Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, 8 February 1917, Page 21

Current Topics

A Timely Warning ■ - . - J ‘ Read, and reread the catechism for your own enlightenment and sanctification.’ 1 In a recent dis- ■ course to an immense audience America’s greatest - orator, Archbishop Ireland, could think • of no better piece of advice than this, and he illustrated his point ■ by a very apt reference to an experience of Cardinal Newman’s. Newman, whilst still an Anglican, met three Anglican parsons who told him how, having taken as their guide in a recent tour through the mountainous districts of the West of Ireland, a boy fourteen years of age, they had not resisted the temptation to heckle him on his Catholic faith. - The boy’s only answer was: ‘I tell you what my catechism tells me, and the teaching of the catechism is the teaching of the Catholic Church.’ Happily the travellers were intelligent enough to see and open enough to confess that the quotations from the catechism met their objections and opened up to them new mental visions. The Dangers of the Picture Shows Despite the official censorship of pictures which our Catholic Federation is to be thanked most warmly—we are not sure that all our picture theatres are quite free from suggestive and dangerous films. These films come frorii England and America for the most part, and in both these countries it were much to be desired that a higher standard of decency should prevail. The young especially are the sufferers. The Home Secretary (according to the Month), in view of the startling increase of juvenile crime,—charges for punishable offences have grown by nearly a thousand, comparing the records of 17 large English towns during last December, January, and February with the corresponding previous period —has announced that the whole question of the censorship of films is under consideration, much of the youthful depravity being traceable to these performances. ‘ A census taken lately in Birmingham disclosed the fact that from eleven to twelve thousand children attended in one afternoon some 24 picture palaces. In eleven cases the programme included films of murders and stabbings, in twelve 'cases robberies and burglaries, and three dealt with illicit sex-relationships.’ The Governor of a Michigan Statl* Prison recently complained that it was a hard job to get moving picture films clean enough to show to his convicts. Things are not so bad in New Zealand as elsewhere, but there is room for improvement, and the censor should know that in his efforts to purify the cinematograph he has the sympathy and support of all decent-minded people. The innocent need to be protected, and Catholics especially, remembering how much good Christian principles and influences have done in the past, will second with all their might the efforts of the State in this direction. Progress of the Church in Australasia It is refreshing at times to leave the narrow valley and climbing some lofty hill drink in the wide expanse of the mountain and dale, sea and plain. It is inspiring also to forget for a moment the petty round of - one’s own life and to take a broad view of the world. The recently published statistics, of the Church in Australasia unfold a tale of continued progress that should bring joy and courage to the most despondent. In Australia itself there are 1731 churches, ministered to by 857 secular and 285 regular priests. Three ecclesiastical seminaries train candidates for the priesthood. Higher education is provided for Catholic children in 37 boys’ colleges, 183 boarding schools for \ girls and 177 superior day schools, whilst 918 schools - ’ are used for the primary education of no fewer than 138,335 pupils. This magnificent work of education is carried on by 570 religious Brothers and 6240 nuns. Charitable institutions of every conceivable kind number no less than 101. The Catholic population stands

