The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 28 January 1915, Page 55

The Catholic World

ENGLAND

AN ACT OF COURTESY.

An unusual incident was witnessed at the Town Hall, Camberwell, England, on the occasion of the election of a new mayor of the borough for the ensuing twelve months. The retiring mayor, Councillor Newton Knight, who has been instrumental in securing accommodation in the municipal buildings of the borough for a large number of Belgian refugee families, mentioned that Father Inez, a Redemptorist who had spent'many days in the trenches with the brave Belgian soldiers in the defence of their country, was in the precincts of the Town Hall. By a unanimous vote the council invited Father Inez to occupy the seat of honor on the mayor’s dais, and as his tall, commanding figure entered the chamber he was greeted with resounding cheers. Father Inez, who was apparently deeply moved by the heartiness of the reception, thanked the councillors in French for the generous way in which they had treated his fellow-countrymen and women, who had been forced to leave their homes and th/’ir beloved country owing to the cruelty of the enemy. The kindness of the English people in the hour of need would never be forgotten by his fellow-countrymen.

A MAYORAL VISIT

The unusual occurrence of a slate visit being paid to a Catholic church by a newly-elected Protestant mayor was witnessed at St. Patrick’s, Oldham, Lancashire, recently. The Town Council does not possess a single Catholic, nevertheless Councillor William Lees and Mrs. Lees (mayor and mayoress) were accompanied by several members. Great interest centred in the visit, and the route to the church was thronged with people, whilst the church was crowded. The congregation included a number of wounded Belgian and British soldiers from the Royal infirmary. Canon O’Callaghan, the pastor, welcomed the visitors.

UNITED STATES

THE HIERARCHY.

After Italy, the United States has now the largest hierarchy in the Catholic world, with 101 archdioceses and dioceses. The pontificate of Pius N. will be remembered for the increase in the hierarchy. In eleven years he added to the Church 20 archiepiscopal sees, 55 episcopal sees, six abbeys and prclaturcs, and over four vicariates apostolic, which implies an increase of nearly 10 per cent, (says the New York Catholic Inr*). In Italy alone a few dioceses have been united with others —hut in Italy there are 274 bishops for a Catholic population of 34,000,000, and a- great many of their dioceses are not only hopelessly poor, but have no chance of development. There is an extraordinary variation between the limits of diocesan population ; at the one extreme you have half a dozen dioceses, each with a Catholic population of between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 : at the other you have more than a score of dioceses containing each only from 5000 to 10,000 Catholics. Perhaps the least populous is the archdiocese of Naxos, where Monsignor Brindisi rules over 350 Catholics all told. The same disparity exists between the hierarchies of different countries. Italy, for 34,000,000 has 274 dioceses; Spain, for 20,000,000 has only 57 sees; Germany, for 22,000,000 has only 57 sees; and Belgium, for 8,000,000 has only six sees. It is interesting to note that after Italy the United States has now the largest hierarchy in the Catholic world, with 101 archdioceses and dioceses.

A GENEROUS BENEFACTOR.

By his will Mr. Denis Hession, who died recently fit Humboldt, la, bequeathed $45,000 for a memorial

church at Humboldt, $20,000 for a parochial school, $6500 for a pastoral residence, and $35,000 for the maintenance of the school—a total of . $106,500 for religious and educational purposes in. his home community. In addition to this, he left a number of other bequests for worthy purposes. There are very few Catholics .in the locality. Mr. Hession was the .last of his family, his wife and daughter, who were converts to the faith, dying several years ago. •

GENERAL

THE CHURCH IN NORWAY

The attitude of Norway toward the Catholic Church has undergone a ©marked change ' within recent years. A century ago no Catholic priest was permitted to remain in the country. Now, Catholics are allowed full liberty of conscience, and many Catholic schools have been founded by Bishop Fallize. These schools are entirely under Ins control, no government inspector having any authority over them. Catholic parents are exempt from the public school tax, and arc expected to support their own schools only.

STUDENTS IN ECCLESIASTICAL COLLEGES. The sad conditions created at some of the ecclesias-

Leal colleges of Rome, and which arc undoubtedly calculated to grieve the heart of the Sovereign Pontiff, were forcibly suggested on the resumption of studies by the empty benches in these colleges. In the German-

1 Hungarian College the number of students attending the classes was 135 : the present number is 105. About

) were called home, but 45 others were sent to take

their places in Rome. The usual number attending the French College before the war was 120 : the present number is 12. Some of these have been killed at the

front. In the Belgian College the usual number in

attendance was 30 students: the present number is

throe. It is thought that these are not actually engaged

in warfare, but that they cannot return to Rome.

Their Rector is a prisoner in the hands of the Gormans.