The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 17 August 1916, Page 47

The Catholic World

FRANCE IN MEMORY OF MEMBERS OF THE BAR. A ceremony took place the other day in Paris which, simple though it appeared, was nevertheless filled with hidden meaning and fraught with memories. About fifteen years ago the Sainte Chapelle in Paris that, in former ages, was built by St. Louis, and during many years was used for the solemn annual Mass of the Paris magistrates, was closed by the Government, the altar taken away, and the shrine, built in honor of the Sacred Passion, left bare and empty. A Paris barrister, M. Henri Robert, obtained leave to have a Requiem Mass celebrated in the Sainte Chapelle for the repose of the souls of the four hundred members of the French Bar killed since the beginning of the war. The Cardinal Archbishop was invited to preside and the President of the Republic was present, The Sainte Chapelle was temporarily refurnished for the occasion, but no trappings or hangings could add to the impressiveness of the scene. Through the glorious stained glass windows, the crowning beauty of St. Louis' graceful erection, streamed the sunshine; it lit up a compact group of veiled women, who represented the wives, mothers, and daughters of the dead soldiers. ITALY WAR ORPHANS.It augurs well for the charitable movement started in Italy on behalf of those left orphans by the war that it received its greatest impulse on the 24th of May, when Rome celebrated in such numbers in the Capitol the anniversary of the entrance of the country into the European struggle. In the manifesto issued «n the national movement by the committee the people are reminded that the children of soldiers who have fallen in the war are to be held as the wards of the nation. But, it adds, this is not a mere matter of bread and preparation for a position in life. The children have to be reared as their fathers would have them brought up—viz., as sterling Catholics and patriotic Italians. The flower of the nobility of Italy has joined in the movement, and a glance at the list of names of those composing the committee shows that prominent citizens of Naples, Rome, Florence, Turin, Milan, Bologna, Genoa, Perugia, Venice, Palermo, Catania, Syracuse, and Messina have taken up the good work. REVERENCE FOR THE BLESSED SACRAMENT Of the many examples of extraordinary reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, given in districts occupied by the belligerents in the war, one of the most touching is reported from North Italy (writes a Rome correspondent). As L'Unita Cattolica of Florence guarantees its authenticity, I will let it describe the episode: ' At Torcegno (Valsugana) the parish priest and the chaplain were unexpectedly interned at night time, one after the other; and the hamlet itself by order of the military authority was to be evacuated by the few inhabitants who remained after continual alarms. But the Blessed Sacrament was still in the church, and the good people, without a priest and with out a hope of one, felt troubled as to what to do, not wishing to leave It behind. What course did that pious population, composed of folk of simple faith, adopt? The ingenious and touching way in which provision was made for the consumption of the Sacred Species brings us back to the glorious days of the first three centuries of the Church. Taking a well-instructed child of six years of age, the good people thronged to the church on the following Sunday. "Silence and an

unusual commotion, mixed with the anxiety of expectation, reigned. Suddenly an angelic-looking boy dressed in white appeared and directed his steps to the altar. All eyes were directed towards him. A voice began the "Confiteor," and all the people recited it devoutly, not without tears and sobs. The child ascends the altar. lie opens the Tabernacle. And oh! solemn moment! he takes out the Ciborium. And this new Tarsicius, this improvised deacon, turns to the rails and distributes Holy Communion to the people, or rather to all those that considered themselves to be in the state of grace. Since the Sacred Particles were numerous, the faithful, in order to consume them all, had each to partake of Them ten or twelve times.' ROME THE FEAST OF A MARTYR. Because of the practical benefit that will result from it (writes a Rome correspondent), the celebration of the anniversary of the foundation of Collegium Tharsicii,' or the Pious Union of Roman Youths who honor St. Tarsicius, the boy of thirteen martyred in the Appian Way, is not to bo counted the least of the anniversaries celebrated this year in Rome. From the pages of Allard and of Wiseman we all remember the circumstances attending the death of the boy of thirteen in A.D. 257 in defence of the Blessed Eucharist, which, as acolyte, he was bearing from the Catacomb of St. Callixtus to the Christians condemned to death within the city walls. This was the office of the Deacons, but those of the day were known to the Government spies ; hence the need under which the Pope felt of consigning to young Tarsicius the precious Burden. On Sunday, May 28, the tenth anniversary of the founding of the 'Collegium Tharsicii" by Don Virgilio Vascelli, a zealous Roman priest, was kept. Rarely has an anniversary been celebrated under more realistic circumstances. In the depths of the Catacomb of St. Callixtus the boys met to hear Mass, said by Don Virgilio Vascelli, and to receive 'Holy Communion from his hands. Then through the narrow passages the Blessed Sacrament was borne in procession to the ancient oratory in the catacomb, where, according to most recent studies of the archaeologists, the body of St. Tarsicius was buried beside that of Pope Zephyrinus when the bruised remains were carried in off the Appian Way. And there the Blessed Sacrament was exposed until evening, the boys watching before It, Then over the Trappists' garden, which covers the Catacomb of St. Callixtus, the boys marched in processional order, Cardinal Serafini, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda, carrying the Sacred Burden for which ..St. Tarsicius, 1659 years ago, died a few yards from the spot on which the procession walked. UNITED STATES CATHOLIC UNIVERSITIES. At the beginning of this year, 1916, the greater Catholic Universities in the United States stood as follows: Catholic Universitylnstructors, 80 ; students, 600; library, 90,000 vols. Georgetown University—lnstructors, 203; students, 1632; library, 155,000 vols. Fordham University—lnstructors, 180 ; students, 1627; library, 71,200 vols. St. Louis Uni—lnstructors, 261 ; students, 1544; library, 76,121 vols. Loyola University, Chicagolnstructors' 127; students, 1432; library, 64,000 vols. Notre Dame Universitylnstructors, 85; students, 1100; . library, 85,000 vols. Creighton University—'instructors, 150; students, 1211; library, 49,000 vols.