The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 1, 3 January 1901, Page 24

The Catholic World.

AUSTRIA.— AII Saints' Day in Vienna-— All Saints' Day was celebrated in Vienna more generally than in any previous yew. One-half of the population seemed fsaya the Daily Netot correspondent) busy in making wreaths and floral offerings, the other half in buying them and transporting them to the Central Cemetery, six miles distant, and to the numerous leeser churchyards. The Central Cemetery, with ita 200,000 graves and many monuments, attracted most visitors. In the afternoon, with a wintry sun casting ita rays over this almost endless city of the dead, the enormous wealth of flowers placed on the graves made the place look like a beautiful garden in springtime. BELGIUM.— Sunday in Brussels.— Sir Langdon Bonython, writing from Berlin, after having visited France and Belgium, says : ' I was delighted with Brussels. Are we not told that Roman Catholicism is losing its hold of the people ? On Bunday (October 21) I visited two big churches in Brussels. Both were orowded, and the congregations were largely made up of men.' ENQLAND.-The Other Side of the Picture.— A good deal of irresponsible rubbish still finds its way into the columns of the daily Press (says the London Tablet) about the alleged intolerance and bigotry of Catholics. We invite the attention of our readers to the following paragraph from the Englith Churchman ; • Lord Edmund Talbot has decided to retain his seat, if possible, as member for the Chichester Division of Sussex. As he is a Roman Catholic, I trust every Protestant voter in the constituency will do his best to return a Protestant instead, though, at present, I do not know the name of any rival candidate. Protestant voters should do their very utmost in that neighborhood.' We will not stay to conBider the somewhat oomic condition of these poor bigots, consumed with a desire to vote against Lord Edmund and yet having no rival candidate to vote for. But aote that the single fact of his religion is held to disqualify the candidate for a seat in Parliament. Happily Lord Edmund Talbot is known in the constituency and that suffices. An Appointment at Oxford.— Father John O'Fallon Pope, S.J., has been appointed temporary bead of Clarke's Hall, Oxford, until such time as he may be appointed permanent head, in sucoes* sion to the late lamented Father Ricbard F.Clarke, SJ. Father Pope, who is an old Christ Church man, is principally known to recent generations of Beaumont boys in hia capacity as spiritual Father, which office he discharged from 181)1 till 1899. The Catholic Truth Society.— Few are the assooiatiotis which can point to such unbroken suocess as the Catholic Truth Society. At the half-yearly meeting Mr. Britten recalled the efforts made to found the society 16 years ago. During the long period which has elapsed since that date the society has invariably met with favor year by year. It has been developing in a remarkable way. In the United Stetei the Catholic Truth Society ii becoming a powerful public force. Away at the

Antipodes the Australian Catholics have been recognising the value of the organisation at their Catholic Congress annd resolving to plant branches in every district throughout the colonies. North of the Tweed recruits are coming in to the society in large numbers and with fervid enthusiasm. And last, but not least, Ireland is showing that in supporting this excellent instrument of Catholic progress it is determined to take a leading place. The funds are in a satisfactory condition and the society seems to be in the position of the Macedonian victor who sighed for new worlds to conquer. Treatment of Voluntary Schools-— On the occasion of laying the foundation etoue of a school at Blackley the Bishop of Salford declared that the voluntary schools were treated with an injustioe which was scandalous. The Catholic bishops, hovrcver, were not prepared to accept any scheme of redress which involved popular control of Catholic schools, and to get over the difficulty of local oontrol they recommended that the whole cost of the maintenance of public elementary schools should be drawn from the Imperial Exchequer. The last English Pilgrimage— His Eminence Cardinal Vaughan and the Duke of Norfolk were to accompany the Catholic Union pilgrimage to Rome, which was to leave England for the Eternal City a few days before Christmas. The Italian Church, London— The congregation of St. Peter's Italian Church, Hatton Garden, have decided to avail them" selves of the opportunity afforded by the approaching silver jubilee of Father Bannin's elevation to the priesthood to make him a presentation (the first ever made to him) in recognition of his twenty years' work as a priest in their midst. For the past seventeen years he haß been rector of the church. ITALY-— The Catholic Congress and the Labor Ques" tions- — The Italian Catholic Congress held in Rome under the auspices of the Holy See devoted a part of its deliberations to Labor questions, and a series of resolutions having a very practical bearing on the subject were adopted. At the previous Congress, which took place at Ferrara, diocesan committees were directed to undertake investigations into the relations between employers and employed, and by the delegates who met in Rome they were urged to continue their labours with increasing earnestness and diligence. The clergy were recommended, in accordance with the advice of the Sovereign Pontiff, to band the workers together in associations and to make these bodies the principal parochial organisations. The establishment of journals specially intended for the toilers was advocated. Meanwhile the editors of existing Catholic papers were asked to pay special attention to labor problems, to deal in their columns with articles designed to alienate the working elapses from religion, and to show how great is the solicitude of the Church for the toilers' welfare. From this it is manifest that the authorities in Rome not only have firm faith in the workers, but are resolved to do everything possible for the betterment of their condition.

