Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 22, 17 June 1925, Page 55

Catholic World

**n|oPE RECEIVES, SCOTTISH PILGRIMS. 5 - ]"\ A Rome message reports that : the Pope > on ' April 29 received 200 Scottish pilgrims (many of them of Irish birth or descent), and gave to each of them his hand to kiss. They were headed by Archbishop Mcintosh, of Glasgow. • His Holiness distributed to each pilgrim a . ♦Holy Year commemorative medal. \i In an address, the Pope congratulated them on their filial piety. He recalled ancient Imperial Rome, which had built a high wall along the Scottish border to keep the Scots out of England, contrasting this with Christian Rome, which has not merely removed obstacles, but has summoned her ... Scottish children, as well as those of all other countries. The Pontiff concluded by urging all good Catholics to gather round the chair of Peter in order to enjoy the treasures which God will grant in this Jubilee Year to all the faithful. After imparting the Apostolic Benediction, the Pope left amid loud cheers .from the assembled pilgrims. ; CATHOLIC NURSING SISTERS. An important event in Vancouver Catholic circles last week was the graduation of 33 nurses and two Sisters on the staff of St. Paul's Hospital (says the North-west Review, Winnipeg, for May 2). The function drew a crowd of enthusiastic spectators, the large ball-room at Lester Court being crowded for the occasion. Archbishop Casey handed the certificates to the recipients. Dr. E. \ P. Patterson as chairman, gave an epitome of the work of the hospital from its commencement in 1894, when there were seven Sisters and 50 beds; now there are 35 Sisters and 100 nurses in training, and 300 beds. In 1924, GSOO patients received treatment. ■CKMveKxya IRELAND'S CLEAN READING CAMPAIGN. The great movement in favor of clean reading began its public activities on the , first Sunday after Easter. Priests of the 'religious Orders, at the instance of the Irish bishops, are passing from church to church ?all. over the country, preaching the crusade of the Catholic press. As a preliminary to the work of the missionaries, a remarkable pastoral appeared in the Irish newspapers from the pen of Bishop Mulhern of Dromore. He pointed out that reading was a necessity, and if the right kind was not provided the wrong kind would have the field to itself. The wrong commodity was not produced in Ireland, but it was freely imported, and the danger if presented to young minds was insidious .and fatal. "While Catholics had no. inteni\/ tion of stopping the printing press, which > should be the lamp of the mind, they were i determined to end its degradation and def volep its higher uses. The way to do it was simple enough. They had merely tot crush the vile thing by opposing to it the rivalry - of an interesting, well-informed : Catholic •

press, •.something -that .could instruct while it entertained. it was.the business of Catholic talent to develop Catholic journalism. It was the duty of Catholic readers to give it support. The Catholic Truth Society is solidifying the work of the missionaries. After each address, when the people are leaving, members of the society invite them to give their names. Later on, each person will be specially communicated with and told where ho can keep in contact with the branch of the organisation which is to look after his locality. AMERICA'S GREAT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY. Towards the end of April Cardinal Hayes of New York laid the corner-stone of the Catholic University's magnificent new mil-lion-volume library, in the presence of a throng which included eminent members of the Catholic Hierarchy in the United States, high American officials and diplomats of foreign countries. The Right Rev. Bishop Thomas J. Shahan, Rector of the University, declared the occasion the realisation of a. dream of 35 years, and the Rev. Dr. Deter Guilday, who delivered the discourse, said it marked the second great epoch in the history of the University. Mr. John K. Mullen, a prominent Catholic philanthropist of Denver, is the donor of the new building, and it also is given in the name of his late wife and their four daughters. It will be known as the John K. Mullen of Denver Memorial Library. NOTES FROM PARIS. It is announced from Autun that the consecration of Mgr. Thomas, the Bishop-elect of Langres, will take place on "Wednesday, June 24, at Autun, this date being the feast of St. John the Baptist. A number of bish-. ops have been invited to participate in the ceremony, which will be performed in the ancient Cathedral of St. Lazare. Since 1848 nuns have been ■ the teachers at. Graffenstaden, an important industrial suburb of Strasburg. Many generations of school children have received instruction at their hands, and, despite the lay laws, all the local inhabitants, with few exceptions, have petitioned for their maintenance. In spite of this the Mayor of Graffenstaden has issued the following public notice: "The Municipal Council has decided to replace the teaching Sisters by a lay staff. Henceforth the religious will have no duties to' perform at Illkiroh-Graffensta-den." ■; ' '.'- . - ■' ; b^3 In consequence \ of the : position ; which : lias \ arisen through this action: the Catholic Committee of Action has issued the follow- : ing proclamation: ' "We, as citizens and fathers of Catholic - families, will not tolerate, under any circum-

stances, that the Sisters of the school should f leave -Graffenstaden, and we charge them not ?to quit the town.. \ L ' •, \ ''lf they arc*'forced to do so, we shall defend then at the price of our blood. \ - "It shall not be said, as in the interior a of France, that they (the anti-clericals) 1 plunged into misery or hunted into exileour flesh and blood. The Administration, is now warned:" It is time for us to oppose the foolish plan of the Municipal Council, which is-;composed of a fat capitalist and his; Communist and Radical lackeys. If the; Administration prevents us from doing this} we shall oppose them. If they employ violence we shall also employ^ violence." .-^-^i Inter-confessional schools have been introduced at Schiltigheim and Strasburg following upon the Easter holidays. Great Catholic manifestations against the secular laws still continue. On a recent Sunday, the Catholics of Haut-Garonne held at Toulouse their general assembly, which was attended by 30,000 men. .■'■■; ifm On June 4, the Catholic Union of Poitou, which counts 50,000 members, will hold its annual meeting at Notre Dame de la Pitie. The death has taken place here of Baron Edward Kirkpatrick de Closeburn, a wellknown Carlist leader. Though an American citizen by birth, the Baron, who came of Irish and Spanish stock, lived most of his life in Europe, and played a prominent part in the Carlist movement in Spain. He was a cousin of the late exEmpress Eugenie and a great personal friend of Don Carlos. He was a. firm friend of France, and during the early part of the war conducted in California an energetic campaign in favor of the Allied cause. There was notable evidence of Catholic piety at Lourdes during Easter. Over 1500 pilgrims arrived from Tarbes, Ossun, and Loubajac, their numbers augmented by 3000 young people from Ile-de-France, and many students and workmen. A week of processions and splendid ceremonies fittingly concluded on. Sunday with the arrival of Cardinal Lucon at the head of 550 men from his archdiocese of Rheims. s -v :