The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 23 July 1914, Page 55

The Catholic World

BELGIUM A NATIONAL BASILICA. Belgian Catholics propose to erect a National Basilica to the Sacred Heart, like that of the * National Vow’ of the French. The Basilica of Belgium is to be one of thanksgiving for the many benefits the country has received from God during the seventy-five years of its independence. The site of the basilica is a commanding one, on the Plateau of Kakclbcrg, and work lias already commenced. A temporary chapel has been built for pilgrims and to serve the parish while the foundations of the great church arc being laid. The archconfraternity of the basilica, which has the work in hand already counts 80,000 members, so spontaneous hits been the response to this grand idea. CHINA BRAVE HEED BY A CATHOLIC PRIEST. The following episode In connection with the ‘White Wolf’ brigands is related in a letter from Anking. After alluding to the great worry and extra work entailed By the brigands, the writer says: — ‘One of my offices was looted and burned down by the ‘ White Wolf’ gang, ’the clerk's son shot, and his wife and seven-year-old daughter carried away by the robbers. The clerk was wounded, and after being almost stripped to the skin, owed his life to the heroic intervention of the French Catholic priest, Father Gilbert, who stepped in between the clerk and the robbers (who were about to shoot him) and begged them not to kill an innocent and defenceless man, but if they must kill some one, then kill him—the Father. That’s the stuff the Catholic Fathers are made of. The robbers were so unpressed with the bravery of the. Driest, that they let the clerk go.’ It was the same Father Gilbert (remarks the y.C. 'Daily Xcirs) who, at Liuanchow, made his way back to the convent, through the bandits, to see if he could help the aged Father Rich, who had been left alone, while his comrades were taken before ‘White Wolf.’ Truly, as the writer quoted above says, such deeds ‘should be written up in letters of gold.’ DENMARK DECORATED BY THE KING. ■ Monsignor von Euch, Vicar-Apostolic of Denmark,' who has done such wonders for the faith in that country during his long sojourn of fifty years, was recently honored by the King. His Majesty sent Prince Waldcmar, his nephew, to the residence of Monsignor von Euch to ask his acceptance of the decoration and title of the Order of Dauncbro. Monsignor von Euch accepted the decoration, not, as he said, for his own gratification, but as an honor to the Church, of which he is the representative and which has inspired his work. The courteous action of their sovereign has given great pleasure to the Catholics of Denmark, who have had an uphill fight against prejudice and bigotry, but arc now coming into their own, thanks largely to their devoted Vicar-Apostolic. ITALY MONUMENT TO DON BOSCO. The Town Council of Turin has voted .£BOO towards the erection of a monument to Don Bosco in that city. The monument is to be unveiled on August 16, 1915, when the centenary of his birth will be kept. The cost of the undertaking, which the Socialists have opposed in vain, will be X 12,000, and it is being borne by the alumni of the Salesian Institutes the world over. The site is in front of the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, begun by Don Bosco in the Piazza of that name when he had but sixpence in his pocket.

INDIA . AN IRISH NUN HONORED. Loreto Convent, Shillong, was the scene of a simple, pleasant ceremony a few weeks ago, when Sir Archdalc Earle, Chief Commissioner of Assam, presented Mother Mary Mcchtilda, the Superioress, with the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal, awarded by the King for public service in India. The proceedings opened with the fine old Irish chorus, ‘God save all here’ — a delicate tribute to the green isle of Erin from which Mother Mary Mcchtilda sailed for India fifty years ago. The address was read by Miss Iris Rees. Sir Archdale Earle then rose and made a short speech appropriate to the occasion, lie gave a brief summary of Mother McchTUua s fifty years of unremitting labor and sacrifice in the cause of education in India, and of the success which had followed all her efforts, justifying her being singled out for special distinction by tho King-Emperor. After pinning on the medal, Sir Archdale Earle congratulated the recipient with kindly affection, and hoped that for many years to come she might wear the honor among her friends in Assam. The strains of the National Anthem brought the happy ceremony to a close. ROME NEWLY-DISCOVERED CATACOMBS. When his Eminence Cardinal O’Connell was in Rome last year one of the places he visited was the newly-discovered catacomb ten miles distant from Rome on the Via Latina, known as the Tusculan Catacombs ‘ad Decimum.’ Strange to say, a recent number of tho ().<.<rrra/nre Humana contains an account of recent discoveries in this catacomb which seem to establish that it was founded at an earlier period than was at first imagined— the third century instead of the fourth. Most interesting inscriptions have been found in it, one of them recording the name of a certain Faustus, who is described as an " Exorcist ’ —one of the minor orders. Another bears the name of Januarius, who is mentioned as ‘ Deacon.’ A fragment of a marble inscription bears only one word : ‘ Presbyter ’ —Priest. These arc valuable documents which show that the various grades of the sacerdotal order were in existence in this little country village, whose dead were placed to rest in this simple catacomb, between the third and fourth centuries of the Christian era. UNITED STATES WINDFALL FOR CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY. The Catholic University of America at Washington will receive the greater part of tho estate of a million dollars left by Tlicodoro B. Basselin, of Croghan, N.Y. lie makes a request that a hall to cost one hundred thousand dollars be erected in connection with the university, and that his name lie suitably recognised by the institution. The object, of his bequest is stated in his will to be the specially fitting and educating worthy, talented young men who are studying for the priesthood, to be selected by the board of trustees from Catholic seminaries and institutions of learning wherever situated, their education and learning to be free of charge for a period of three years. He gives 25,000 dollars for a parochial school at Croghan, and 100,000 dollars is put in.trust for many years for its maintenance.