at 924,627. Turning to - New Zealand, we- find : the ■ :■ -••••:.••- ~ . . :-■ - °. ■■ . . - ..:::■ . ~.... , . /.;... . - '. ~ , . , ■ figures equally impressive in proportion; to the ’population of the country. - The 141,500. Catholics of the Dominion possess 349 churches, in- which the never-end-ing sacrifice of: Calvary is : renewed by 135 secular and 104 regular priests. .Educational and, charitable work is placed in the skilful and highly successful hands of 67 religious Brothers and 1126 nuns. The number of aspirants to the priesthood in • our two ecclesiastical seminaries runs up as high as 87. There are 4 colleges, for boys, 22 for girls, 37 superior day schools, and 140 primary schools, the total number of children who receive a full Christian education being 17,311. Fifteen charitable institutions, kept going by the generosity of priests and people and by the unselfish devotion of, many Sisters, include such useful institutions as orphanages, homes for the aged poor, Magdalen asylum, industrial and preservation schools for girls, industrial school for boys, homes for incurables, and hospitals. * In view of these figures who can doubt that God’s rich blessings have fallen on the Church in Australasia ? It has been blessed in the cruel misgovernment which drove so many thousand Irishmen and Irishwomen from their own dear country into exile., O felix culpa!. It has been specially blessed in that happy bond of charity .and unity, which is the characteristic of the true Church, and—shall we not say it too?in the bitter prejudices which have helped to' keep it awake. Religious Vocations It is the privilege and glory of the Catholic Church, with the fame of whose mighty influence the world is filled to-day, to have been the first to understand woman’s right to the highest education, to provide for her the opportunities of obtaining it, and, apart from a perfectly negligible number, to be the only religious society to press into her service thousands upon thousands of young men and women for numberless and ceaseless works of education and mercy. We Catholics whose ancestors in the faith first uplifted to the eyes of the world Mary,' the Woman, who have ever been the foremost in proclaiming the infinite worth of chastity, the mother-virtue of womanhood, we naturally feel a thrill of joy when we behold the Church throwing wide open the doors of educational and charitable work not only to men but also to those fair maiden souls that are drawn to God by the love of truth and goodness and beauty. - Men and women enter religious communities for different reasons. Experiences are endless, and yet the fact that all find happiness in the state of their choice confirms the regularity of their entrance into religion. On being questioned, some can only say they entered because they wished to give themselves to God in the most perfect service they could offer Him. Long, serious, and vexed considerations, novenas, retreats, puzzled spiritual directors, changes of purpose, earthly ambitions and spiritual attractions, with accompanying worry of soul and even moments of desperation, blaze the paths of others until enlightenment comes and a peace beyond words floods the heart of the novice. Some have had the experience of the poet in the Hound of Heaven ‘For, though I knew His love Who followed, Yet was I sore adread Lest, having Him, I must have naught beside.’ Yet it was impossible to escape ‘ from those strong Feet that followed, followed after ’ : ‘ fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue’; and the harassed soul found in the end that what their Heavenly Master took from it was taken, ‘ Not for thy harms, But just that thou might’st seek it in My arms. All which thy child’s mistake Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home: Rise, clasp My hand, and come!’

~ . . . TT - n j Centuries ago the Maker of hearts, as He walked the golden sea-shore . and preached amidst the busy haunts of men, threw out this invitation, ‘ Whosoever will be perfect let him leave all and come and follow Me.’ It was a very general invitation, but in practice we know that, as He Himself explained, all take not the word All do not receive the grace. And grace in this connection means inclination, desire, ; joy, and happiness, a clear light'to estimate the value of hard poverty, complete obedience and austere celibacy for His sake. It speaks of greater love and greater security. Thus we can say that ‘ a religious vocation is a great grace, a concentration of the best graces, of the brightest mental illuminations and heart-yearning aspirations. “ The word “come” is heard that thrills and fascinates. It is faith and hope and love superabounding. It may be pain and even anguish to old. attach- . ments not yet dead and even rivals in their attractions. Still it is a grace that wins the heart and is not merely conscience making one a victim to a sense of duty. Thus a religious vocation is an individual experience as all graces are, and is easily distinguishable from sentimental emotions, natural generosity, or neurotic impulses; it is a direct communication from the spirit Who breathes where He wills.’ The emotions of the .candidate-for the priesthood, a religious Brotherhood or Sisterhood are one thing; the life, duties, and services of these states are another. The latter is the test. The touchstone of sane thoughts and noble emotions is the object in which they centre. A religious is noble in spirit because of life’s noble object: life for fellow-men and for God. Vocation indeed means a call, but it is the call of God coming from the orphan, the sick, the old, the poor, the child’s budding soul—frequently from the benighted savage in a remote land or more often in the diocese, at home. It is a call, too, from the Master to imitate Him in personal holiness of life and self-sacrifice, in view of the hundred-fold reward and even to win the special crown of the religious teacher or martyr. B 4m We may surely regard it as the most favorable of omens for the future of the Church in this young country that vocations to the*priesthood and to religious communities are so plentiful. The latest statistics inform us that sixty-seven religious Brothers and one thousand one hundred and twenty-six Sisters spend their sweet lives in God’s service. What a noble army ! Honors do not come their way at presentthey do not _look for any— at the end of the march the rollcall will be read out and the King’s right hand will pin on their breasts the cross of unfading glory. The * Anglo-Saxon ’ States To many readers of the daily papers one of the standing puzzles of the war has been the attitude of the United States of America. The headlines and editorial columns of our newspapers have insisted so much in days past of the Anglo-Saxon origin of Americans and of America’s debt to England, that careless readers and perhaps editors themselves by dint of repetition have come to think of the United States as an England beyond the seas. Dr. Austin O’Malley, a very distinguished writer of Philadelphia, has recently been throwing some light on the subject in the December number of Studies. ‘ A few English of the New England States and the old southern States did influence our foundations, but the French Revolution influenced them far more; and the German, Irish, Dutch, and other early settlers Were the material influenced. The War of the Revolution was not Avon by the AngloSaxons. They were the Tories that opposed the Revolution. Major General Robinson, English Commissioner for the exchange of prisoners after the American Revolution, testified in 1779, that Washington’s army consisted of one-half Irish, one-fourth natives, and the rest were Scotch, Germans, and English. In 1850 twelve per cent, of the immigrants here were English in 1910 only six per-cent, were English. In 1910 there were 13,516,000 foreign-born people in the United

