The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 52, 28 December 1899, Page 5

The Catholic World.

BELGIUM-— Death of a Well-known Priest— The death is reported of the Very Rev. Canon de Splenter, which took place at the institute of St. Charles Borromeo, Courtrai. The deceased was a well-known figure in the Salford diocese, where he was professor in the Salford Grammar School, and later rector of St. Edmund's, Miles Platting, Manchester.

ENGLAND.— Clerical Appointment—The Rev. Father Howlett, of Dublin, the brother of Mgr. Howlett, of the diocese of Westminster, has been appointed successor to the Rev. Father Pennington, parish priest of St. Aloysius, Somers-town, who has been compelled to resign in consequence of advanced age and broken health.

Prayers for those Engaged in War— Masses were said on November 1 and 2 at St. Mary's, Maryvale, Birmingham, for the soldiers now engaged in the war in South Africa, and on Sunday the charitable prayers of the congregation were asked for them by the priest of the mission.

The Poor "of London.— On the last Sunday in October Cardinal Vaughan made an appeal at the Carmelite Church, Kensington, on behalf of the 600 poor kept by the Sisters of Nazareth at Hammersmith. In the course of a powerful discourse his Eminence said that society was becoming disorganised. There is division between one class and the other, a chasm which has been established between the rich and the poor. These facts are apparent to every man, and the social question has become one of the burning questions of the day. After referring to the fact that for 300 years the Catholic Church has been shorn of her influence, his Eminence referred to the condition of the poorer classes in the East and South of London. Men had come forward to ameliorate the condition of mankind by legislation or by science, but either was insufficient. There are thousands of men, women, and children living in certain parts of London who know not from whence the next meal will come or how they can pay for the miserable hovels in which they live. The question for consideration was, how can this condition of the poorer classes be changed ? In London the Catholic Church had in some way endeavoured to deal with the Bocial problem by means of a Union, and this Union had to an extent been successful, but a great deal more was necessary, and, above all, personal service. In appealing on behalf of the Sisters of Nazareth the Cardinal pointed out that the Sisters possessed institutions in almost every part of the world. They had large establishments in Johannesburg and Kimberley intended for the aged poor and for little children, and when recently notice was given to the Sisters that they might withdraw to a place of safety, they one and all elected to remain in the midst of the daogera of the war in order that they might nurse the sick and wounded, whether Boer or English. GERMANY.— The New Archbishop of Cologne-— Bishop Simar, of Paderborn, who is to take the place of Cardinal Krementz, the late Archbishop of Cologne, is a prelate of vigorous mind and energetic habits. Aged sixty-four years, he has already as professor, author, and Bishop rendered most important services to the Church. When Extraordinary Professor of Theology at the University of Bonn he published a work on moral theology, of which three editions have appeared, and later when he was appointed a regular Professor of Dogmatic Theology and Apologetics he had given to the world a treatise on Dogmatic Theology which has run into four editions. Hie experience goes back to the beginning of the Old Catholic movement, and his strength of character may be judged from the fact that though he had both friendship and encouragement from Dr. Dollinger when a student at Munich, he resisted the influence of the eminent Professor when he showed the first symptoms of revolt against the the teaching of the Church. Dr. Simar haa given his sympathy to every forward Catholic movement during his episcopate at Paderborn, and he will, no doubt, continue the same wise policy at Cologne. His relations with the State have always been friendly, and in 1884 the Emperor conferred ou him the Order of the Red Eagle.

FRANCE —The Clergy and the Press— The well-known writer and non-Catholic, Mr. J. E. C. Bodley, in the course of a letter in the London Times with regard to the anti-Semitic movement in France, says : — As for the anti-Semitic Press, far from being in the hands of the episcopate, it attacks a Bishop if it disapproves of his conduct as scurrilously as it would a Jewish banker. The present Archbishop of Bourges, when Bishop of Digne, interdicted the Libre Parole in his diocese, but his action only unhappily proved that Press-censorship is a vain thing, and the episcopal ban gave a new impetus to the movement. The Bishop of Meaux more recently went to stay with a Jewish family in his diocese. Mgr. de Briey, who is not a Republican, and is the brother of a general, was thereupon vilified, with appalling insinuations, in the Libre Parole as a warning to other prelates who dared to be conciliatory to the Jews. The Croix, with its provincial editions, is said to be patronised by certain Bishops and one of its editors is admitted to the Pope's presence, but if a Bishop fell foul of it be would not be spared by its reverend directors, who are first violent French journalists and then Churchmen.

