The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 23 October 1913, Page 55

The Catholic World

CANADA

A GENEROUS BENEFACTOR. ; An important event in the Catholic life of Toronto was the recent dedication of St. Augustine's- Seminary, made possible by the munificence of Mr. Eugene O'Keefte. Mr. O'Keeffe gave £BO,OOO to buy the land and to erect the buildings. They cost £IO,OOO over and above that; and Archbishop McNeil, at the banquet following the dedication,:'announced that the generous founder had agreed to furnish that sum also. IMMODEST TENDENCY OF MODERN DRESS. Archbishop Bruchesi took up recently the question of the immodest tendency of modern dress. Speaking to a great congregation of women at Notre Dame Cathedral, Montreal, his Grace asked their aid in suppressing the outrageously immodest styles of female dress recently introduced, and which were undoing Christian modesty, defeating religion, and killing all virtue. The Archbishop continued: 'Are modesty, innocence, and purity to be banished from our families ? It is especially the duty of mothers and elder sisters to inculcate a high degree of modesty in their young daughters and sisters. If you women unite against this innovation you will have a salutary influence. Condemn it in your family. You have friends; condemn it in your circle.- Be apostles of modesty, innocence, and decent dress. Let woman's glory be her modesty, purity, and refinement. If you will help me in. this crusade God will bless you.'

FRANCE

FALSE THEORIES OF A NEW PHILOSOPHY. A new episode has arisen in relation to Medernism '(says the Universe). The Holy Father, through Cardinal Merry del Val, has written to Monsignor Farges, who is the author of a pamphlet combating M. Henri Bergson's Creative Evolution, a work which is taken by some as marking a reaction against scientific materialism. This new philosophy, however, has drawn forth the warning voice of Pius X. Cardinal Merry del Val. writes:—'ln the presence of the false theories of this new philosophy that must strike at the great principles, the truth acquired by traditional philosophy, it is necessary -to raise an authoritative voice to unmask and confute this error, to combat this poison of philosophic modernism, the more fatal and noxious because it is veiled, subtle, and seductive. And this you have accomplished with the competence that is recognised by all in a work of calm criticism, impartial and objective. The Holy Father rejoices with you in this because you have added to the series of your philosophical works a work which is destined to be of benefit to the souls of the young especially, preserving them from the harm caused by these erroneous doctrines, and leading them back to the truth, directing them towards the safe light of traditional philosophy.' M. Bergson replied defending his philosophy, asserting that it does not touch the problem of the existence of God. He proposes to further defend his position in a series of lectures during the coming winter at the College of France. THE NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES. As is now usual (writes the Paris correspondent of the Irish Catholic), the great National Pilgrimage to Lourdes was concluded by a touching religious ceremony held on Wednesday evening, August 27, in the parish church of Notre Dame des Victoires. The sacred edifice was too small to hold all those who wished to participate in the celebration. When the Very Rev. Father Bailly ascended the pulpit steps he soon captivated the attention of the great congregation. ' He spoke of the cures which had been operated during the pilgrimage, But took care not to describe them as miracles, out of respect for the authority of the Church, which alone can pronounce definitely f on that point.

The number of children who took part in the pilgrimage this year and the number of them who were healed was much larger than on any previous occasion. One nf f.VIOTTI q linn r\¥ lon imira <-.¥ orm onffAi.;.-.™ itAmi/./,™ plete paralysis, telegraphed to his mother: - Needless" to send carriage to station. I can run like a hare.' Among the other children: cured was a boy suffering from tuberculosis, j and r another whose running sores were completely : healed. The complete cure of Mademoiselle Papuignon, j 33 years of • age, ; living at .• 62 Boulevard Montparnasse, Paris, produced an unexpected effect. Her condition when she left" Paris' was so bad that her doctor did not expect she would ever reach Lourdes alive, much less that she would return home cured. -The miracle was wrought, like so many others this year, during the passage of the Blessed Sacrament. When she rose up all marvelled and sang thanksgivings.; Dr. Lesage, her doctor, being informed by telegraph of the cure, at once , took the express for Lourdes, and on seeing his former patient completely cured, he said not a word, but left the room and walked straight to the Grotto to pray. Father Bailly mentioned these cures and many others of both men and women..,- ..;-_-, THE CAUSE OF BEATIFICATION. Reports which have reached; Rome state, that the decree of the Sacred Congregation'of Rites'; regarding the introduction of the Cause of Sister Mary Bernard, of the Sisters of Charity and of Christian Instruction of Nevers (Bernadette Soubifous) has been approved of by the Holy Father, and has been received with enthusiastic pleasure by Catholics. every country. The decree refers to the trials to which the girl was subjected by both the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, in furtherance of their duty to ascertain the exact truth, and it bears testimony to the unvarying consistency of her statements, which were never tinged with the remotest semblance of falsehood. Owing to the' great influx, of visTTors to Lourdes, all of whom wished to interrogate the child, she was, by the advice of the parish priest, sent to the school of the Sisters of Charity at Nevers. as an: intern pupil in 1858. In this same convent sne was received as a novice in 1866, taking the name of Sister Mary Bernard. From this date until her death in 1879 the venerable servant of God lived and labored as a saint, giving a wonderful example of virtue. The Ponent of Beatification and Sanctification of the Cause was his Eminence Cardinal Vives y Tuto, but owing to his ill-health, his place has been taken by Cardinal Ferrata. Monsignor Schoepfer, Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, has written to the Holy Father expressing his joy and gratitude for the introduction of the Cause.

UNITED STATES

AN INTERESTING CELEBRATION. From all .parts of the New England States of America prelates, priest*, and laymen assembled in great numbers recently to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first Mass in the State of Maine, which was opened by a Jesuit missionary for the French colonists and Indians. The celebration was both civic and religious. Five New England Bishops were present, together with his Excellency the Most Rev. John Bonzano, D.D., the Apostolic delegate, who was specially designated as the representative of Pope Pius X. on that occasion. These distinguished visitors were entertained at the summer home of General Edward De V. Morre.ll, of Philadelphia, who gave a dinner in their honor. A convent, given to the diocese of Portland by Mr. and Mrs. Morrell in honor of the tercentenary, was opened in July by three Sisters of Mercy from Portland. ,- _ ," ... "*,■ : .proposed catholic CONGRESS. : The Catholics of San Francisco ; are planning' a Catholic week dining the International Exposition to be held in their city in 1915. At present their purpose is -to begin the week on Sunday, June 6, 1915. , It is proposed to hold- a great congress at which eminent members "of the clergy and laity will make addresses.