The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 49, 6 December 1900, Page 27

The Catholic World.

ENGLAND.— The Diocese of Portsmouth.— The Very Rev. Canon Luck has been made Vicar-General of the diocese of Portsmouth. Ordination of Cardinal Vaughan's Nephew.— ln the early part nf October Cardinal Vanghan rained to the sub-diaoonata Mr. Francis Vaughan, hia nephew, and third eon of Colonel Vaughan, of Cotirtfield, Roes. Some months ago Colonel Vaughan's seoond eon, Herbert, was ordained priest in the same church by the Cardinal. Lord Russell's Last Words-— ln the October number of the Irish Monthly the editor— Father Matthew Russell, S.J.— makes the following reference to the last words of the late Lord Chief Juatioe : — ' His child-like faith was shown in the last words that hare reached us from his death-bed. A priest of the Oratory had administered the final Sacramental rites prescribed in the last chapter of St. James's Epißtle, and was withdrawing from the death-chamber, when he was recalled by the summons : " Father, lay your hand upon my head and bless me." The last words— except the aspiration faltered out half consciously towards the very end by the feeble lips that had uttered so many a strong and noble word : " May God have mercy on me." The last word he would wish to be said of himself is what be himself always said when any man's death was announced in his presence : " God be merciful to him."' A Representative Pilgrimage.— More than one thousand pilgrims, headed by the Bishops of Nottingham and Liverpool, left London recently on their way to Rome. The Pope had signified Mb intention of receiving the pilgrims in special audience. The last departure is to take place about the end of December. It will consist of a party representative of the Catholic Union of Great Britain and will be headed by Cardinal Vaughan and the Duke of Norfolk' Catholics in the House of Commons.— There are now four Catholics in the House representing English constituencies these being Lord Edmund Talbot (Conservative), Sir John Austin (Liberal Imperialist), Mr T. P. O'Connor (Nationalist), and Mr Jamep Fitzalan Hope (Conservative;. Both the latter gentlemen and Sir John Austin represent constituencies in the Leeds diocese. GERMANY.— Conversions to Catholicism — In conse. quence of numerous conversions to Catholicism of members of the Saxon ariatocraoy, the Evangelical Bund of the Lutheran Church has addressed an earnest appeal to Protestant nobles in Saxony begging them to remember that it was their forefathers who were so helpful to Luther in his reforming work, and adjuring them to stand fast. These conversions are probably owing to the example of the Royal House of Saxony, which ia Catholic. They have be-

come remarkably numerous, and are exciting much attention throughout Germany,

A Pilgrimage to Jerusalem.— A German pilgrimage consisting of 600 persons and organised by the Archbishop of Cologne has been visiting Jerusalem to witness the laying the foundationstone of the new Dormitition Church. The Bishop of Jerusalem laid the stone in the name of the Pope. The German consular body was present in uniform.

ROME— The Holy Father's Nomination as Cardinal. — Preparations of an extensive kind arc being made (says a Rome correspondent) for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Pope's nomination as Cardinal. An exhibition of sacred objects ia being organised within the Vatican grounds, and a series of fetes, which will be attended by large bodies of pilgrims, are being arranged.

Pilgrimages to the Eternal City-— On Saturday, September 29 (writes a Rome correspondent) his Holiness received in St. Peter's about 30,000 persons, pilgrims from Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and different parts of Italy. The Spaniards, about 1000 in number, were directed by Canon Gandasegni, of the Cathedral of Saragosa. Before and after the audience the Spaniards, Germans, and Swiss sang hymns. Many of the pilgrims, as those from Valletri, Albano, and Palestrina, arrived in Rome only on the morning of the audience. When his Holiness was about to leave the Basilica at the close of the audience he stayed for a time near the Spanish pilgrims. Amongst the many offerings presented to his Holiness by the pilgrims who have visited Rome in Buch extraordinary numbers at this time, is a golden snuff-box set in brilliants, given by a Spanish lady. On the previous Thursday his Holiness received about 150 pilgrims from the Argentine Republic and Uruguay. They were directed by Mons. Romero, Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Ayres, and Mons. Jassa, Auxiliary Bishop of Monte Video.