States,-and of these only 878,000 were English/ This cannot be a very weighty influence in a population of S 101 millions. * Even in 1850/ continues Dr. O’Malley, ‘ there were four times as: many.lrish <here as English, and many more Germans than Irish We are so slightly Anglo-Saxon that there is scarcely one man of English race among our multi-millionaires, that peculiar American product.’ And if, as there. is excellent reason for believing, it is the moneyed man with his . money-bags that counts .in the making and ending of Avar, we , would be foolish to look for much practical sympathy from that quarter in the States. Curiosities of Literature By way of relief -from the wearisome work of refuting oft-repeated slanders against the Church, Mr. James Britten, of the English Catholic Truth Society, is fond of wandering along the less frequented paths of literary effort, and some months ago presented the readers of the Month with a bouquet of the flowers he had plucked on his way. Apparently there are many thousands of little-known poets who feel driven by some inner necessity to put their feelings into verse: they sing because they must. And having sung their little songs these Impossible Poets insistfor the benefit of their fellow-men, of course,on publishing them. Here then are some of the flowers. , Police Constable George H. Mitchell found that his Ballads in Blue met with a generous reception from the public and accordingly lost no time in getting out a second edition which (as he avers) ‘ has the advantage of being larger than the former and better bound.’ The preface , informs us that ‘ not a few persons have been interested by the fact.that long, spells of prosaic police duty in some of the most squalid districts of the great Metropolis have been unable to subdue the instincts of an aspiring Constable. His own opinion is that this was the very place for developing latent power, and stirring the mind, as it had the advantage of placing one in close touch with human suffering.’ It is not surprising to find Mr. Mitchell praising the work of the ‘ men in blue ’ : ‘ At midnight’s darkest hours, when all the world is hushed in sleep, The fierce garotter prowls around his harvest rich to reap But Robert, with his smarter mind, his eye so bold and bright, Just closes with the savage brute, and puts his hope to flight.’ Mr. John Bradford was slow in publishing. He long cherished ‘a desire to see the scattered bantlings of (his) brain gathered together and housed under the covers of a book, so that (he) might be able, by referring to them, to live over again, in a certain sense, the hours of gaiety and gloom in which they were written.’ The opening lines of the sonnet ‘ To Clare’s Eyebrows ’ illustrate his style; . ‘ Thou art a lucky thing, dark bar of. hair! For it must be a most delightful lot To have a home in such a lovely spot As is the base of Clare’s bright forehead fair.’ The poetical genius,’ Mr. Alfred Macey tells us, ‘ awoke within me on a gusty December afternoon in 1897, and from that day until now it has unceasingly dogged my steps the muddy dock, the train, the shipyard, the wayside, etc.’ It seems to have gone to sleep again on the occasion of the following visit to ' Hexham : ‘ I am staying now in Hexham Just three days a married man, I am rambling now in Hexham Over scenes where once I ran. Oft I’ve thought of thee, dear Hexham, Oft I’ve longed to see thy scenes, Now I’m with thee, bonny -Hexham, And a wife on thy greens.’

The past calls for remembrance, . but it must not. be too close: . Well I mind that day in Hexham Chased by man and dog as well — All my deeds of yore in Hexham Wisdom bids me not to tell.’ ' s. • There are other equally delightful poets and poems, over which one would fain linger, but space is limited and our readers must be content with this present selection. -