Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 12 January 1922, Page 39

Catholic World

JAPANESE Y.M.S. Tokio, the Japanese capital, has a flourishing Catholic Tuning Men’s Society, one of the objects of which is work and prayer for the conversion of Japan. The society is fortunate in having for its president one of the most distinguished officers of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Captain Shinjiro, .Jamamofo, himself a convert to Catholicity sineb his student days. ■/v >< H- < XvA- -X> KING LUDWIG’S BURIAL. The bringing home of the coffin containing the body of King Ludwig was the cause of a great Monarchist demonstration, in Bavaria recently. The Bavarian flag mingled with the royal flag as the procession of ex-soldiers and others moved forward to accompany the coffin to the Royal Chapel of the Chateau Wildenwartz, where it is placed at present. RELIGIOUS RECONQUEST OF FRANCE. During the month of October, the votive church of Montmartre, which rises above the city of Paris, witnessed many pilgrimages. Among them there were groups of social workers, now banded together on the basis of their common faith. The creation of these groups is one of the i most hopeful symptoms of the times. A conversion cn masse of any nation is an impossibility, and in France two generations have grown nip under a regime of so-called neutrality that really meant the suppression of any religious element in the public schools. The victims of an attempt to dechristianise the country thoroughly must be brought back to the Church gradually and the religious “unions” of workers will be able, in time, to effect the t change. * - DEATH OF A NOTED AUTHOR AND TEACHER. Rev. John A. Zahn, who accompanied the late Theodore Roosevelt on his trip through the South American wilderness, died on November 11 in Munich, according to a cablegram received by his brother, Dr. Albert Zahm in Washington. Father Zahm was prominent as an author, his works including many volumes dealing with South American history, customs, and geography. He was born at New Lexington, 0., June 14, 1851, and, following his graduation at Notre Dame in 1871, entered the Order of Holy Cross. He was at one time vice-president of Notre Dame University. Two of his works, Evolution and Dogma and Bible, Science and Faith, created considerable stir at the time of their publication. RETURN OF AN IRISH RELIGIOUS ORDER. A new chapter of Irish educational history has been opened up by the foundation of Kylemore Abbey and School, Connemara, In this magnificent building, situated in the grandest part of the Connemara Highlands,, the famous community of “Irish Dames” from Ypres have their new home; and there they have established the first monastic school for girls to flourish in Ireland since the sixteenth century. The story of the coming of the nuns to Ireland has been told too recently to need relating at length, but it is a story of sacrifice and heroism brought about by the late war. Since about the middle of the 17th century this Benedictine community had been established N at Ypres, and it was not until the German shells had begun to play havoc around them, that they relinquished in grief and by command, the house that had sheltered them for so _ long. By authority of the Holy See the Abbey was transferred to Ireland under the special patronage of the Archbishop of Tuam, who, on September 8, attended and blessed / the Abbey congregation including a large clergy.

In the course of his address his Grace said that they were assembled to welcome the Dames of Ypres back, to their native land and to install them in that beautiful church. The first Dames of Ypres left Ireland some 250 years ago to exercise in the lands of Flanders a right that was denied them at home. He traced the history of the Order in France, and stated that an Irish general, named O’Moran, saved the convent from desecration and destruction during the French Revolution. After their departure from Ypres, under shell-fire, in 1914, a temporary home was secured in Macmine, Co. Wexford, where they were treated by the Bishop of Ferns with the greatest kindness. In seeking for a permanent place of residence, the splendid premises in which they were now assembled had been secured. Having referred to the labors of the Benedictine Nuns for civilisation, education, and learning as an integral part of European history, his Grace mentioned that their motto was peace. “May I,” said the Archbishop, “in passing, express a hope that their coming amongst us will synchronize with the immediate advent of the peace that we are all praying for?” Enclosed from the world and its evil influences, those daughters of 'St. Benedict proposed opening a high-class boarding school. The basic idea of the Benedict rule was that each Benedictine community should be a family. In concluding, his Grace welcomed the daughters of St. Benedict into the diocese. He felt confident, he said, that their pupils would receive an education of the best type. THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA. Proofs of the substantial growth of the Catholic University of America are contained in the annual report of the Rector, Right Rev. Thomas J. Shahan, to the board of trustees. The total number of students registered at the University in the 12 months covered by the report, including 375 in Trinity College (for women), was 699. Registrations in the two summer schools of the University in Washington and San —brought the grand total of students, men and-women, to 1834. Bishop Shahan’s report shows , that donations to the University during the “year aggregated 81,662.54 dollars, exclusive of the annual collections in the various dioceses. Cardinal Gibbons gave 10,000 dollars in bonds for general endowment needs and 2500 dollars to the new gymnasium. The Cardinal’s gifts to the gymnasium were altogether 37,500 dollars. Bishop Shahan gave 5000 dollars to the gymnasium and Nicholas P. Young, of Brooklyn, a like amount. Donations from other friends of the University were r —From the estate of John Ward, of Philadelphia, 41,860.34 dollars; from the estate of James J. Sullivan, of Boston, 5,052.20 dollars; from the estate of Catherine C. Lanahan, of Baltimore, 5000 dollars; from the estate of Catherine A. Sullivan, of Boston, 2250 dollars, and from that of Captain Gains 'Billups, of Baltimore, 5000 dollars. Bishop Shahan values the estate of the University, land, buildings, equipment, securities, etc., at 5,127,851. 73 dollars. There are now in the library of the University proper a total of 133,307 volumes. This number does not include the law library, the Lima library of some 20,000 works in Portuguese, nor the two large private libraries in regular use and bequeathed to the University. The inclusion of these would- increase the number of volumes in the' University’s possession to about 200,000. Speaking of the University libraries, Bishop Shahan says in his report; “It is gratifying to know that a suitable edifice is in sight for the use and preservation of such a great treasure, in some ways the heart of the University.”