The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 19 November 1914, Page 55

The Catholic World

•77.7-. r china , ; ,7'7 A FOLLOWER OF DAMIEN. •. ~ The world which gratefully canonised Damien as the modern martyr of charity, knows too little of Damien’s'heroic successors. An American, the Rev. L. L. Conrardy, priest and physician, is now caring for the spiritual and physical wants of nearly seven hundred Chinese lepers in the Kwantung settlement in China. As they come to him, most of the patients are truly the outcasts of the world. Until they embrace Christianity,’ writes the venerable missionary, now in his seventy-fourth year, ‘ these poor people seem to be fourfifths animal and one-fifth human. For the support of the colony, the Government allows the munificent sum of four and a-half cents daily for each leper. Father Conrardy is assisted in his heroic work by two priests, one a Frenchman, the other a Chinese, and by five Sisters, one of whom is a native. Were it not for the fact that these priests and Sisters cheerfully give their services without remuneration, it would be quite impossible to maintain the colony upon the pittance granted by the Government. ENGLAND CARDINAL AND NONCONFORMIST LEADER. In . the course of an address at the City Temple, London, a few Sundays ago, the Rev. R. J. Campbell said that he recently had a conversation on The subject of war with Cardinal Merry del Val. They were talking of the desirability of bringing the Christian forces of the world to bear upon the question of the reduction of armaments, and the substitution of arbitration for the sword in the se.tlement of international disputes between civilised Powers. The Cardinal cordially agreed that that was. a worthy object of Christian action, but reminded' him that the Catholic Church could not admit, and never had admitted, that all war was of necessity anti-Christian. Would any man in that congregation remain passive while women and children were tortured and murdered by savage assailants ? ‘FOR PEACE AND FOR THE DEAD.’ ■ ‘ To pray for peace and for the dead ’ was the object of a solemn procession to Westminster Cathedral which was made on the afternoon of Sunday last (the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows), under the auspices of the Guild of Our Lady of Ransom (says the Catholic Times of September 25). Despite the showery weather, about 2000 men and women assembled in Lincoln’s Inn-fields, while Belgian and French, refugees who joined in the demonstration gathered in the-Church of St. Anselm and St. Cecilia, Kingsway. The start was witnessed by a large crowd, who uncovered respectfully as the processionists, reciting the Rosary, commenced their march. Among them were parties of Belgians and French, carrying their national flags. A*.party of Poles carried a banner with the inscription, ‘Poland, 1830-63.’ Male members of the guild bore > the Union Jack and Irish flags,' and the remainder of the procession consisted of about a ; thousand women and girls. Along the Strand and Whitehall hymns to Our Lady were sung. On reaching the Cathedral the procession was reinforced by hundreds of Catholics, and the great edifice was soon filled. The service consisted of prayers for all who are suffering through the war, for the killed, and, finally, for peace. A collection was made for the Belgian Distress Fund. I; FRANCE . • . I DEATH OF A NOTABLE CATHOLIC. - Catholic France loses one of its most faithful sons in'the death, early in October, of Count de Mun. This

distinguished French patriot had been tireless in his work since the war began,’ and it is doubtless to the fatigue of the 1 new labors undertaken by him at the outbreak of the present struggle that his death may bo ascribed. .He died of heart failure -Count de • Mun came of a family notable for service rendered to France. His grandfather, Marquis de Mun, was an official of the great Napoleon. The Count himself fought with distinction in the Franco-Prussiah war, and three of his sons are in the French army at present. • He represented Finistere in the French Chamber of Deputies, and was a constant and consistent opponent of , the atheistic policy of the French Government in recent years. He was at one time Minister of Foreign Affairs. HISTORIC FRENCH SEE. Bossuet’s historic see of Meaux, which has seen some fierce fighting during the terrible European war, is a place of much historic interest to Catholics. It is not far from Paris, in North-eastern France. One of its greatest bishops was the illustrious Bossuet, called from his eloquence and his learning the Eagle of .Meaux. He was Bishop of Meaux from 1681 to 1704. ' The reading of his works made many converts; among the most distinguished - of these converts was the late Ferdinand Brunetiere, the famous critic and editor of the Revue des Deux Maudes. Another great Bishop of Meaux was Pierre de Versailles who, commissioned by King Charles the Seventh of France to examine Joan of Arc, declared himself convinced of the divine mission of the Maid of Orleans. ■ ITALY V % AN ADVANTAGE TO ITALY. , If a press despatch from Milan is true, Italy has taken advantage of the European War to get out of a difficult - position. The despatch says that Italy has cancelled her participation in the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco in 1915 ‘on account of the gravity of the situation.’ Thus does Italy get rid of Nathan, the Italian Commissioner to the Exposition, whose rabid anti-Catholic tirades when he w&s Mayor of Rome made him objectionable as Italy’s, representative at San Francisco. JAPAN SUCCESS OF THE TRAPPISTS. The Trappist Fathers are meeting with success in Japan, where the very people who were most hostile to them on their arrival are now seeking conversion at their hands. As one Catholic family soon wins other souls, the Fathers are in hones that soon a flourishing Christian community may be established in their midst. Many little babies have been secretly baptised before death, and in their heavenly home will surely intercede for the conversion of those dear to them on earth. UNITED STATES * _____ OBSERVANCE OF PEACE SUNDAY. All oyer this country (says the Sacred Heart Review of October 10) last Sunday, in accordance with the proclamation of President Wilson, special attention was given to the subject of peace,' and prayers for peace were offered in churches of all denominations. In the Catholic churches of the land, the fact that last Sunday was the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary gave special significance to the request for peace prayers. His Excellency the Most Rev. John Bonzano, 'D.D., Apostolic Delegate to the United States,.was present at the solemn services held at the College ©f ; the Holy Land, Mt. St. Sepulchre. Last Sunday - was the Feast of St. Francis, and a special observance was made at this well-known'Franciscan institution.