Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 16 January 1913, Page 34

Notes

The Irish Senate According to a great Liberal organ the Government have made an important and wise, though somewhat sudden, change in the constitution of the Irish Parliament. ‘ The provision of a nominated Senate;’ says the Nation, ‘was not generally popular in, Ireland, or with the Liberal party, and the precedent was obviously a bad one. Mr. Asquith announced' that the Government had decided to limit the period of nomination to five years, when the whole Senate would retire, and a body elected by proportional representation. The voting is to be by provinces, so as to give the Unionist minorities outside Ulster a chance of representation. The forty seats are to be allotted in the proportion of fourteen to Ulster, eleven to Leinster, nine to Munster, and six to Connaught.’

The ‘ Ordo ’ After the first edition of the Ordo for 1913 had been issued— copies of which were supplied by us in the usual way to all Otago priestsit was discovered that certain parts of the compilation contained errors which it was necessary should be rectified. A new edition was accordingly, published and, to the order of the N.Z. Tablet, a fresh corrected copy was sent direct from Messrs. Gille and Co. to each of the priests who had already received a copy of the first edition from this office. Our clerical readers will therefore understand that their receipt of a second Ordo is not due to any mistake ; that the second copy, carrying the wrapper of Messrs. Gill© and Co., is the true and correct edition ; that they will be charged, of course, for only one Ordo; and that the amount will be payable, as usual, to the N.Z., Tablet office.

An Offensive Play In connection with the play ‘ The Monk and the Woman/ which is referred to in detail elsewhere in this issue, the following circular was addressed to the priests of the archdiocese of Sydney, by his Grace the Archbishop: —‘St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, December 23, 1912. Rev. and Dear Sir,— Amongst the amusements provided for the Christmas season there is one, according to this morning’s papers, at the Adelphi Theatre, which must be stigmatised as grossly offensive to Catholic sentiment. And it is a calumny against religious life, which is simply the fulfilment of the evangelical counsels. We would leave the company and its advertisers to be dealt with by the public. But we trust that no Catholic worthy of the name would countenance even indirectly such depravity at such a season. On similar occasions the Catholics of Dublin and of cities on the Continent have been able promptly to bring those concerned to the observance at least of c’Vc propriety. We would look to the citizens of Sydney for the same, and in this sense we appeal to our own flock. Your servant in Christ, ‘* MICHAEL, ‘ Archbishop of Sydney. ‘ N.B. —To be read at all Masses on Christmas Day and the Sunday, following.’

Eucharistic Congress of Malta In view of the near approach of the time for the holding of this important gathering it is to be regretted that exact information as to the date, etc., of the Congress should not be by this time available even at this far distant out-post of the Empire. The Congress, it is known, is to be held in April, but the precise date is not available in the advices thus far to hand. The Bishop of Namur, Monsignor Heylen, who is President of the Permanent Committee of the Eucharistic Congress, visited Malta in October to discuss the official programme; and the Daily Malta Chronicle, in its issues of October 22 and October 23, publishes the following details of the arrangements as thus far decided. The members of the Permanent Committee, with Monsignor Heylen at their head, will arrive in Malta about two days before the opening. The Papal Legatewho

has not yet been designated by his Holiness-will be received in state at the Custom House, his Grace the Archbishop-Bishop delivering ‘ a brief address of welcome, to be followed by another by a layman. His Eminence will then be conducted in procession to the Co-Cathedral Church of St, John. , lie will walk from Porta Reale under a canopy, the, poles of which will be held by notable laymen. The following day his Eminence will hold a reception at his residence. The Congress will last from Wednesday of the week chosen to Sunday. The grand inaugural assembly will be held on Wednesday afternoon. Monsignor Heylen will deliver the inaugural address on behalf of the Permanent Committee. Then the brief "of appointment of the Papal Legate will be read. The Cardinal Legate will then speak, and will be followed by his'Grace the Archbishop and by a clergyman and a layman, who will welcome the Congressists of the different nationalities. A foreign Congressist will reply in the name of all. On Saturday afternoon there will be a special function suggested by Monsignor Heylen, quite characteristic of the island —the blessing of the harbor from the Upper Barracca. On Sunday morning there will be general Communion in the churches. In the afternoon, .the grand solemn procession, to be followed by the Benediction, will take place. It will start about 4 o’clock, and last until about 8.30. . The Congress will formally close on Sunday, but Monsignor Heylen has suggested that on Monday a pilgrimage be organised to St. Paul’s Grotto at Notabile to pay homage to the patron saint of Malta, On one of the days of the Congress a general Communion of children will be held in the open air.