The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 16 July 1914, Page 55

The Catholic World

ENGLAND ST. DOMINIC’S PRIORY, HAVERSTOCK HILL. The beautiful Priory Church of St. Dominic, Southampton road, Haverstock Hill, has just received a great addition to its architectural attractions in the decoration of the new shrine of our Lady of Lourdes, erected in the Rosary Chapel of the Crucifixion. The special features of the chapel have been taken into account in the scheme of decoration : the panels of the roof are enriched by a design of blue and gold, the Hour do lys adorning its corners, whilst the centres bear the Crown of Thorns encircling the sacred monogram. The upper portions of the walls are covered with emblems of our Lady on a cream background, and with elaborate crowns of gold surmounting the initial letter of her name in a setting of blue. A border of roses separates this design from the remainder of the walls, on which is wrought an elaborate gold pattern on a blue background. The effect is exceedingly pleasing, and Mr. Westlake, the artist, is to be congratulated on producing a. work, in. every way worthy of this beautiful churchalready a pilgrimage goal for Catholics from every part of the metropolis. The Rosary Guild members have presented two brass sanctuary lamps to the altar of our Lady of the Rosary. The lamps hang from (he hands of gilded angels, and arc of very delicate workmanship. GERMANY A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. The position of religious Orders in Prussia is to be changed for the better, thanks to an Act which was carried recently. The Bill was presented by Herr Porsch, the leader of the Silesian Centre, and first Vice-President of the Chamber. Its object was to secure the revocation of the provisions by which the establishment of religious Orders occupied in the care of he sick and poor is subjected to a number of harassing restrictions and conditions, and to secure corporate rights for such congregations. During the debate, which lasted two days, the Minister of Worship opposed the Bill on the ground that it would deprive the State of its right and surveillance over the Orders. At the same time he repeated the promise made by his predecessor to consider each case on its merits with sympathy, for, he said, he fully recognised the utility of the services rendered by the religious, and their popularity among the people of the Catholic districts. In some of the speeches that followed the spirit of the Kulturkampf found repeated expression, but the Cent re-won the day. The Bill was passed by a majority which included a number of Conservatives, .jthe Poles, the Progressives, and Socialists. ITALY TRAINING ITALIAN PRIESTS FOR, FOREIGN COUNTRIES. j By far the most practical step yet taken in the religious interest of Italian emigrants is that which Pius X. outlines in the Motu Proprio issued by the Holy Father in April. The practical mind of the Pope decided several months ago that the conditions demanded the special training of young Levites for the work of ministering to the thousands of Italians who emigrate to various countries in Europe and to the two Americas. France has about a million Italians; Switzerland half this number; Brazil alone holds three millions, and North America has a number far greater than any of these. The Pope’s aim is that only really apostolic priests bo allowed to leave Italy for any of the countries where the Italians stand in need of religious help. And therefore the establishment of a college in Rome for the training of such priests will alipost exclude the possibility of men going to America who, as the Pope says in his Motu Proprio, ‘ are driven to transfer themselves there, not from a love for Jesus

Christ or through zeal for souls, but led by a desire to care for their own personal interests.’ * His Holiness promises regarding this last point that before very long a document will bo issued by the Sacred Consistorial Congregation which will lay down most minute details for granting permission to Italian priests to go to America. ~ ROME RELIGIOUS STATISTICS. A well-known authority states that in Homo there are 55 parishes, 365 churches and chapels, 550 secular priests, 2050 ecclesiastical students, 99 monasteries for men, with 890 religious; 120 convents, with 1200 Sisters 82 confraternities, 15 institutions for the education of young boys, and 19 for girls. SCOTLAND CATHOLIC ORGANISATIONS. The circular letter from his Grace the Archbishop of Glasgow on the subject of the Catholic Union, which lias been read in the Glasgow churches, calls attention to the important question of Catholic organisation, There arc in Glasgow numerous societies of Catholics devoted to the protection of particular interests, but there ns no society which is truly representative of the Catholic body as a whole The Catholic Union has, to sonic extent, endeavored to supply this want, but its efforts have been directed mainly to securing the return of Catholic members to the school board and parish council. The success which it has achieved in this work shows that the scope of its energies might bo widened with advantage. In order to effect this, it is essential that its representative character should bo made more comprehensive. We suggested some time ago (says the Catholic Times) that this object might he attained by including in the council of the society official representatives of the local Catholic and Irish societies. We arc glad to see that the diocesan authorities have adopted this view so far as to recommend strongly that members of the different local societies should be included in the mission committees. This excellent step cannot but prove of benefit, and its utility would be increased if a clearly defined rule were laid down, arranging that the various Catholic societies not merely parochial societies— be officially represented. The different Catholic bodies would willingly agree to such an arrangement, and thus would bo formed an organisation which would be most effective in promoting Catholic interests. UNITED STATES CHARITABLE BEQUESTS. ' Bequests totalling nearly 500,000 dollars were made to Catholic institutions by the will of Mrs Catherine Paris, of Boston and New York. To institutions in Manchester, N. IT., 100,000 dollars are bequeathed, 85.000 dollars for the establishment of a Catholic high school, 10,000 dollars for the Sacred Heart Hospital, and 5000 dollars to the Convent of Mercy, St. Joseph’s Mission of Colored Children of Baltimore, Md., receives 10.000 dollars; St. Mary’s Catholic Hospital, Quincy, 111,. 10,000 dollars ; the Home for Convalescent Women at Spring Valley, 111., 5000 dollars; the hospital at Claremont, N.H., 3000 dollars, and the Catholic University of America in Washington, 5000 dollars. GENERAL LARGE DIOCESES. According to a. Rome correspondent, the largest dioceses are the following —The first is Cologne in Germany, which has 3,873,751 Catholics; the second is Breslavia, with 3,675,300 : then comes Paris, with almost three and a-half millions : the fourth is the archdiocese of Milan, which has 2,960,000. Then come Malines, in Belgium ; Vienna, Bahia, in Brazil ; Prague, La Plata, and Marianna, in Brazil, all of which have over two millions of Catholics.