The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 12 October 1916, Page 53

The Catholic World

ENGLAND BRETON BENEDICTINES. A picturesque chapter is endedperhaps only for a timeby the announcement that Caemaria Abbey at Llechryd, near Cardigan, is about to close, owing to the large proportion of the community that has been called away to join the French army. There were ten choir monks as well as the Abbot and Prior at the monastery, and there were also lay Brothers. They belonged to the Benedictine Order, and were all Bretons. Their presence in Cardiganshire was due to a remarkable movement which arose in Brittany some years ago, having for its object the conversion of Wales. The Bretons are pious Catholics, and they have a peculiar affection for the Welsh, to whom they are kin in blood and language. Breton priests accordingly went over and established one or two missions, and eventually the more ambitious project was realised of the monastery at Caemaria, dedicated to our Lady of Cardigan and St. David. One of the pioneers of the movement was a young Breton cleric who started a small church at Llanrwyst, where he used to preach in Welsh, and even published a magazine in the language. He was one of the first to be called to the colors, and now the Caemaria community is also scattered. FRANCE CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE. An important action has been taken by the French Government, atheistic though it is, against the traducers of the clergy and the Catholics of France, who have won golden opinions from everyone except the infidels, by their splendid response to the call of patriotism. General Rocques, Minister of War, has addressed the following despatch to the generals commanding the various military regions, into which France, is at present divided:— The attention of the Government has been drawn to a campaign of calumnies, led from a social or religious point of view, against certain categories of Frenchmen by bad citizens, who thus make themselves the conscious or sub-conscious agents of our enemies. These attacks, mostly isolated, should be strongly repressed, and rt is important to seek actively, and not to hesitate to give up to justice, those who attempt by this means to make trouble in the country. I ask you, therefore, to give your support to those of the subordinate authorities who act in this matter, and to send an account of all incidents which have occurred, proposing such measures- as you deem necessary to crush them.’ This action has given great satisfaction in Catholic circles; and we may expect to hear the last of the accusation of cowardice against the priests and Catholic young men of good families. THE RECENT DEPORTATIONS. In connection with the recent deportations of French children to Germany, Mgr. Charost, Bishop of Lille, protested to his Holiness the Pope in a forcible document, in which he said : — ( ]\ly religious mission charges me to defend, respectfully but vigorously, that international right that war cannot infringe and that eternal morality that can never be in abeyance. It lays on me the obligation to protect the weak and unarmed who are my family, whose burdens and griefs are mine. . . . To break up families by snatching youths and young girls from their homes is not war but torture, the worst of tortures, indefinite moral torture. To infraction of family rights' is added infraction of the most sacred demands of morality. Morality is exposed to dangers, the sight of which alone revolts every honest man, by the promiscuity that is a necessary complement of carrying off masses of people and mixing the sexes or, at any rate, mingling people of very different moral calibre. . ~ . We have suffered much during the last twenty months, but nothing com-

parable to this calamity, which is as much undeserved as it is cruel, and which has produced throughout France an impression that will never be forgotten.’ ROME THE NEW GENERAL OF THE DOMINICANS. The name of the new Master-General of the Dominicans, Father Theisseling, was not unexpected in Rome (writes the Rome correspondent of the Tablet). Although, it is true, no one has been willing to venture on prophecy during the last week or two, among the Rev. Fathers mentioned as ‘ possibilities,’ Father Theisseling was—if one may use these expressions—the ‘ favorite,’ coming from a neutral nation, and having such an extensive and intimate knowledge of the affairs of the Order of Friars Preachers. Such as have visited the old rooms of,the Prior of San Clemente, the home of the Irish Dominicans in Rome, would, if they saw them now, find a change in the far corner of the big room on the second floor. With the joining in of another room an apartment has been arranged, with chapel adjoining,, for Father Cormier, the retiring General, who has a special affection for the old housed and has chosen it for his residence. ’ POPE LEO XIII.’S REMAINS. Those who stood on the Pincian Hill on Sunday evening last week to enjoy the cooling breeze and watch the last rays of the sun go down behind St. Peter’s had ample food for reflection, for in the greatest temple the world has ever seen another scene was enacted in the history of the great Pontiff Leo XIII., when the last remains of the dead Pope were removed from their provisory resting place to another, because in that niche is to be erected the monument which the Commission of Cardinals has decided to set up in memory of Pius X. (says the Rome correspondent of the Catholic Times, under date August 5). And especially for those who took part in it the scene must have been a solemn one; for who, walking in the mausoleum of the Popes in the dusk of evening, has not experienced the mysticism of the things around him Those who officiated at the ceremony were his Eminence Cardinal Merry del Val, Archpriest of the Basilica; Mgr. Bisogno, Dean of the Chapter; Mgr. Greco, master of ceremonies, and Mgr. Cascioli, Chancellor of the Basilica. The coffin containing the body of the Pope was taken down and sprinkled with holy water by the Dean of the Basilica and then transported to its new niche, where it was closed with an artistic covering of gilt metal on which is inscribed: ‘ Leo Papa XIII. The ‘De Profundis’ was recited during the ceremony. The last remains of Leo XIII. rest even now in but a temporary tomb, for it was the express wish of the Pontiff to be buried in St. John Lateran, the Mother of Churches. May the day be soon at hand when this will be accomplished, and justice will have been done to one of our great Popes.