PEOPLE WE HEAR ABOUT

New Zealand Tablet, 17 July 1919, Page 42

PEOPLE WE HEAR ABOUT

J; ,c< New York has • just lost one of its -leading-" philanthropists through the death of Countess Leary, a Catholic i£ lady :i who spent her .fortune; in i founding 1 a home for Irish emigrants, and who in later life did valuable work f in i preventing the leakage of Italian immigrants from the old faith. oik &shis*rid »»ii iud .:'• :■:■. : .' ' ' a. >m

sai Captain Edward V. : Rickenbacker, the celebrated American 1 : aviator, who destroyed 28 enemy machines,' is a,Catholic, and hails from Columbus; Ohio. When he visited the House of Representatives at Washington recently his presence became known, : and every member rose: and cheered for a full '-minute'. - ' ' •'' : " ; --.r

**J The Hon.- J. D. Ryan, of St. John's, Newfoundland, who has' just been made a Knight Commander of St. " Gregory by the Pope in''"recognition' of his services to Catholic education, is an Irishman who has found fame and fortune in' Newfoundland and who is a life member ''of the Government there.

", Mr. Alfred Percival Graves, who has just resigned the presidency of the Irish Literary Society in London, is an Irish litterateur whose. authorship of Father O'Flynn has given him world-wide celebrity. Mr. Graves is not a.Catholic, but nevertheless his song shows his intimate sympathy with .the spirit of his race.

~ Father Edward Myers, M.A., recently appointed President of St. Edmund's College, Old Hall, Ware, has been made an honorary Canon of Westminster Cathedral. The new canon is 44 years of age, and was. born at York. Educated at St. Edmund's, Ware, he : was ordained 17. years ago. He is the translator of Pere Lagrange's, historical criticism of the Old Testament, and has written some books.

.-. The Hon. J. A. Lyons, leader of the Tasmanian Labor: Party, is a Catholic. • He was born at Stanley (Tasmania) .40 years ago,, where he commenced his career as.a State school teacher. He resigned from the Education. Department in 1909, in order to contest in the interests of Labor for the' Wilmot seat; this electorate, being - mostly a farmers' district. He was successful, and his popularity in the constituency has been such that he has always topped the poll since.

.The < Irish-American delegates, three in number, who were.entrusted with the statement of Irish rights, as interpreted by Irishmen in America, are men of marked ..distinction. Mr Frank Walsh was formerly chairman of the Federal Commission on Industrial Relations, and a member of the National War Labor Board. Mr. Edward Dunne t has been, judge of the Circuity. Court of Chicago, Mayor of Chicago, and ; Governor of Illinois. Mr. Ryan was formerly : city solicitor of Philadelphia. • , ;i ...

-General Pau, who.passed through British Columbia recently, in ' the course of conversation with members of .the Catholic clergy, one of the latter said: "General Pau .in a few 'patriotic' sermons during the war, I mentioned your name and the names of Marshal Foch, General Petain. General do Castelnau, as staunch Catholics.": Said the veteran : "If you were under my command I would simply give you eight days in barracks. Why, did you not put forward the names of Generals Faville, Gary, Franchet d'Esperey, d'Amade, Mangin, Gouraud, and scores of others?'' _

Rev. Francis Delaney, formerly of St. Mary's, The Mount, Walsall, Staffordshire, who died lately, was evidently, as an odd Catholic priest here and there may be, a man. of private means. In the return of his estate,* £6675, it is noted ; that he bequeathed his pictures -and other household effects - "to keep the-poor school children of his parish in food during the winter. He asked that his funeral should be simple, and said that he desired '/the prayers \ and not the praises of the people. Loyalty- to my successor will be the best proof of their Catholic training."