Catholic Word

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 49, 13 December 1923, Page 47

Catholic Word

: - THE POPE’S MILLIONS FOR CHARITY. In the short space of a. year his Holiness has disbursed. a sum of no less than 21 million lire for works of mercy! This is without taking into account the vast sums that have been spent on relief in Russia and the East (says Catholic News Service for October 27). The beneficiary of the Pope is the Society of St. Raphael at Hamburg, a society that works amongst emigrants. The Pope has sent a very fine carpet for the chapel of the institution, as well as a sum of money towards the funds. ENGLISH PILGRIMS AT ROME. • The English pilgrims from the Southwark Diocese, who are visiting Rome with Mgr. Brown at their head, were received in special audience by the Pope in the Consistorial Hall. In replying to the address presented by Mgr. Brown, the Holy Father expressed his hope that the English and other non-Catholic peoples would return to the unity of the Catholic Church, and thus fulfil the Divine wish: that there may be one Fold and one Shepherd. NEW APOSTOLIC PREFECTURES. Iceland has now been detached from the Apostolic Vicarite of Denmark, and erected into'a Prefecture, which is now confided to the care of the missionaries of the Society of St. Mary dc Montfort. A new Prefecture of Lydemburg, formed from a portion of the Transvaal Vicariate, now goes to the charge of the German missionaries of the Sacred Heart. The German Sacred Heart Fathers also have the charge of the Prefecture of Gariepe, which has been formed out of territory of the Vicariates of the Cape of Good Hope and Kimberley. DIPLOMATS GREET CARDINAL BENLLOCH. One of the most brilliant receptions ever g.ven in South America in modern times, was that given at the Nunciature in Santiago by the Apostolic Nuncio to Chile, in honor of Cardinal Benlloch. The entire Diplomatic Corps in the Chilean capital was present, in addition to the high ecclesiastical and governmental dignitaries. Beginning with a social function at the Nunciature, the reception adjourned to the church of the Mercedarians, where the function was ended by Cardinal Benlloch giving his blessing. A well-known religious of the city, Padre Rabaza, gave a very fine discourse. The Republic is very gratified at the visit of the Spanish Cardinal, and all the papers have devoted whole pages to articles on his Eminence and his high mossion. THE HOLY PLACES. The question of the Holy Places in Palestine is likely to come up for active discussion in the near future, now that the British and French Mandates for Syria and Palestine come into legal force. It is reported from Rome that Mgr. Maglione, the Apostolic Delegate at Berne, has gone to Rome to report the deliberations at Geneva, and that he will return to Switzerland with very precise instructions from the Vatican regarding the approaching discussions on the guardianship and ownership of the Holy Places. This problem is both delicate and complicated. But it would have been on the way to settlement by now, had not the intrigues and counter-intrigues of certain Continental Catholics not made the issue worse confounded. The French scheme, for making the French Consul in Palestine protector-in-chief of the Holy Places, with the other consuls as subordinates, is hardly likely ever to be brought about. The British do not view it with any favor, nor will the Italians view complacently a French domination, while the Spaniards are quite determined not to have their just and

ancient rights overlooked to the advantage of French interests. •• From all accounts the League despairs of solving the problem, and the only hope, apparently, is for the question to be solved on a strictly religious basis: that is, by direct negotiations with the Holy See, for which excellent machinery already exists as between the Vatican and the Mandatory Power in Palestine. • TRAINING NEGRO PRIESTS: AMERICA’S FIRST SEMINARY OPENED. The first seminary in the United-States for the training of negro priests, has been dedicated at Bay St. Louis, Missouri. Bishop John E. Gunn, of Natchez, performed the ceremonies of the blessing of the colored Mission House —known as St. Augustine’sand presided at High Mass. All the southern councils of the Knights of Peter Claverthe only existing organisation of colored Catholic men in the United Stateswere present. The national officers and delegates of the order in convention at Lake Charles, Louisiana, greeted the news of the completion of the seminary with great enthusiasm. The earnest pleas for recognition and representation of the race in the ranks of Catholic priesthood have been heard and the result is a well constructed seminary, of which they may bo justly proud. * The grounds for the seminary were broken and the first bricks conveyed to the spot on September 26, 1922. Now, after a year’s work the Mission House is complete. It is a solid, three-storey structure. The grounds cover twenty-seven acres. r There are 250,000 Catholic negroes in the United States; 175 priests and about 700 Sisters devoting their time exclusively to work among the negroes, and about fifty priests are giving partial time to negro work. According to the latest records, there are ninety-eight churches for colored Catholics and 155 schools for colored Catholic children. There are four negro priests and 323 colored Sisters. NEW CHURCH LAW FOR RUMANIA. A new law, which is to govern the position and relations of the Churches in Rumania, is being brought before the Parliament in the course of the new session. Plow the religious denominations, particularly the non-Orthodox, will be affected, will be understood from the clauses of the Bill, which are as follows: The State guarantees liberty and protection for all religious beliefs. The Churches are forbidden to maintain dependent relations with foreign authorities or institutions, to accept subsidies from abroad or to send subsidies abroad. Only Rumanian subjects may be members iof the clergy or ecclesiastical dignitaries. The Churches must by religious services, observe the national festivals as well as those of the royal household. In order to secure recognition in Rumania, every Church must count at least 200,000 adherents domiciled on Rumanian territory. Sects will not be tolerated, save on the condition of being authorised by a royal decree. Churches of which the head resides abroad must enter into a Concordat with the State, which will be submitted for the ratification of Parliament. The State reserves to itself the right to supervise and control all the religions recognised by it. Apart from this, all ecclesiastical administrations will be autonomous. The property of the Churches may not be sequestrated, neither may it be placed in pledge nor transferred. The Churches may set aside their revenues for their administration; if the amount for support is in default, that will have to bo met by the faithful themselves. The civil marriage must in all cases precede the religious marriage. Children who are the issue of legitimate marriages will be considered as of the same faith as their ‘parents. The religion of children of a mixed marriage is to be regulated by' the martriage contract, otherwise the father will decide. Foundlings will be considered as of the same religion as their guardians. As to the creeds not recognised by the State, they will be amenable to the laws regarding associations and public assemblies. % > V