The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 21 January 1915, Page 55

The Catholic World

CHINA

NATIVE PRIESTS.

Many persons will doubtless be surprised to learn that, according to the latest Catholic census for China, there are no fewer than 746 native priests laboring side by side with European missionaries.

ENGLAND

BACK FROM BELGIUM

The Mother House of the Sisters of Notre Dame, a-s Catholics generally know, is at Namur, and since the invasion of Belgium and the fall of Namur, the friends of the Notre Dame Sisters have experienced much anxiety regarding the convent which is the headquarters of the Order (says the Olusyow Observer). This anxiety was deepened by the fact that when war broke out it was known that the Notre Dame community at Namur included many Sisters of British nationality, including a few novices from Glasgow and a greater number of Sisters from Glasgow and from various parts of England, who had gone to the Mother House to make their profession. Apparently at the entreaty of the Bishop of Namur, the German authorities there gave passports to a. party of ten British Sisters, residing at the Notre Dame Convent in Namur, allowing them to leave Belgium. The Convent of Namur, as is well known, became on the outbreak of the war a great nursing centre, and no doubt the nursing work done by the Sisters commended them to the special consideration of the German commanders.

EN VO TO THE VATICAN

On first reading the press report that Britain had sent a special mission to the Pore, one felt inclined to doubt the truth of it. But now (says the (,'bisyoir Observer) it appears t lie report is founded on fact. Sir Henry Howard, K.C.M.G., K.C.8., late British Minister to the Netherlands and to Luxembourg, has, according to a cable message from Rome, been appointed on a ‘ special mission ’ from Britain to the Holy See. Whether it is merely to congratulate Benedict XV. on his elevation to the Chair of Peter, or for some wider negotiations, is not at present quite clear. But, as the Loudon Tablet points out, two of the three Powers with whom Britain is at war (Austria and Prussia) have permanent Ministers at the Vatican, who ‘ are able to place their views officially and continuously before the Holy See.’ Millions of the Pope’s spiritual children, are fighting on the same side as Britain, and anyone can see the advantage that would accrue from having the views of the British side placed before one whose influence and voice in the final settlement of war issues is bound to be considerable. Time was when such an act on the part of the British Government would have been a simple impossibility; but war changes things. Would that the French Government took a leaf out of the book of Protestant England! Thus would they interpret aright the sentiments of the overwhelming mass of" the French people who are so nobly giving tbcir sons to fight the cause of French liberty and independence.

RUSSIA

RECEPTION OF REPRESENTATIVE AT THE VATICAN.

The and Minister Plenipotentiary of Russia to the Holy See has presented his new letters of office to the Holy Father. The reception took place in the Throne Room, where the Holy Father, surrounded by bis Court, received the Minister When presenting his letters, his Excellency Signor Nelidow, the Minister, tendered to the Holy Father the sincere greetings of the Russian Emperor and his Government

on his elevation ,to the Papal Throne. The reply of the Holy Father was brief and practical. lie warmly thanked the Minister for the greetings so kindly expressed. After the official reception his Holiness conducted the .Minister to his own private room,- where they remained in conversation for a long time. ; '

ROME

THE REVISION OF THE VULGATE

The work on the revision of the Vulgate has been seriously impeded by the present war in Europe. His Eminence Cardinal Gasquet, who is in charge of the work, has been unable to secure help in several of the countries now at war, and must wait until peace once more is restored.

SCOTLAND

THE WORK OF THE JESUITS.

The history of the Jesuit Fathers in Scotland provides some of the most thrilling stories of the past. The present foundations of the Society were laid in .1859, when (he late Father Parkinson, S.J., came, at the bidding of Bishop Murdoch, to enter upon missionary and educational work in the city of St. Mungo. Prior to that, however, there were many Jesuits engaged in the lawless work of propagating Catholicism in Scotland. One paid the death penalty in Glasgow, but those who have been able to consult Brother Foley’s An mi Is of the Society will find many narratives of the most interesting character, which show the risks that these worthy men ran. There were over thirty well-known members of the society engaged in ' the dangerous mission ’ in Scotland prior to 1801 —• Leslies and Grants, Setons and Livingstones, Buchans and Gordons, Maxwells and McLeods, Moffat’s and Strachans, not to.mention the great Ogilvie. . After the restoration of the Society in 1814 there was only one Jesuit alive in Scotland to renew his vows, arid this was Father John Pepper, then chaplain at Terregles. Now the Fathers have their old establishment .at St. Joseph’s, and their houses at Edinburgh and Dalkeith. They have also their magnificent college of St. Aloysius, Garnethill, where students are trained to such purpose that they are already flooding Glasgow Univers:ty and carrying off the choicest plums in the way of rich scholarships and exhibitions. When the present Archbishop of Glasgow (an old St. Aloysius’ boy) attended the University there were not many Catholic students. Now there are Catholics enough to form a fairly large sodality and a club of their own.

GENERAL

THE SOCIETY OF JESUS.

When the last mail left Homo the heads of the Jesuit Houses in the English Province were about to meet for the purpose of selecting their deputies to attend the General Congregation of the Society for the election of a Father-General in succession to Father Wernz, whose death synchronised with that of Pope Pins X. The General Congregation for this purpose is usually held in Rome, or wherever the Pope may appoint, but a representative of the Universe was informed that on this occasion the Congregation will perhaps be held in Spain, owing to the difficulty that would probably be experienced in holding it in Rome. The French Provincial, who would have been entitled to attend, has been killed in the war. He was serving as a sergeant in one of the French regiments.