The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 16 October 1913, Page 55

The Catholic World

A ! ISTDt A " v " • »V‘» THE FIRST CATHOLIC CONGRESS. The first Austrian Catholic Congress, which was Held at Linz and attended by six thousand persons, amongst whom were Prince-Archbishop Piffl, of Vienna, and other members of the Hierarchy, was so successful that it was resolved to make the Congress a permanent institution. Dr. Joseph Borzer, an intimate friend of the late Dr. Lueger, presided. The Holy Father, to whom a message of homage was sent, expressed his great satisfaction at the position of the Church in AustriaHungary. ENGLAND OXFORD LOCAL EXAMINATIONS. At a time when the question of education is being . debated on all sides, it is pleasing to find that Catholic schools are not only keeping their place in the examination lists but are eclipsing their past records. In the Oxford Locals results, in the senior division, out of 8361 .entered, the first place was taken by J. P. Murray, of St. Ignatius’ College, Stamford Hill, London. In the junior division, out of 6725, the first and second places were taken by Catholic candidates, both being students of St. Francis, Xavier’s College, Liverpool. The first place fell to S. J. Baker, and the second to C. Berningham. FRANCE REMARKABLE CURES AT LOURDES. ' The Roman section of the Italian national pilgrimage to Lourdes has returned, and the members are full of pious enthusiasm about their experiences at the renowned shrine (writes a Romo correspondent). They have also the pleasing information that at least three cures occurred amongst the one hundred and thirteen invalids who travelled with the pilgrimage. These three have been testified to on oath by three Italian medical doctors who accompanied the pilgrims, and accepted at the Bureau des Constatations at Lourdes. The doctors in their sworn statement say that other Italian doctors as well as Belgian and French medical ones, who were present, agree with them as to the cures. Besides these three, which will be kept under observation for a year before being finally accepted as authentic,- there are eighteen other cases of wonderful improvement amongst the sick who formed part of the Italian pilgrimage. These also will be watched with care by the doctors. THE CALAIS CELEBRATIONS. The Calais celebrations opened on the Feast of the Assumption, when English and French Catholics joined in honoring the memory of two English martyrs, Fathers Edward Brindholm and Clement Philpot, who = were brought to England and suffered under Henry VIII. on August 4, 1540. Both had intimate ties . with the town of Calais, the former being Cure of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Calais, and Father Philpot served as chaplain to the Governor. The patronal feast of Father Brindholm’s parish was chosen as a fitting day of opening. These celebrations are interesting not , only in view of the fact that the joining of both nations in common prayer recalls the times of the great wars, when the short-lived truces were sealed in this way, but also in view of their following the international festivities, which took place a short time ago ; in England in honor of President Poincare. His Eminence Cardinal Bourne, accompanied by Bishop Butt and clergy from all dioceses, arrived at Calais on Wednesday, August 20, and was received by the Bishops of Arras, Troyes, and Langres. He sang Pontifical High Mass on the next day, followed in the afternoon by a sermon preached by Monsignor Touchet, Bishop of Orleans; in the evening there was a banquet and recep-

tion. The following. Saturday, his Eminence went to Boulogne to attend the festivities in honor of our Lady of Boulogne. He was welcomed at the station by -the ecclesiastical and -civil, authorities, the Mayor of Boulogne being present. Fie. presided at High Mass on Sunday, the day of the feast, and in the afternoon took part in the annual procession. A HOPEFUL SIGN. . It is a hopeful sign in France (says ,the ; Universe that the working men are growing • tired of the barren questions that have been absorbing their energies and destroying their power. The festival of the Assumption, with its three days’ holiday, is taken as an occasion for holding their annual Labor Congress corresponding to the Trade Union Congress in England. The subjects discussed at the Congress this year mark a great change in the policy of the Confederation Generale du Travail, They find they have been beating the air and making no progress. ~ They have hitherto been fuming and fretting on the questions that Socialists are constantly trying to enforce in English Trade Unionism. The worker is beginning-to realise that he is exploited more by politicians than by capitalists, although it will take time for . him to settle down to sober truth and the consideration of his own-individual interests. The sacred; right to steal is losing its force as a dogma of ‘Labor.’ RUSSIA UNWILLING TESTIMONY. ' An unwilling tribute to Catholic advan'c© in Russia, despite all the oppression of the Government and the Holy Synod, was given recently at a, meeting of the Orthodox clergy of the diocese of Minsk. Bishop Mitrophane warned his priests of the dangers of the propaganda, which had its headquarters in Kieff. He cited several parishes in which out of 5000 Orthodox only some 700 remained faithful to the practice of their religion. He complained bitterly of the ‘ravages’ of the Catholic propaganda, declaring that the people were attracted by the splendor of Catholic worship, and that most ‘perversions’ took place in the month of May. UNITED STATES THE CATHOLIC FEDERATION. The attendance at the twelfth annual Convention of the American Federation of Catholic Societies, which was held at Milwaukee from the 10th to the 13th of August (says the Catholic Times), and the speeches delivered on the occasion by leaders of Catholic thought—-men such as Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop Ireland, and Archbishop Keane— the gathering the most memorable assemblage of Catholic Federationists that has yet taken place in the States. A large number of moral and religious questions affecting public life were dealt■ withquestions such as unfair attacks made on Catholic nuns, the persecution in Portugal, against which President Wilson is to be asked to make a protest in the name of the United States, the formation of an international Catholic Federation, the Whit© Slave' Traffic, and the divorce evil. But it was made plain that the American Catholics do not intend that the Federation should concern itself with politics or contemplate the creation of a Catholic party. On politics they agree to differ, but in the protection and defence of religion and morality they are united. This unity has won for them the respect of citizens of every class. ‘ Our , growth in this country in numerical strength and our success in securing the esteem And sympathy of our fellow-citizens,’ said Archbishop Keane, . ‘ are most gratifying.’ ..The time is certainly coming when the Catholic Church will be more powerful in the United Slates than in any other nation in the. world. t , •'