Here and There

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 22, 17 June 1925, Page 45

Here and There

as justification for its 5 seizure has passed away —especially in view of the protestations of "the Ministry that none of its members would ? be guilty of -'doing, anything in ; the way of humiliating Catholics. Mr. Devlin's demand for giving back to its rightful owners St. Mary's Hall "was met with evasions first and then with vindictive innuendoes by Sir Dawson Bates. Wo think "the" Irish News is not far wrong in its suggestion that the real object behind the- holding on tof the Hall is to try to stir lip the ashes of dead or dying controversies and so divert attention from ' the 'actualitiesJof the present : to the futilities of the past. It is an old -game, but this time least it is .to, be hoped it. will 'not. 'work. The "early date''"at which Sir Daw- 1 son Bates says-he will give up St. Mary's Hall must bo made both definite and early. » • « A Client of Mary—Mr. : M.A., : " formerly a Church of Scotland minister in Mid-Lothian, who became a convert to the Catholic- faith last year, lectured in ; St. Joseph's, Charleston, on a recent Sunday,, to a crowded audience, his subject being, "Why I Became a Catholic." In the course of the narrative it incidentally emerged that for years prior to his conversion Mr. Tulloch had a devotion to Our. Lady, quite exception], if. not almost singular, . among . Church of Scot!and Protestants; that he used the .''^fomorare'' in his private. devotions, and even the Little Office. of the Blessed Virgin. The story of his prolonged and toilsome search for truth—pursued largely by way of liturgical and hagiological study—was profoundly interesting, but probably most of his hearers would conclude that his study ■ could issue only one way, since hot even a Presbyterian minister who habitually recited .tho "Memo-rare" was likely to bo' "left unaided." [.; , • , : .; ; ,,„". . : i...,

Eassing of a Notable Irish Priest. —The death, occurred in a nursing home in Tipjperary lately, of Very Rev. M. J. * Ryan, President, St. Patrick's College, Thurles, in his 49th year: Born in Cappamore, the deceased went from St.-§ Patrick's College;; Thurles, to Maynooth, where; he read a dis"tinguished course. Ordained in 1899 he was a professor in Carlow College for some years, : and was subsequently recalled to his native diocese, and spent the remainder of his life*" in - St. Patrick's College, Thurles, of which he was appointed President in 1921. \'-\ * * * [llThe Late Rev. W. J. Souther den.— Tm .v,:death, in his 70th year, occurred recently-at] Torquay, of Rev. W. J. Southerden, a convert, formerly Anglican curate at St. John's, Torquay. Father Southerden, upon his re-' ception into the Church by Cardinal Manning, became a tutor in Ireland, being associated in this respect with many notable '■■ Irish families. Amongst other of his pupils I were the grandchildren of the famous Irish; s, patriot and statesman, the great Daniel O'Connell. For a time he was also a professor fat { Beaconsfield College, Plymouth, when the Basilian Fathers were there. He had always cherished the desire to become a priest, and on the death of his mother (whom he supported), and i after seventeen years of tutorial life, ho decided to give up' his work in order to. carry into , effect his long-cherished wish. His eyesight had already become very weak, and when this ' was raised as a possible barrier he replied: "I shall : at least be able to say Holy Mass." Ho entered the Beda College,- Rome, where , he was ordained-iii; 1914. ,He served at Okejf liampton,. Saltash, and Torquay. .' \\\

\**a Jjinic witn manner raoer.—ine X/onuon Wallet says: —The Brompton Oratory has lost one of its oldest parishioners by the death, on Easter Sunday, of Mrs: CatherineLudwell, who was one of the very few re- !!}'•" ' * it ■ : maining links with Father Faber and the days of the first London Oratory in King William Street. Mrs. Ludwell was 87 years of age; she had a remarkably retentive memory, and never tired of recalling incidents of the early days of the Oratory and of Father Faber and his first community. From her remarks on the founder of the London Oratory it was easy to gather very definite;| impressions of his personality, and of the great influence which he exercised over the poor who formed the bulk of bis first parishioners; the "Ragged School," one of the first of its kind, and other works which he took so large a part in setting on foot; and the night services, to which she herself remained faithful to the last, insisting on attending them even in the worst weather. :VT>! -O; :\ u)vv tHll * • * Dominican General Dead. —The death was announced recently of Father Louis Theissling, General of the Dominican Order. Of German extraction (his surname, suggests an ancestor who bad come from tho River Theiss, in Hungary), Father Theissling' was born in Holland on January 31, 1856. EnI tering tho Dominican : Order, ho soon became noted for ability and zeal, and rose to bo Provincial of the Dutch Dominicans. For thirty years and more he had been an outstanding figure in , bis . Order. The new Dominican Priory at Zwolle is a monument of his energy. v He labored untiringly "> in many ways for s tho progress of his Order in Holland. Before 1914 he had spent two or three years as chaplain to the Catholic colony in the Russian capital. An accomplished linguist, he spoke Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, and Latin. His remarkable gifts as a linguist stood him in good stead, for ho was' an indefatigable traveller. Before his election ; as : General ho had..travelled.widely in Europe, America, and the West Indies, besides.paying •. a visit to England and Ireland. Elected General on August 4, 1916, lie visited nearly all the Provinces of his Order throughoutthe world. : In the last few months') his health failed, and he entered the well-known : hospital of : the "Blue Sisters" (most of whom are Irish nuns) near San Stefano, in Rome. : ■ -• Hifi' ;.., • • * . Mr. Devlin's Attitude.—Mr. Devlin (says the Irish Catholic) is . making his . presence felt in the Parliament of Northern Ireland in the way that might be expected of so able, courageous,, and zealous a champion of- the :,' ■ fights of his fellow-citizens and so-religion-f isis. He has just powerfully arraigned Sir I James Craig's Government for the way they t continue to hold.on to St. Mary's t Hall, the ; centre of Catholic social and charitable work ■ in Belfast, so long after the state of things in the Northern Capital 'which was alleged