Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, 22 January 1914, Page 21

Current Topics

* The Following Intimations ’ 4 That caustic paper, Judge , thus satirises the tendency to unduly multiply church meetings and ‘ intimations ’ which is prevalent in America, and which is not wholly unknown in less 'advanced' communities: ‘ Tho Rev. E. Lycurgus Gabb will preach on Sunday morning, at ten-thirty, on the topic, “The Progress of the War on Tuberculosis.” His evening topic will be “ The Rest Seller in Recent Fiction.’’ ‘ The topic of the weekly prayer meeting will be “ Peter the Great,” illustrated by fine moving pictures. ‘ There will also be a moving picture show in the church on Monday evening. . 4 On Tuesday evening tho Athletic Association of the Church will have a prize drill and a contest for a silver cup, in which the young men of a sister church will take part. A good time is expected. ‘ On Wednesday evening there will be an interesting and exciting basket-ball contest in the gym. of the church, followed by a supper, to be paid for by the losing team. ‘ On Thursday evening two teams will each try to do the other up in a bowling contest, which promises to pack the bowling .alley of the church to tho limit. After the contest some of the experts in the swimming line will do some fancy swimming stunts in the church swimming pool. 4 On Friday evening tho young people of the church will have a rag-tag and bob-tail social, which promises to be a very hilarious affair. A prize wall bo given to tho person attending in the most ridiculous costume. 4 On Saturday night there will be a baked-beau supper, to be followed by a pleasing entertainment. 4 It is in this way that the church is opening its doors every day in the week and seeking to create Christian character among its adherents. Let the good work go on.’ Rebel's Tribute * ~ A few weeks ago our letter from France contained an interesting and comprehensive account of the life and work and strong personality of August Rebel, the worldfamed leader of German Socialism. In his early boyhood Rebel systematically played truant from church, taking care to discover beforehand the number of the hymn to be sung and the name of the preacher for the day so that he should not be entrapped by questions : and at no period of his life .does religion appear to have made any appeal to him. When a very young man, however, he became a member of one of the Catholic Unions which are so marked a feature of Catholic social and industrial organisation in the Fatherland : and his whole-hearted tribute to the excellence of these Catholic associations is well worth placing on record. We transcribe it as it appears in the pages 'of the' autobiographical volume entitled My Jdfe, which was published last year by T. Fisher Unwin. On p. 36 of the volume Rebel writes: ‘I greatly missed the society of young people in circumstances similar to my own. The trade. guilds had been dissolved and as yet the traces unions had not come into existence; neither were there any political clubs which a workman might join. For clubs of a purely social nature I had neither money nor inclination. It was at this time that I first became aware of the existence of the so-called Catholic Artisans’ Union ( tholisr.he Gesell envf rein) , which had its own clubhouse in Freiburg?. After making sure that the club was open to non-Cathblics, I became a member. As long as I lived in South Germany arid Austria „I was a member of these Catholic unions, and I never had cause to regret it. .There was no intolerance in respect of members of a different religious persuasion. The presidents were everywhere priests, and. the mem-, bers elected a Senior member as their own representative. Lectures wet© given and classes held in various

subjects— for instance—so that these unions were to a certain extent educational institutions. In the reading room a number of papers and journals were available. { ithough these were exclusively Catholic, I was glad to read them, for I was greatly interested in politics. The need of tho society of decent young people was equally satisfied. These clubs derived a characteristic tone from the presence of the chaplains, who, being young and full of animal spirits, were on their side glad to mix with men of their own age. I have spent many a merry evening in the company of these young curates. To this day I have preserved my book of membership, having on its first page a picture of St. Joseph, the patron saint of the Union.’ Disorderly Dress at the Sacraments Many Catholic bishops—especially in America and in Italyas zealous shepherds and guardians of the flocks entrusted to them have strongly and strenuously raised their voices against the objectionable dress fashions of the present day. Archbishop Bruchesi, of Montreal, has made an eloquent and rousing appeal to Catholic women to head a crusade■ against the evil ; Archbishop Rlenk, of New Orleans, has lashed the plague with biting and scathing denunciation. The Rishop of Fiesole the fifth Italian Bishop who has risen up against the outre and shameless 4 modes ’ affected by women of the world—has gone a step further, and has formally and expressly forbidden his priests *to admit to the Sacraments women who grossly offend in the matter of dress. In a strongly worded pastoral he thus directs his clergy: 4 It is the duty of a Bishop to exercise vigilance in order that evil customs may not be introduced among the faithful, or, if they have, that they be removed. Therefore, we consider 'we should be gravely lacking in our duty did we not raise our voice against a disorder that is spreading wider every day not only in the cities, but also in the country districts, to the detriment of virtue and Christian morality. We intend speaking of that fashion, free and indecent, in which so many, females, forgetful of their natural modesty, are not ashamed to show themselves in public, *to enter the holy place before the altars of the Lord, to assist at the divine mysteries and even to receive the Holy Sacraments while making an exhibition of mode of dress really scandalous. We ask the parish priest and the rectors of churches to oppose such a disorder with all that zeal, prudent and discreet, but strong in its own time, which ardent love for the glory of God and the safety of souls must suggest to them. On this matter let them speak frequently; let them insist in season and out of season, showing how contemptible for Christian women is this manner- of dress, and persuading them not to enter the church in such immodest attire. . Moreover, we expressly forbid all the priests to admit to the Holy Sacraments women who may present themselves dressed in a manner as to show nudity more or less veiled, or with clothes so tight and adhering to the person as to indecently show the form. , Such women would be unworthy of absolution and of receiving in Holy Communion the God of purity. To avoid misunderstandings, complaints, or useless recriminations, we order that this letter be brought to the knowledge of all and be read in due form at all the Masses in all the churches of the diocese, and this for several weeks.’ ,