ROME— The Health of the Holy Father.— Those who have recently been admitted into the presence of the Pope (says the New Era, November 4) have been struck by his apparently robust health. A French priest, who was recently received in audience by his Holiness after having been absent from Rome for some years, states that he was struck by the improvement in the Pontiff's physical condition. Leo XIII. is now, said the priest, less emaciated than he was some years ago, bis eye is more brilliant and fiery, and his mind seems to

be. more lanid. ~ He seems to have reached a certain phase of his existence in which, barring accidents or complications, the statu quo may be kept up for a long period. It need, therefore, surprise no one if the Pontiff should realise his ardent desire of living to be one hundred years of age.

SAMOA-— Damage to the Marist Fathers' Mission Station- — Shortly before the prorogation of Parliament Mr. Hoga^ M.P., put a very pertinent question to Mr. Balfour as to the damage done to the mission stations of the Marist Fathers in Samoa when the British war vessels shelled villages supposed to be occupied by the adherents of the rightful King of the Samoan archipelago, the Catholic chief Mataaf a. Mr. Balfour, in reply, acknowledged that damage had been done, though he endeavoured to minimise it to the utmost in the usual official fashion. Mr. Balfour added that according to the principles of international law there was no liability to make compensation for losses caused by the necessary operations of war. But where was the necessity for British war vessels to identify themselves with the cause of the usurper Malietoa Tanu ? That is the point, and we {Catholic Times') hope Mr. Hogan, who has rendered such excellent service as the champion of Catholic interests in Samoa, will press it home when the House re-assembles. There can be little doubt that, through the blind partisanship of the American arbitrator, Chief Justice Chambers, the Governments of Great Britain and the United States were induced to take up an absolutely false position with regard to the rights of the rival claimants.

SOUTH AFRlCA— Departure of Missionaries— Just now, when matters are somewhat disturbed in South Africa, it is interesting to learn that three young Irish priests sailed recently from Southampton for the Cape, bent on a mission of peace and apostolic charity. They go to take up missionary work in the Eastern Vicariate, under the Most Rev. Dr. Mac Sherry. The three young priests, who were ordained last June in Maynooth College, are the Rev. Thomas McCann, of the Archdiocese of Armagh, Rev. Joseph Early, of the Archdiocese of Dublin, and Rev. Frederick Keane, of the Diocese of Killaloe.

The Sisters of Notre Dame in Rhodesia. — The Sisters of Notre Dame who have gone to Rhodesia are now working with great success. In the current issue of the Zambesi Mission Record one of them writes : The native population is very scattered, they live at two or three miles, and even greater distances from the church. They are in a moat savage state, quite friendly, but simply live as animals with no wish beyond living, their highest ambition being to get a little meat, for they have nothing but porridge made with Kaffir corn.

THE PHILIPPINES -The Catholic Church Property. — Archbishop Chapelle, Apottolic Delegate to the Philippines, in an interview with a prestman lately, said : 'The Church' property in the Philippines belongs exclusively to the Church. The Queen and Government of Spain had not one cent, of interest in that property, and the United States, therefore, acquire nothing As to education, the per capita of illiteracy of the island of Luzon is less than thato of the State of Massachusetts.'

UNITED STATES.— AnnuaI Meeting of the Archbishops- — At the annual meeting of the Archbishops of the United States held at the Catholic University, Washington, several topics of absorbing interest were considered. Contrary to expectation, the Philippines received little attention, as it was thought best to leave that matter until Archbishop Chapelle had fully investigated the question and made his report. The Pope's letter on ' Americanism ' was, of course, the subject of comment, but, so far &■& learned, it was merely considered in an informal manner. The most important action was the decision to appeal to the Congregation of the Propaganda to persuade that body to allow the Christian Brothers to maintain their course of study as pursued for some years past in the United Stares. A set of resolutions will be sent to tbe Vatican, of which Archbishop Riordan, who leaves shortly for Rome, will be the bearer. The question of the maintenance of the Indian Mission Schools was also considered. Tbe report of Mgr. Joseph Stephen was heard and approved. The last Government appropriation for Indian schools, under which the Church has been acting, will expire June 30, 1900. The Board agreed to continue the work for another year, even if the Church bore the entire burden of the schools.

A Generous Donor- — Mrs. Thomas F. Ryan, of New York city, has purchased a plot of ground adjoining the lot which she recently presented to the Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration. Mrs. Ryan's gift covers half a block of ground, on which will be built a 100,000 dollar convent, to be known as the Convent of the Blessed Sacrament. Ground has been broken for a handsome structure, and the corner-stone was to be laid with appropriate ceremonies in December. Mr?. Ryan is an enthusiastic member of the Tabernacle Society, which was founded in Washington by Archbishop Keane, herself, and Mitss Fannie Whelan, in 1876. The object of thin Society is to provide altar service for the poor churches, and Mrs. Ryan's convent will be its future permanent home.