A Faithful Corner of France

New Zealand Tablet, 29 August 1912, Page 53

A Faithful Corner of France

he melancholy and too-true account given in a recent issue of the results of anti-Christian teaching in France, and the appalling increase of criminality and suicide, especially among the young, consequent on the abolition of religion in the State schools, makes doubly consoling the consideration that there are still extensive districts in ranee, as a rule remote from the great centres of population, where the people are still staunchly Catholic in faith and practice (writes Dom Oswald Hunter-Blair, 0.5.8., in the Glasgow ObSuch a district is High Savoy, not far from the Swiss border. The historic towns of Chambery, Annecy, and Aix, and the whole country adjoining, remain, notwithstanding the proximity of the very capital and stronghold of Calvinism, namely, Geneva, emphatically Catholic. A recent sojourn in Aix-les-baius, best known to our countrymen for its worldrenowned medicinal waters, afforded many consoling proofs of the vitality of religion in this corner of I ranee. A large and handsome parish church - has lately been built here, chiefly through the efforts of the zealous archpriest and his ‘vicaires,’ who have the spiritual charge of the town. Large and devout congregations, including (one is glad to see) many men, throng the edifice not only at the Sunday Masses but also at other times, for instance at the daily ‘exercises’ in honor of the month of Mary. One of the attractions provided during May was an excellent exhibition, once or twice a week, of lantern views bearing on the religious history of France, accompanied by an interesting lecture from the cure, and followed by devotions and Benediction. On other evenings there was what was called a _ ‘ conference dialogue ’—one of the curates propounding difficulties and objections from the body of the church, which were answered from the pulpit. Ihe congregation followed these dialogues with the greatest interest, and they also seemed particularly interested in the ‘ Sermons for Men ’ preached weekly by the cure, and dealing in a thoroughly practical way with the duties and dangers of the modern Frenchman’s daily life. The solemnities of Ascension and Pentecost were well observed at Aix-le-bains, the last-named day being a eat popular festival, the religious services being followed by a fair, games and races, music, illuminations, dancing, and much gay and innocent merry-making. A -very large .number of children of both sexes made their First. Communion, after very careful preparation, on Ascension Day; and in Whit-sun-week Cardinal Dubiilard, Archbishop of Chambery visited Aix and administered Confirmation, after examining the children in the catechism. The visit of his Eminence gave great pleasure to the good people who observed the day as a general holiday. Within a tew miles of Aix, on the opposite side of the beautiful Lac de Bourget, is (one may suppose) the only monastoly in the. whole of France where the monks are still permitted to live and work and pray. It is the Cistercian Abbey of Hautecombe, the Westminster Abbey of Savoy in the church of which are to be seen some thirty tombs of the ancestors of King Victor Emmanuel In deference to the wishes of the Royal House of Italy the community in whose custody these tombs remain has never been disturbed.