ROME— Closing of the Holy Door-— A oable memft received last week stated that on Christ mas Eve the Holy Father performed the ceremony of closing the Holy Door, which had been opened on December 24, 1899. The ceremony was witnessed by 40,000 persons. Writing with referenoe to the opening of the Holy Door on December 24, 1899, a Rome correspondent, said :— The important ceremony of proclaiming the Holy Year was performed at 1 1 o'clock this morning by the Pope in St. Peter's Church, in the pre&ence of an immense congregation, inoluding many pilgrim from England and the United States. Preceded byte long prooesiion of ecclesiastical dignitaries the Pope was carried in his tedia gettatoria to the great door of St. Peter's, which had not been opened sinoe the last ceremony of that kind, performed in the year 1825. His Holiness descended from the chair and was presented with a wmall golden hammer by Cardinal Vannutelli, and struck the door with it, at the same time uttering the words, ' Open the gates of justioe to me that I may celebrate the name of the Lord.' A second and third summons followed, each preceded by blows of the golden hammer. The door was then thrown open and the Pope entered the Cathedral, followed by his attendant dignitaries. His Holiness walked to the Chapel of Piety and passed to that of the Holy Sacrament, where he re-entered the sedia gestatoria and was carried to his throne in front of St. Peter's Chair, and solemnly blessed the congregation. His Holiness was present at the ceremony in 1825, when he was 15 years of age. The Congress of Franciscan Tertiaries.— Aooording to the Franciscan Annalt, which gives a full account of the Congress of Franciscan Tertiaries in Rome, the Frenoh Tertiaries present numbered 3000, the Germans 2000, the Spaniards 1000, and the English contingent over 100. In an article on ' Notable Franciscan Figures ' at the Congress, Mrs. Crawford says that after the president probably the most heavy share in the work of the Congress fell upon Father David Fleming, O.F.M. SCOTLAND— The See of Dunkeld-— The Canons of the Chapter of Dunkeld met recently to select their nominations for the vacant bishopric. The names of Monsignor Fraser, Borne ; Canon Smith, Stirling ; and Canon MacFarlane, Rutherglen, are mentioned in connection with the vacancy. Presentation to a Priest —The Rev. Father M'Connochie, lately transferred from St. Mirin's, Paisley, toCarluke, has been presented with an affectionate address and a purse of sovereigns by the faithful of St. Mirin's as an appreciative token of their sinoere regard ond heartfelt love for him. The address dwelt in touching terms on the edification of his saintly life, his kindness, charity, and consideration for the poor, and his prompt attention to tie siok. It also made special allusion to the critical time when the parish was deprived of the services of two brother priests who were stricken down the with fever, then prevalent in the town ; and how cheerfully, generously, and unselfishly Father M'Connoohie had striven to overtake the increased work which in consequence of the fever had devolved to a great extent upon him.