A Disappointment.— The thieves who lately got at a safe in the Vatican carried off property to the value of about £14,120. They are likely, however, to be in the position of the clerk at Parr's Bank who made off with £100,000, bat found most of the notes impossible for circulation without prompt detection. In the caße of the Vatican, the safe broken into belonged to the department charged with the maintenance of the Apostolic palaces and other buildings. The treasury contained £14,000 in securities, and only £120 in coin of the realm. As the banks were without delay supplied with lists giving the numbers and other particulars concerning the missing bonds, it seems that they will be practically so much waste paper to those who have abstracted them. The haul made in cash is not a great one. SCOTLAND-— Funeral of the late Marquis of Bute — The Marquis of Bute's funeral took place at Mount Stuart on Thursday, October 11. A Requiem Mass was celebrated at Mount Stuart on the previous Saturday. Besides the members of the family there were present the Duke of Norfolk and Lord Herries. Iv ac ordance with the wishes of the late Marquis, his heart will at an early date be conveyed to Palestine for burial at the Mount of Olives. At the funeral from Cumnock House the heart was carried in a box,

Charitable Bequests.— Under the late Marquis of Bute's will Lord Edmund Talbot, Lord Harries, and Mr. Frederick Pitman, of Edinburgh, were appointed trustees. His Lordship bequeathed £10,000 for Catholic cathedral services at Oban, £40,000 for the transference of Blair's College to St. Andrew's, £20,000 for the Oban Cathedral, £20,000 for a church or monastery at Whithorn, on the aite he recently purchased from the Earl of Galloway, £5000 to a Catholic college at St. Andrew's, and annuities of £100 to Monsignor Capel, £200 to the Bishop uf Argyll and the Isles, and £100 to the Bishop of Galloway. His heirs are directed to keep up the hospitals at Aberdare and Cumnock, established by him, and the institutions for children at Rothesay and Oban. Twenty thousand pounds are left for the completion of Cardiff Hospital. Detailed

arrangements are made for the disposal of his various estates among the members of his family, and in a codicil he bequeaths £1000 to the Ar* hbishop of St. Andrewß and Edinburgh, the prooeeds to be devoted to a studentship in St. Andrews University.

Memorial to a Priest —ln Pennyfins churchyard, Oban, there has just been erected a becoming and thoughtful memorial subscribed to by a few mourning friends of the late Father Mao Coll, which takes in its design the form of the famous St. Martin's Cross on the lonely mland of lona, of which the iueuioriul, standing 10 feet high, is an exact reproduction on a very handsome and elaborate scale. The inscription on the base of the memorial, whioh is in ecclesiatical lettering, is cut and filled with lead. In connection with the erection of the above memorial, the committee* wishes were excellently carried into effect by Father James Dawson, of

A Graduating Ground for Ecclesiastical Professors.— Father Andrew Lynch, who was recently presented by the faithful of St. Mary's, Greenock, with a purse of 70 sovereigns and a gold albert and cross on the occasion of his transference after five years' zealous missionary work at Greenock to a Theological Professorship at Bearsden College, said, in gratefully acknowledging the generous gifts, that there was a close connection between Greenock and the Diocesan College. During the past twelve years the college had been supplied with no less than eight priests, who had all an intimate connection with Greenock. First there was that worthy man Father Toner ; second, Dr. Rogan, of St. Mary's ; third, Father Staok, of St. Lawrence's ; fourth, Father De Monti, of St. Mary's ; fifth, Father S. Thornton, now of St. Mary's ; sixth, Father Forbes, who had been at St. Lawrence's ; seventh, Father Taylor, a native of Gresnook ; eighth and finally, their humble servant.

SOUTH AFRICA- The Mayor of Capetown.— Mr. Thomas J. O'Reilly was elected Mayor of Capetown on the 17th September, and on Sunday morning, September 23, he was present in State at the High Mass in St. Mary's Cathedral, accompanied by the Town Councillors and officials of the Corporation of the city. The procession left the Town House in the following order :— Band of the Cape Garrison Artillery, detachment of City Polioe, detachment of Metropolitan Fire Brigade, superintendent and staff of the Sanitary Department, his Worship the Mayor and the Corporation, members of the Corporate staff. Mass was sung by the Rev. Father Moran, in presence of his Lordship Right Rev. Bishop Leonard, and an eloquent sermon was preached by the Right Rer. Dr. Rooney, the Coadjutor-Bishop of the diocese. Mr. O'Reilly, who was Mayor of Capetown 11 years ago, has served the city as a Town Councillor for almost a quarter of a century.