THE CATHOLIC WORLD

New Zealand Tablet, 11 November 1920, Page 39

THE CATHOLIC WORLD

CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. - In Bayswater, London, there is a congregation of nuns, established exclusively" for the conversion of the Jews. The founders were the two Fathers Ratisbonne, themselves Jewish converts. Recently, the Rev. Mother of this convent of Notre Dame de Sion, celebrated the golden jubilee of her entrance into religion and Cardinal Bourne honored the occasion with his- presence* The congregation was established in May, 1843, at Paris, under the Patronage of Our Lady of Sion; Pius IX. approved and granted many indulgences to the institute in January, 1847. The Sisters of Our Lady of Sion number over 500 in the various institutes at Paris, Rome, London, Trieste, Vienna, Constantinople, Jerusalem, etc. They are under the spiritual direction of the Priests of Our Lady of Sion, a congregation of secular priests. 'J3 . AUSTIN FRIAR a' SIXTH CENTENARY. The Austin Friars of New Ross, Ireland have just celebrated the 600th anniversary of the establishment of their Order in that town. The church of the Augustinians was the centre of the celebrations, and visitors came in from Waterford, Wexford, and Cork, to take part in the religious ceremonies. The principal religious service of the day was celebrated by thy VicarApostolic of Cooktown, North Queensland, Dr. Heavey, who is himself a member of the Augustinian Order. The Archbishop of Sydney and the Bishop of Ferns were present in the sanctuary. The first foundation of the Austin Friars was made in New Ross in the year 1320, when the head of the Norman family of the Roches, founded the first Augustinian Priory. For 600 years the Augustinian.-, have maintained an unbroken tradition with this foundation of 1320, even during the years of repression, when they were compelled to disguise themselves, and to live in hiding in cabins or in the mountains. THE CATHOLIC MAYOR OF DERBY. The spectacle of the first Catholic Mayor of Derry kneeling in the dust and praising the Most Blessed Sacrament as it was carried in procession was one of the most dramatic incidents of the recent Eucharistic Conference held in that city. The Lord Bishop of Deny was bearing the monstrance in the procession as it left the precincts of the Cathedral. Just as the Bishop stepped on the threshold the spectators were startled to hear a voice loudly welcoming the Blessed Sacrament, to the streets of the city. They saw the form of a grey-haired man kneeling in the street. "I welcome you, dear Lord," he cried, "to the city of Derry, and on behalf of this city, O great God, Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth',' T prostrate myself before Thee. With all the angels and saints, I adore Thee. I acknowledge Thee to be my creator and my sovereign Lord, my first beginning and my last end. I render to Thee the homage of my being and life. I submit myself to Thy holy will, and I devote myself to Thy divine service this day and for ever."' St. Columba's Church, Derry, in which city there was recently a remarkable procession of the Blessed Sacrament, stands on the site of the one erected by the greatest of the Irish-born saints—the Apostle of Scotland. The Church of St. Columba claims the unique honor and glory of being the only one in the English-speaking world where the Holy Mass has been offered without interruption for over ' 1300 years Of St, Columba's disciples over 100 are canonised' and ?S£ 16 buried in the enclosure round about this the 18th church erected upon the original site of the first one Columba is known as the Saint of the Eucharist and the advice he gave to Prince Donald, in the middle of the .sixth century, before Augustine landed on the shores of England, has been the mot d'ordre of his spiritual children of Derry during the centuries

that have elapsed from the day when in far off lona dying at the foot of the altar— bequeathed his soul to Derry. -\ It was during this .wonderful recent procession of the ; Blessed Sacrament the newly-elected and first Catholic Mayor of Derry knelt in the street and made his beautiful profession of Faith in the Most Holy Sacrament. - CATHOLIC SOCIAL GUILD! APPEALS FOR INDUSTRIAL PEACE. Catholic News Service notes from London, under date September 11, says:ln view of the imminence of the coal miners' strikes the President of the Catholic Social Guild of England, Canon Parkinson, and the secretary have issued a public statement on behalf of industrial peace. What we have a right and an obligation to do on the clear ground of Catholic principle statement saysis to warn the disputing parties of the gravity of the evils their actions may entail upon society, and therefore their responsibility to satisfy themselves in conscience that they fulfill the conditions which alone can justify resort to industrial war. The conditions, as outlined by the President of the Catholic Social Guild, are: That first of all every peaceable means of obtaining a settlement must' be tried : and, secondly, that peaceful means having failed, the good which is aimed at by the industrial stoppage must be equal to or greater than the evil that may be expected to result from the stoppage. In deliberating on these issues, the manifesto declares that the parties to the dispute incur a responsibility before God for the results. The suggestion for a public discussion of the question is supported by the Guild, and it is proposed that the matter should be referred to an independent arbitrator. Finally, the appeal states that great sacrifices ought to be made to avoid a struggle that will plunge the country into disaster. FUNERAL OF CARDINAL AMETTE. The funeral of Cardinal Amette, Archbishop of Paris, took place amid moving and impressive scenes. Hundreds of thousands of persons lined the route from the Cardinal's residence in the Faubourg Saint-Ger-main to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, where the burial took place. The hearse on which the coffin was placed was of the plainest kind, similar to that used for the funerals of the very poorest, and in accordance with the late Cardinal's wishes no flowers were placed on the coffin. The hearse was preceded by delegations of children from the Catholic institutions, the Catholic trades unions, Little Sisters of the Poor, and the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul," and representatives of the clergy. Immediately before the hearse the late Archbishop's primatial cross was carried by a seminarian, while the red hat of a Cardinal was. borne on a cushion by the valet of his late Eminence. At the entrance of Notre Dame the coffin was met by five Cardinals, headed by Cardinal Lucon, Archbishop of Rheims, assisted by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Bourne. After the coffin had been placed on the catafalque, which was surrounded by yellow funeral torches, Cardinal Lucon began the celebration of the Pontifical Requiem Mass. The President of the Republic was represented by General Penelon, M. Millerand was present in person, and Marshal Foch was represented by Marshal Petain, the Earl of Derby, British Ambassador, and the American, Spanish, and Japanese attended with the members of the diplomatic and consular corps. At the conclusion of the Mass the five Cardinals approached the catafalque, and each of them pronounced the Absolution according to the ceremonial for the obsequies of a Cardinal, after which the coffin lay in state for the public to pay their last respects to the late Archbishop. At six o'clock in the evening the Cathedral was closed to the public, and the remains of Cardinal Amette were conveyed to the crypt, and placed beside those of other Archbishops of Paris.