losses are not at all as large as newspaper correspondents predicted they would be, and as the predominant party in the Parliamentary alliance their power in the Reichstag is practically undiminished. If, however, they are to hold their ground in the constituencies against the Socialists they must organise even with greater earnestness than they have hitherto displayed. - The defeat of Herr Trimborn at Cologne is no slight blow. He was in every sense an admirable candidate. His knowledge of. the people’s requirements is extensive, and he has never been chary in imparting it. For many years he has been one of the most active of the Centre’s workers," and that he has lost the seat in a constituency in which Catholics are so numerous as in Cologne, and which has been a stronghold of the party for over forty years, is a most significant indication of the progress the Social Democrats have made. The Centre will need all its energy and skill in the days to come, but its leaders are men of experience and courage;" who are in touch with the working-classes, and who are, therefore, , well able to judge of the measures by which additional strength may be given to the party.

ITALY

UNION OF CATHOLIC WOMEN. -V Signor Giolitti, Prime Minister of Italy, received recently a deputation sent by the Union of Catholic Women to protest against the license permitted to part of the press and against the stealthy campaign which Ministers of the Government have been recently conducting in the endeavour to banish religious instruction from the schools. This deputation was chosen at the National Congress which took place in Rome, when the Union of the Catholic Women of : Italy decided -to do their part in eradicating the most glaring abuses one sees in public life. The body, which was received with profound deference by Signor Giolitti, consisted of Princess Cristina / Giustiniani-Bandini, PresidentGeneral of the Union • Princess Odescalchi, Princess Antici-Mattei, and Countess Sanseyerino, all heads of the most aristocratic families in the country. How. strongly the union feels on the two points mentioned may be gathered by the protests read to the Premier on each subject: ‘Your Excellency,—The Central Council of the Union of the Catholic Women of Italy, represented by the presidents of over one hundred and eighty branches, with a membership amounting to 30,000, after having met in congress on the Bth and 9th inst., unanimously lay before your Excellency a vigorous protest against the continual insults which, to the shame of Italy, the paper L’Asino hurls at the Catholic con- , science of the country and its outrages on the laws which' 7 guarantee respect to the sacred person of the Pontiff. And it requests the civil power that the barefaced violation of every law and custom may be duly repressed and punished.’ In the second protest presented by the deputation, which was directed against the trickery resorted to by Ministers in decrees and circulars, for the purpose of banishing religious instruction from the piimary schools, a request was made that the entire question be dealt with in Parliament and that a clear statement be made regarding the rights of parents and school teachers. ‘

PORTUGAL

ANOTHER BISHOP EXPELLED. Another Portuguese Bishop has been punished. The Bishop of Yizeu issued instructions concerning Cultural Associations and then wrote to the Minister to inform him of the fact. The usual decree followed. Besides the two years’ banishment the Bishops are all to be brought to trial, the Minister declares,Vbut though the clause under which they are accused has been absolutely revoked by the Constitution voted later than the Law of Separation which has never been before Parliament at all, he makes quite sure of things by punishing them first. To justify his proceedings the Minister has been at the pains to hunt up a number of dusty precedents from the absolute and Concordat regimes, according to which, as the Archbishop of Guarda reminds mm in a letter which many have read and admired, the author of the law itself might easily be condemned to death. . It is, moreover, quaint, as he remarks, with mild irony, to see the Minister invoking old laws, while for merely quoting the Constitutional • Chart, not then repealed, three judges were summarily exiled to Goa a couple of months after the proclamation of the present regime. . ’ '.'v •- r

UNITED STATES

'■ Xv::X A NEW CATHEDRAL. ' ‘ > \ ' X ' 4 The new Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Denver,’ which is, being erected at a cost of £loo,ooo' is nearing completion, and will be blessed and opened in July. 1